Cleaning an old keyboard

[Electronics Plus]

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



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