How do you guys sterilize your keyboards?

[villanova329]

My MBP keyboard is used constantly, and I know I can't avoid passing bacteria to it from all the things I touch throughout the day. I don't want to ruin the finish on my keyboard with alcohol or anything abrasive, so how do you guys sterilize or kill the bacteria on your keyboards? Feedback would be great and highly appreciated.

[jsw]

It'd be a lot easier to keep some antiseptic wipes/spraygel nearby and use that on your hands occasionally than to try to disinfect the keyboard regularly - I see a lot of ways that could go wrong and reduce the lifetime of the hardware.

[Aniej]

you are a dirty dirty man!

I am unaware of any product that can satisfy your need without alcohol. The alternative is to get a usb attached rubber/foldable keyboard for use in the situations you are detailing and then hit it with alcohol all you want. I suggest you use cognac that stuff knocks your nuts into your throat.

[Demon Hunter]

It'd be a lot easier to keep some antiseptic wipes/spraygel nearby and use that on your hands occasionally than to try to disinfect the keyboard regularly - I see a lot of ways that could go wrong and reduce the lifetime of the hardware.

jsw has a good point. Purell is your friend.

[katie ta achoo]

Get an iSkin. It's made of silicone, so you can soak it in alcohol, you could probably boil it (don't sue me if it melts or deforms, though).

otherwise, wear gloves. Keyboard are dirty, dirty objects.. *shudder*

[Bibulous]

Just don't touch your face after using your MBP.

[mad jew]

Use urine. It's sterile and warm.

[phungy]

I use either Chlorox Cleaning wipes or sanitizer (Purell/GermX). :-D

[jsw]

jsw has a good point. Purell is your friend.Thanks. It was tough going with a serious answer when I was tempted to reply with something more along the lines of "take it to the doctor for the relatively simple procedure, then be sure to keep ice on the area for a while."
otherwise, wear gloves. Keyboard are dirty, dirty objects.. *shudder*I suspect that you're always worried when using door handles... especially the ones when exiting bathrooms.

[aussiemac86]

I've owned my present mac for over 2 years, ive never cleaned my keyboard in any way.

I've also yet to suffer any serious illness since owning this particular mac......

in short, unless you so are into some weird stuff there shouldnt be anything worrisome on your keyboard, ignore it

[iW00t]

I use rubbing alcohol and some cotton balls to wipe them clean from time to time. Works great!

[rdowns]

I suspect that you're always worried when using door handles... especially the ones when exiting bathrooms.

Ewww, I always use a paper towel to open a bathroom door upon exiting.

[katie ta achoo]

Ewww, I always use a paper towel to open a bathroom door upon exiting.

YEAH! And if there's no paper towels, you have to use your knees.
If the trash can is far away and you have to throw away the paper, you hold the door open with your toe and stretch to reach the can. In the even the can is too far away, you kick it to closer to the door, open said door again, hold it open with your foot and put it in.

Public washrooms are DISGUSTING.


Same thing with public keyboards,. I can't use the ones in the library at school without wanting to take a full-body bleach dip afterwards.

[jsw]

Ewww, I always use a paper towel to open a bathroom door upon exiting.I just stand there until someone else comes in. It's a risky strategy near close-of-business.

[balamw]

I just stand there until someone else comes in. It's a risky strategy near close-of-business.

That's OK as long as the business provides free WiFi access and you have your computer with you....

B

[mkrishnan]

Get an iSkin. It's made of silicone, so you can soak it in alcohol, you could probably boil it (don't sue me if it melts or deforms, though).

This is what I do, minus the freaky ways of cleaning it. Warm water and soap, people, warm water and soap!

Speaking of which #1, my iBook skin is due. *goes to wash and comes back*

Speaking of which #2, there were Dell desktops sitting in the corners of the wet lab for my neuroanatomy class this summer. Human brains in buckets of biostat. And keyboards nearby. Holy gross, batman.

[YS2003]

Ewww, I always use a paper towel to open a bathroom door upon exiting.
Thank god, I thought I was the only one who does this. Good to know I have a company. I have to wash my hands after washing hands in the public bathroom and grabbing that hideous dirty door knob with my bear hand (if there is no paper towel; those damn environmentally friendly hand dryers!). Of course, all of my portable notebooks, I use iSkin. Every morning, I show up at my offices, I clean up my keyboard/mouse/desk telephone with water-moisten paper towel as I have no guarantee no one touched them on my desk while I was on the road. Since I am there so early in AM, no one is watching I am such a clean freak.

[cyberddot]

I've worked taking care of animals, and I've also worked taking care of computer users. I'd have to say that the tolerance that computer users have for using thoroughly disgusting keyboards, mice and mousepads has driven me to further extremes of personal hygiene than any work I've done with animals. YUCK!

I second (or third, fourth, ...) the use of some alcohol-based hand disinfectant and a regular washing of your hands to keep most of the surface funk under control, but I also clean my keyboards once a year (disassemble, clean using alcohol-based cleaner/disinfectant, ressemble), just to get all of the other extraneous matter that may drop in behind the keys (including dust, hair, dander, etc.)

I also use an iSkin or equivalent on laptop keyboards.

[Hadley]

im not too keen on pulling apart the entire keyboard....but would you like to give a little info on how you actually do that?

[fuzzwud]

... so how do you guys sterilize or kill the bacteria on your keyboards? Feedback would be great and highly appreciated.


Haha, I would just wipe with a damp cloth or towel. Don't go overboard with killing bacteria. Most come from you anyway. Most are friendly :)

And, no, I saw a TV program on ABC and it showed the kitchen to have more germs than a bathroom.

[stevento]

i think a good lysol spray should do the trick.

[zoziw]

If this concerns you I would advise that you keep at least 1 mile away from any of my keyboards. :)

[MACDRIVE]

Same thing with public keyboards,. I can't use the ones in the library at school without wanting to take a full-body bleach dip afterwards.

LOL!!!

I feel the same way Katie. :D

BTW, I love your new avatar. :)