| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Poll: How often do you clean your keyboard? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you clean your keyboard?".
This poll was originally submitted by James Calder. View the poll results »
| | | | David Wright 
Austria
Local time: 10:28
German to English
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| Clean keyboard? | Mar 7, 2012 |
It's used so much it never gets a chance to be dirty! And the bits of cake and the like I can see under the keys are obviously not doing it any harm, and (insert deity) knows how I'd get them out anyway.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:28
Spanish to English
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Sometimes, maybe 2 or 3 times a year, I turn it upside down and give it a tap to dislodge any crumbs or dust etc, or occasionally wipe any keys that are disappearing beneath the accumulated grime, but I find the best way is to keep it as clean as possible in the first place with no food or drinks nearby and no grubby-fingered kids or adults using it (I have a spare PC for visitors to fiddle about with).
Once I saw a documentary about people who set up a company offering keyboard c... See more Sometimes, maybe 2 or 3 times a year, I turn it upside down and give it a tap to dislodge any crumbs or dust etc, or occasionally wipe any keys that are disappearing beneath the accumulated grime, but I find the best way is to keep it as clean as possible in the first place with no food or drinks nearby and no grubby-fingered kids or adults using it (I have a spare PC for visitors to fiddle about with).
Once I saw a documentary about people who set up a company offering keyboard cleaning services where opened them up and dismantled the keys one by one to clean them, so I thought I'd try it out for myself, since it looked so easy on TV. However, I then found it impossible to get the keys back into place once dismantled and had to scuttle off embarrassedly to the store and get a new keyboard. So, I came to the conclusion that (as with other aspects of translation) some things are best left to people who actually know what they're doing... ▲ Collapse
| | | | | ugh! I hate dirty keyboards | Mar 7, 2012 |
I am not a clean freak at all, but dirty and dusty keyboards freak me out. I have a keyboard cleaning kit and use it as often as necessary, i.e. at least once a week.
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Henk Peelen
Netherlands
Local time: 10:28
Member (2002)
German to Dutch
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SITE LOCALIZER | vacuum cleaner does work | Mar 7, 2012 |
Two months ago I found out you can clean it for a great part with the vacuum cleaner. So, without mouthpiece and with a moderate suction power. A weekly vacuum cleaner cleaning does a lot as to crumbles, dust and hairs. Of course it doesn't work for the greasy stuff, about three times a year I use such gel ( http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/b88d/ ) for that and then a normal tissue ... See more Two months ago I found out you can clean it for a great part with the vacuum cleaner. So, without mouthpiece and with a moderate suction power. A weekly vacuum cleaner cleaning does a lot as to crumbles, dust and hairs. Of course it doesn't work for the greasy stuff, about three times a year I use such gel ( http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/b88d/ ) for that and then a normal tissue with cleaner, alcohol or soap. Well, pretty neat for a man, or what? Eerrr, I have to admit one key wasn't vacuum cleaner proof, so I'm missing one (which I never used).
[Bijgewerkt op 2012-03-07 09:18 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | From time to time | Mar 7, 2012 |
About once a week I tip it over and tap it several times, then run a folded PostIt note between the rows. If any key caps are dirty, I clean them with rubbing alcohol. I have a little vacuum for the keyboard, but it got misplaced a while ago.
Every couple of months I do a thorough cleaning, which involves taking out the frequently used keys, cleaning underneath, and then popping them back in. At that point I enlist some Q-tips and dip them in alcohol. In the old days, I used to take... See more About once a week I tip it over and tap it several times, then run a folded PostIt note between the rows. If any key caps are dirty, I clean them with rubbing alcohol. I have a little vacuum for the keyboard, but it got misplaced a while ago.
Every couple of months I do a thorough cleaning, which involves taking out the frequently used keys, cleaning underneath, and then popping them back in. At that point I enlist some Q-tips and dip them in alcohol. In the old days, I used to take out all the keys. That makes it much easier to get to the crud. I take a photo before I start, so I won't get confused about which key goes where. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:28
Hebrew to English
| Difficult to clean / practical considerations | Mar 7, 2012 |
I agree with Neil, I only clean mine from time to time. I'll give it a quick dust quite regularly but anything more thorough is maybe twice/thrice a year when I replace my keyboard stickers once they've faded (I have an English laptop so need Hebrew keyboard stickers to help me type in Hebrew).
