Do keyboard roofs work?

[karljs]

Title says it all---do keyboard roofs really reduce or eliminate the need to regularly remove keys and clean things out, or are they more of an aesthetic accessory? Any keyboards I keep at home for long ends up with cat hair in them, which I'm tired of cleaning.

[TheProfosist]

Yes it keeps dest and dirt off if them or anything from directly falling on them. I used to use roofs all the tim but recently ive just been forgetting to put them back on everytime i leave the computer for a lengthly peroid. I guess that because i have a standing desk now that my cats cant get up on.

[PointyFox]

If you have animals that sit on the keyboard when you're not using it; yes.  Otherwise no.  Most of the stuff that ends up in a keyboard falls off/out of you when you are using it.

[rowdy]

My house is somewhat dusty - nothing much I can do about it except clean regularly (which sets my hay fever off).

My Ducky SHine came with a plastic dust cover which I try to leave on as often as possible - definitely overnight and when I am at work during the day.

It doesn't stop the odd dust particle or hair falling on the keyboard during normal use, but I am hoping that it will stop needless avalanches of dust burying the keyboard in the short term.  That was a slight exaggeration, but anyway.

I have not had mine for long enough to notice any significant difference, but so far so good.  Can't be bad.

[quake4mhg]

It works.  My house is dusty too. I don't feel safe because no PCB cover inside KBT Race. It is an expensive peripheral to me 

[rowdy]

Apart from being relatively expensive, I also do not want my mechanical keyboards to fail before their time.  Each key switch is supposed to last 50 million key strokes - I would prefer not to have it clogged with dust before then.

[MarkPharaoh]

Of course it reduces the frequency of cleanings. Dust particles are always floating in the air. The more often your keyboard is covered, the less it's exposed to dust.

[silat]

I highly recommend the one I use:
http://www.fentek-ind.com/keyboard-cover.htm

[RiGS]

Apart from being relatively expensive, I also do not want my mechanical keyboards to fail before their time.  Each key switch is supposed to last 50 million key strokes - I would prefer not to have it clogged with dust before then.

It is quite easy to clean the switches from time to time with something like deoxit. You do not even need to open those switches. Pesonally I have never seen a Cherry switch filled with dust.

[1stGenRex]

I use the cover that came with my Filco.

[JaccoW]

I highly recommend the one I use:
http://www.fentek-ind.com/keyboard-cover.htm

Thanks for that one, finally one that can house my Deck Legend!

[RiGS]

I find the original plastic cover that comes with Filco keyboards sufficient. Maybe I'm just too cheap to buy an acrylic one.

[dirge]

I use a bar towel



Also handy to have if you spill anything.

[fohat.digs]

If you have a Focus 2001 I have a nice hinged cover that I will sell you.

[TurdFurgusand]

Yes, it keeps the dust off of mine

[_js_]

I never used a roof before my HHKB Pro 2, partly because they were out of stock at EK and partly because I didn't like the full sized roof design as much as for the HHKB.  But, in any case, not that I have a roof, I really like it, and it definitely does keep dust off your board, especially if you put the roof on for many hours (or days) at a time--such as if your board is at work (as is my case).  Mostly, though, it's just cool! 

[dorkvader]

I'm not worried about dust (So my plates get a little dandruffy) but I'd definitely use a roof for travel, to protect the keycaps.