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Keyboard Cleaning

D

dougnewman

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 9, 2006
270
0
Long Island, NY, USA
OK, so this sounds like a dumb question.

What is the best way to clean a PowerBook keyboard?

I'm not talking about gunk under/in between the keys, but rather the surface of the keys themselves.

I find that after almost a year of heavy use, the oils from my fingers have made a lot of the keys (especially the right side of the spacebar where I hit it with my right thumb) a bit greasy. This kind of annoys me and I would like to clean them off.

I tried a damp paper towel but this did not do much... And I'm a bit afraid to use anything else.

Surely there is something safe that will work? Alcohol?
 
Try iKlear...it's meant to clean plastic casings and LCD screens, but I use it on my keyboard. Seems the ez-wipe form would work better on your keyboard as opposed to the spray/towel combo.
 
Oh... Another question... The trackpad - does that require special treatment? It has gotten a bit "greasy" too I'm afraid.

(And now everyone is going to think I have especially greasy fingers ;) - but really, it must be much worse for many other people! I don't use any lotions or that kind of thing, and I don't eat much greasy food and if I do I wash my hands after... I can't stand having dirty hands!)
 
If you can get hold of it, 70% ethanol and paper towel does just fine. Otherwise, diluted denatured alcohol from the pharmacy. I'd keep it off the screen, however.
 
Ok wow, do you guys actually have much luck cleaning off the greese or whatever it is?

As for the trackpad, that just gets shiney because you've worn it down with the friction right? That cannot be removed? I wish apple would invest in a non-wearing surface as it annoys me the way the light reflects and catches my eye.
 
dougnewman said:
The iKlear you use - is that the Apple Polish?
Click to expand...
I have found that in my part of the world (Ireland) when people talk about "Apple Polish" they are usually referring to a thick slightly abrasive white cream that is used to polish out minor scratches on the white laptop case.

iKlear or Klear is used to clean the screen and keyboard etc. is a clear liquid with the viscosity of water.

FJ
 
Father Jack said:
iKlear or Klear is used to clean the screen and keyboard etc. is a clear liquid with the viscosity of water.
Click to expand...
According to the web site, the iKlear Apple Polish is "[T]he World’s Most Recommended Screen and Case Cleaner for Apple™ Products. Whether cleaning off dirt, dust, or fingerprints, iKlear will be there for all your cleaning needs at work, at home, or on the go."

Then there is something called Klear Screen from the same people: "Klear Screen is trusted by leading Professionals and Manufacturers alike for safely and easily cleaning, protecting, and preserving Laptops, Desktops, Digital Cameras and Camcorders, MP3 Players, GPS Navigation Systems, and more."

Which one are people using? And I wonder what the difference is, anyway? They sound almost the same to me except that iKlear is supposedly even better for Apples than Klear Screen :confused: .
 
Are there any non-commercial methods (at least something that can also be bought in Europe) for cleaning the grease on the keyboard and the trackpad, e.g., alcohol + ..?
 
So is that stuff on the trackpad that gives it that shiney and smooth properity greese or just the out-the-box surface of the trackpad material being irriversibley worn away?
 
dougnewman said:
According to the web site, the iKlear Apple Polish is "[T]he World’s Most Recommended Screen and Case Cleaner for Apple™ Products. Whether cleaning off dirt, dust, or fingerprints, iKlear will be there for all your cleaning needs at work, at home, or on the go."

Then there is something called Klear Screen from the same people: "Klear Screen is trusted by leading Professionals and Manufacturers alike for safely and easily cleaning, protecting, and preserving Laptops, Desktops, Digital Cameras and Camcorders, MP3 Players, GPS Navigation Systems, and more."

Which one are people using? And I wonder what the difference is, anyway? They sound almost the same to me except that iKlear is supposedly even better for Apples than Klear Screen :confused: .
Click to expand...

from looking on the website it seems that iKlear is an apple orientated product whilst Klear Screen is a product that they are trying to market towards everybody else (sony, dell .etc) this seems to be the only difference and from what i can tell the actual formula is identical in both of the procucts.
 
The reason your keyboard is shiny is because it's been used. Aluminum doesn't absorb finger oils and wipes away clean. You don't need to but a $20 bottle to figure out that your keyboard's matte surface has been eroded. People are so weird about stuff like this--though I understand why, I babied my PowerBook in ways, too. :rolleyes: :)
 
wongulous said:
The reason your keyboard is shiny is because it's been used. Aluminum doesn't absorb finger oils and wipes away clean.
Click to expand...
The keys are aluminum? They feel like plastic to me.

Regardless, I thought it was that the oil gets caught in the little "nooks and crannies" that make it a matte finish.

So you are saying that no matter how much I clean it, it will still feel icky on my fingers :( ?
 
Here's Klear Screen with their 16 x 16 inch micro fibre cloth :

DSCN0213.jpg


For dust and crumbs I use this :

DSCN0214.jpg
 
dougnewman said:
The keys are aluminum? They feel like plastic to me.

Regardless, I thought it was that the oil gets caught in the little "nooks and crannies" that make it a matte finish.

So you are saying that no matter how much I clean it, it will still feel icky on my fingers :( ?
Click to expand...

They are plastic (on the MBP at least)... They're transparent plastic painted with silver paint, leaving the letter unpainted so that light can shine through.

My most used keys have worn through the silver paint and are now showing larger and larger patches of clear plastic. Probably due to my fingernails hitting the keys.

Cleaning isn't the cause because most of the keys are fine. I use a cleansing/toning wipe to clean the keyboard and screen.

My keyboard definitely doesn't feel icky.


Faye
 
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