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Are Keyboards Dishwasher Safe?
i_like_spam writes "Computer keyboards are a breeding ground for bacteria. Studies have shown that keyboards often contain more bacteria than toilet seats. Common cleaning methods, such as pressurized-air canisters and damp rags, help remove some of the dirt, but they also leave behind plenty of grime. National Public Radio describes a recent experiment by a reporter who used a dishwasher to clean her keyboard. Following the advice on Plastic Bugs, she placed her keyboard in the top rack, didn't use the heated dry cycle, and air dried the keyboard for a week afterwards. Her keyboard is now squeaky clean and functions perfectly. Has anyone else tried this or any other alternate keyboards cleaning methods? For those not willing to air dry for a week, dishwasher-safe keyboards are now available. Would you ever do this to your peripheral? "
Good point about F6. It hasn't even been loved enough to be given a Function function on my Thinkpad T60.
Turns out it moves between focusable frames in Windows, and in Firefox, can be used to focus on the task bar - and hit again to focus on the page! Useful, yet unloved.
Someone needs to start a F6 fanclub. That key will get a complex.
I once accidentally put a USB pendrive through a washing machine cycle (cold with detergent) and dryer (hot spin). I assumed I would have killed it and lost some pretty important work related stuff. But no, after plugging it in a couple of times it mounted perfectly and is still working a year later.
Every two months I disassemble my keyboard and run the plastic bits through the dishwasher. I hand-clean the little metal chachkis, and dust off the electronics. Then I reassemble. Works pretty well, I think.
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Funny you should mention this - my girlfriend put her iPod Nano through a washing machine cycle just this morning, including the bud-style headphones.
Still seems to work.
I'm not sure if that says more about the strength of the Nano or the weakness of the washing machine. ;)
'Thats they exact same thing a banana wrench monkey.'
I would question the actual point of the cleaning. Everything that makes it onto my keyboard is either my own skin particles or foodstuffs or dirt/dust out of the air. Sure if you pop the keys off its pretty disgusting in there, but its also fairly cheap to buy a new keyboard every few months (haha until I get a wolf-claw). For me, at least, I know I'm the one person in my house who rarely gets sick... this could just be an immune system thing or it could be my disgustingly grotty keyboard/mouse combination.
My $0.02 AU
Me failed English...
FreeBSD over Linux. If my comments seem odd, this may explain...
It is sensible to clean keyboards because the dirt sometimes interferes with proper action. Your instructions are excellent for people who haven't cleaned electronic circuit boards before.
However, it is not sensible to worry about bacteria. There are bacteria everywhere, all the time. Whether there are 100,000 bacteria on every key or 1,000,000 makes little difference.
Slashdot editors seem to easily believe science fraud articles. Maybe they played with their Nintendo Game Boys in biology class, physics class, and, judging by the number of spelling and grammar errors, English class.