If they fade to the point where I have difficulty typing quickly in Hebrew I replace and clean the keyboard more frequently but they usually last a good few months before it gets to that poin... See more I agree with Neil, I only clean mine from time to time. I'll give it a quick dust quite regularly but anything more thorough is maybe twice/thrice a year when I replace my keyboard stickers once they've faded (I have an English laptop so need Hebrew keyboard stickers to help me type in Hebrew).
If they fade to the point where I have difficulty typing quickly in Hebrew I replace and clean the keyboard more frequently but they usually last a good few months before it gets to that point.
Speak of the devil, they're a bit faded now actually.... ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I will clean it faithfully from now on... | Mar 7, 2012 |
Oh dear - but at least I now know how to do it - I'll go to the shop and get a kit!!!!
I once spilt coffee all over the keyboard of my old mac. Didn't know what to do, it stopped working. So I ran it under the tap until the water ran clean, then left it to dry in the (very hot) sun all day. It worked fine after that. Don't think I'll try with my laptop though......
"Eerrr, I have to admit one wasn't vacuum cleaner proof, so I'm missing one (which I never used)."<... See more Oh dear - but at least I now know how to do it - I'll go to the shop and get a kit!!!!
I once spilt coffee all over the keyboard of my old mac. Didn't know what to do, it stopped working. So I ran it under the tap until the water ran clean, then left it to dry in the (very hot) sun all day. It worked fine after that. Don't think I'll try with my laptop though......
"Eerrr, I have to admit one wasn't vacuum cleaner proof, so I'm missing one (which I never used)."
Henk - that is hilarious. You are my new hero. ▲ Collapse
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Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 09:28
| Must be clean | Mar 7, 2012 |
Dust brush every morning, and upside down treatment and cleaning kit about once a week.
| | | | Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:28
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
But I hear the average keyboard is riddled with disease
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 10:28
Spanish to English
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| Probably not as often as I should. | Mar 7, 2012 |
Simon Bruni wrote:
But I hear the average keyboard is riddled with disease
Here's a little more info if anyone's interested in Simon's comment...
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Germs/story?id=4774746&page=1#.T1cs8_XEEmM
Personally, I clean mine fairly often with the vacuum cleaner on a low power setting (sucked a key off a laptop once and it was no fun going through the vacuum cleaner bag to retrieve it)
I also wash it with a damp cloth with warm soapy water from time to time.
| | | | Alison Sabedoria (X)
United Kingdom
French to English
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| Depends what's on it... | Mar 7, 2012 |
Most of PC keyboard currently occupied by cat (snoozing under warmth of desk lamp), so obliged to type on laptop!
Right, coffee break over: mug to kitchen, cat ditto...
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Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 17:28
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| Compressed air works wonders! | Mar 7, 2012 |
Simon Bruni wrote:
But I hear the average keyboard is riddled with disease
Yes, keyboards can really turn into petri dish-like minibiospheres:
I really do recommend a good spray from a can of compressed air and use the long, thin nozzle provided with the keyboard held upside down (thanks Allison!).
Then you can see all the gunge and gunk that has quietly been perculating under the keys - hair, bits of skin (yuk!), heaps of dust (which basically is more yukky skin!) AND small insect and spider cadavers, eggy type things and cobwebs.
I also recommend a monthly clean inside your PC, again with compressed air. Dust really does build up, sometimes to a point where it can slow down the fans used for air-cooling the power supply and mother board. Then "it" will really hit the fan. Ouch!
Happy dusting! 
| | | | carly kelly
Italy
Local time: 10:28
Italian to English
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| from time to time... | Mar 7, 2012 |
but not very often really.
It's a job I dread and put off as long as possible, which means when I do decide to brave it, it's a major undertaking (removing all keys, cleaning under them, cleaning the keys themselves and popping them back on).
Hoping to pick up some helpful keyboard cleaning tips on this forum. Anyone use a protective cover?
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 01:28
English to German
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In memoriam | A gazillion times per day with a brush | Mar 7, 2012 |
The Office Manager:
and the office equipment:
happen to be poorly color-coordinated.
Possible solution:
- Someone please build white keyboards
... See more The Office Manager:
and the office equipment:
happen to be poorly color-coordinated.
Possible solution:
- Someone please build white keyboards
- Someone please invent some cat-hairspray that makes them lose their hair once a year only and in one single lump
Other than that I have to clean the keyboard with lots of cotton swabs and window cleaner. Certain colors are merciless... ▲ Collapse
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