Will I Have to Replace My Keyboard?

Question

A few days ago, I sloshed a little bit of tea on my keyboard (no sugar in it, just aspartame). I quickly turned my keyboard over to prevent any more from dripping into the insides. I left it that way overnight. The next day the keyboard seemed fine and I was able to use it. Now about 3 or 4 of the keys are super hard to press down, although they will work. It feels like they are sticky inside. How can this be if there was no sugar in the tea? Is there anyway to clean the keys, or will I have to replace my keyboard? I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar problem. Thanks!

Answer 1

$7, Best Buy, new keyboard.

Answer 2

Just the tea in the tea is enough to make your keyboard sticky. I hope you didn't get tea clear down into the keyboard, because the only way to clean that out would be to open up the keyboard. There are probably screws on the bottom which, once removed, will allow you to get inside. Make sure the keyboard is unplugged before you do this.

Once you have opened the keyboard up, you should be able to wipe the spilled substance out with a lint-free cloth dampened with water. Dry the keyboard with a dry lint-free cloth before putting it back together, and it should work fine.

If you don't want to take the keyboard apart, have a qualified technician do it. (Actually, keyboards are pretty inexpensive these days; you may want to consider replacing it instead of bothering with taking it apart. The choice is up to you.)

First, however, just try wiping the keyboard from the outside with a damp lint-free cloth, and see if that helps.

Answer 3

The keys actually pop off, and you can clean under them, after pulling them off.

I wouldnt pull them all off at the same time :D might forget where they went, hehehe. When I clean my keyboards, I will pull 3,4 off at a time, and lay them off the side, just as they were laid out on the keyboard. Qtips help get into hard to reach area, just be sure to leave no cotton fibers behind. (those little sticks with a pad, that come in vcr head cleaning kits work really well)

A new keyboard will run anywhere from $10 to $20... so its your call as to how much labor you want to invest in it.

Have Fun

Answer 4

My daughter had decent luck bu popping the sticky keys off, clean with a Q-tip dampened with a little warm water and replace. The no drinks near the computer is a good rule.

Answer 5

Hi we had similar problem. I spilled wine on one, after it dried it seemed to work but a little later two of the keys stuck and after that the commuter started sending error messages. We junked the key board. After that my husband spilled beer on the new one. We tried cleaning it up but to no avail. I saw on the web where they talked about putting it in dish washer we tried that with the first one before trashing it but it didn't work either, we figured nothing to lose we were trashing it anyway. New rule in house NO BEVERAGES near the computer! Luckily our computer is getting old so we just bought cheap new key board and it is working fine now.

Answer 6

Try getting another key board... Once its sticky, you might have to take it open, and even then, you would have to clean it... make it easier on yourself and buy a new one! Besides, the stickiness would only get worse in humid weather! You could probably still use urs, but it would be really hard to use...