Lube the keyboard?

[ironhat]

My laptop keyboard has been getting sluggish so I took it out to the shop and backed down the pressure to 15# and blew out the dust boogers expecting a miracle. Well, not so much. Now what? Spray the underside of the keys with silicone?

[Lee4847]

Spray it?? I guess that would give you something to do untill the new keyboard arrives!!

[ironhat]

Spray it?? I guess that would give you something to do untill the new keyboard arrives!!

So, there's nothing but replacement?

[OpaDC]

The couple of laptop keyboards I messed with could be taken out and cleaned. May involve taking the computer apart some. Think it probably has a pad of some sort under the keys themselves. Gunk gets in there and can be cleaned up once accessed.

[Rich P]

Check out this link. Have not done this myself but the instructions are so extensive it must be effective. I would probably get tired about 1/2 way through reading them and would just order a new keyboard.

[mdutch]

Check out this link. Have not done this myself but the instructions are so extensive it must be effective. I would probably get tired about 1/2 way through reading them and would just order a new keyboard.

If giving your keyboard an "air compressor job" didn't turn the trick, just replace it. Seriously, you can probably find the replacement part through your mfg, or in a second-hand shop. They're often standardized between mfg. The trick is getting your laptop case apart.

These "cleaning" instructions look like they were written by someone Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, so to really do them justice, you ought to repeat the process like five or six times in a row. LOL!

FYI, I type so much in my business, I have to replace my outboard keyboard once or twice every year -- even so, the spacebar and enter keys gets polished smooth with grooves worn into them.

[ironhat]

Thanks, all. I'll look into a new board. The cleaning process was pretty intensive for my tastes>

[rjwaldren]

Most laptop keys just snap on/off pretty easily, worth a try in my opinion and should be doable without removing the keyboard from the chassis. The biggest drawback I see is the cost/time equation - how much is you time worth vs the cost of a new KB...

Another approach to try is removing the power/battery and shot it with some dry lube and wait for the transport to evaporate before power back up.

[radhak]

Try this : just drop the keyboard into your dishwasher and run a cycle. Top rack. Turn the heat down (no heat, if it allows it, else - just 'normal' and not 'pots and pans'). Regular dish-washer soap; don't need full quantity; but you could run it with your other dishes.

The dry cycle will not do much for it, so just stop it when the dryer starts and take the keyboard out.

Depending on your make, the drying time might be long (3 days); 2 ways to shorten it - pop off all the keys and keep overnight; then you have to know where they go back (digital pics help). another - turn the keyboard over and carefully drill a couple of shallow holes from below at the corners (where water collects and there's no circuitry). Or maybe, just keep it in bright/hot sun for a day.

I have done this once, and had no problems. But caveat emptor - i don't have professional training in cleaning-keyboards-in-dishwashers !

Edit : Ooops! Forget all that I typed - missed the point that you were talking about your laptop !!