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I think I killed my keyboard.

B

Beggar Monkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 10, 2009
2
0
Well, I knew it was going to happen to me sooner or later. As I was laughing hysterically over a very funny video on YouTube, I managed to hit my elbow against my Mike's Hard Lemonade (which I apparently had a little too much of) and spill it all over my keyboard, phone, and papers. I tried to get as much of it up as quickly as possible, wiping down the keyboard and turning it upside down to shake it out, and I thought I had done a pretty good job. Alas, when I woke up this morning and tried logging into my email my keyboard was completely unresponsive. It looks like there is still some lemonade trapped in the bottom. Is there anything I can do to save it or should I just give in and buy a new one?

I have the standard Mac keyboard for OS X with the numeric keypad if that helps at all.
 
I kind of looked around but I didn't see any other threads. I guess I should look harder next time. :3

Thanks! I'll let it sit around a bit before I look into buying a new one then. This is the first time my keyboard has been completely unresponsive, so I panicked a bit.
 
Beggar Monkey said:
I kind of looked around but I didn't see any other threads. I guess I should look harder next time. :3

Thanks! I'll let it sit around a bit before I look into buying a new one then. This is the first time my keyboard has been completely unresponsive, so I panicked a bit.
Click to expand...
I can understand that!
(tip: go to the macbook tread)

I once had this with a regular keyboard.
Well.. regular.. It was a pretty expensive Logitec gamerkeyboard.

I searched for a bit:
I think its the best to NOT USE IT for a while.
It could only damage the system more If you do so.
Just try and contact the retailer/visit one or a computer shop.
They could provide you with tips

good luck!
 
Word of Advice, don't eat or drink around your computers, :p saves the whole problem from happening in the first place, but ya give it a couple days and see if it starts working again, if not just buckle up and get a new one.
 
Well I heard some people say they washed their Apple keyboard in their dishwasher on the top rack on the low cycle. Probably with no soap and let it try for a few days just to be safe. If I ever spill something on my future Apple keyboard I would wash it in the dish wash since it's the only solution other than Apple replacing it under warranty.
 
Hose it off (what do you have to lose) and put it in your oven at ~120-150F for 6-8 hrs. Hopefully giving it a good rinse will remove the sugars etc. that were in the lemonade.

Look on the bright side - at least it wasn't a laptop.
 
Could be you didn't let it dry long enough. I have heard many tales of ipods surviving being washed by accident so I would imagine a keyboard could live again.
 
I would submerge it or throw it in the dishwasher. Long shot either way, but I think better then letting it sit.

Plus new ones are cheap.
 
The acid in the lemonade is going to digest the traces, and the sugar will leave sticks keys.

A newer aluminum keyboard cannot be taken apart and cleaned. And if the traces get eaten, it is bye bye keyboard.

The old plastic ones can be cleaned and repaired as long as you don't kill the circuit board, the digested traces can be repaired with a Radio Shack trace pen.
 
I have also read the suggestions that you put it in the dishwasher with no soap and let it dry for a few days. While I don't know it that will work, I did spill beer on my Mighty Mouse (wired) and the click got a little sticky and loud. I finally decided I had to either fix it or replace it because it was too annoying. So, I put it in a glass of hot water from the tap (so maybe 130 degrees) and pulled it up and down by the cord for a minute or so. I then drained it and let it sit for three days. Result? Good as new.

Before you give up entirely on it, I would suggest either using the dishwasher method or running hot tap water on it so that it can get a good rinse. Then let it dry for at least a couple of days before plugging it in.
 
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