Are you talking about the key caps? Best bet might be to take them off. Usually they do come off. If so, you can test various solvents. Alcohol (ethanol or isopropanol) might work. Paint thinner, but test it first to make sure it doesn't dissolve the key cap. An adhesives specialist friend of ours has recommended WD-40 as a slow but safe solvent to take off many adhesives. You'd want to clean it off carefully afterwards since it leaves a messy residue when it dries (WD-40 is NOT a lubricant even though some cans of the stuff claim it is). Another option might be to put all the key caps in a mesh container and run them through the dishwasher. paul

You don't say what brand of keyboard and mouse you have. Some companies (Logitech is famous for this) used a type of plastic that turns gummy over the years. The solution for this is to use a thick paste of baking soda and water, and lots of elbow grease, to remove the gummy stuff. Afterwards, rinse well with water and dry thoroughly. Regular grime that has accumulated over the years can be removed with detergent and warm water. Don't exceed 120F on the water temp, as some thin ABS plastics will start to warp at higher temps. Melted rubber feet, adhesive from tapes and stickers, etc. can be safely removed with Spot Shot (available at most stores like WalMart in the carpet cleaning section). I DON'T recommend using the dishwasher. Caps can be removed and soaked in mild solution of hand dish soap and warm water for about 30 minutes. Rub them with a rough terry wash cloth, and rinse thoroughly. Lay them out face up on a towel and blot dry to prevent hard water spots. The case can be disassembled and cleaned by soaking in the same manner. Isopropyl will dissolve some plastics, as will acetone and MEK. If in doubt, use a cotton swab to dab a small amount of the underside of the case or cap, and wait a few seconds. If the plastic becomes gummy, do not use that chemical. Note that cases and keycaps are often made from different types of plastics. GooGone also removes adhesives safely from most plastics. Do NOT use GoofOff, as it will dissolve almost all types of plastic from which keyboards are made. If used carefully, a Magic Eraser and water can go a long ways towards cleaning scuff marks and other heavy residue. Do not use one dry; it must be damp. Hope this helps. Cindy -----Original Message----- From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Parker via cctalk Sent: Monday, September 23, 2019 6:25 PM To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' Subject: Cleaning an old keyboard I resurrected an old keyboard and mouse I like. Not wishing to gross anyone out but it looks like over time there was a build-up of oil etc from my hands etc and over time being stored away its turned to a really almost hard paste like stuff on both the mouse and keyboard. I've tried number of agents to clean it off but limited success. Any tips please. Kevin Parker --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus