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19352
September 27th, 2010 16:00
cleaning a multimedia(MM) keyboard from an alienware Aurora pc?
ok, i admit that i am not the world's cleanest person, but neither am i the dirtiest, but i still have a hard time keeping my keyboard that came with my Aurora desktop pc clean. i have yet to spill anything on or in it. its is mostly the fact that i am a smoker that causes alot of small particles to get on things. i am pretty good about keeping the keys clean. i have a set of tools, including a mini vacuum, some brushes and cans of compressed air, that i use quite regularely to keep the surfaces looking decent enough. it is the nonsuperficial stuff, the stuff that gets down under, between, and underneath the keys that i just can't reach. hell, i can barely see between the keys without a flashlight. no way that i can easily reach in to fish the stuff out. my tools and a can of air can usually got most of it out.luckily this 'dirt' or whatever you may want to call it, is of the dry variety.
i've read in various places how to clean the surface areas of your keyboard, what to use as a cleaning agent, and know how to use a can of compressed air. i even know what to do in case of a spill of a liquid onto the keyboard. sometimes a magazine article will discuss how to even clean up the insides of the keyboard. so what i am asking, before i go and open up my keyboard, is can the alienware multimedia(MM) keyboard be opened up to clean out its insides? if so, how do i go about it? as to not render it nonfunctional as a result, mind you.
flotown
190 Posts
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September 28th, 2010 00:00
I would not do this with my Alienware keyboard but I have put cheaper keyboards in the dishwasher on cold - no heat. I let them dry out for a couple of days. It worked - got the kids soda and gunk out and the keyboard looks and works like new , but like I said $11 dollar keyboard I would do it but not a $ 70 + keyboard.
Tesla1856
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September 28th, 2010 19:00
You can vacuum it with the big house vacuum cleaner with brush attachment. You can take it to the garage and blow it out with an air compressor. You can get a good one for under $100 and they also work on the computers themselves (and lots of other uses).
If you are going to wash it ... take it apart and remove all electronics. It's usually a mylar contact sheet and maybe a small circuit board. Once the electronics are removed, wash the mechanical parts and shell in warm soapy water, rinse well, and dry completely before re-assembly.
A nice new generic black USB keyboard is only $10.
Tesla1856
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September 28th, 2010 22:00
Since you are being careful, cleaning it, and not neglecting it ... I doubt anything much has gotten inside it. Just vacuum it (large machine = heavy suction) and then blow it off and you should be fine. I would only use plain water to clean it (only slightly soapy if you must).
Like I said ... it can be easily replaced. Or, you could buy and use a cheap model and save your nice one. In our disposable society, it's nice to see someone trying to do maintenance on something instead of "using and abusing it" and then throwing it away (landfill space) and buying a new one.
Your larger problem is likely the PC itself. The smoke, dust, (pet hair, etc) all get drawn into the PC like an air conditioner. It sticks to the fans (causing them to fail), optical heads on DVD-RW, and on our AW models ... clogs-up the main radiator lowering the efficiency. Since it's not good to sit at the computer for long periods anyway ... some people go to the patio or garage for a smoke break
aXa
31 Posts
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September 28th, 2010 22:00
i am not sure if i would need to wash it. i mostly would be wanting to open it up to clean out dry particles - for the most part small pieces of tobacco. i wouldnt be suprised if the insides didnt turn out to need a good wiping down with a lint free cloth though. a super good vacuuming can get most things, but the ash particles often end up clinging to things and can be hard to remove.
i was really hoping that someone else had already taken one apart and that there was like a guide or' teardown' video of some sort. as i said before, my biggest concern is rendering the keyboard unuseable or notbeing able to get it all back together again.