Computer Repairs

Cleaning a Keyboard

You may remember in my previous post about cleaning your computer system unit that cleaning your computer system unit can cause more harm than good, the same is true with keyboards.

Most computer keyboards are membrane keyboards, this can consist of two layers of plastic etched sheets and an insulating layer between the two, pressing a key pushes the contact on one layer of plastic through to the contact on the other through a hole in the insulating sheet, there are also rubber membrane keyboards that are rubber contacts that short across the contacts of the switch with carbon pads, gone are the days of the individual key switches.

The easiest and safest way to clean a keyboard is to turn it upside down and shake out the crumbs then turning it so the keys are facing you and shaking will make the crumbs fall out and not be collected by the key tops, a vacuum is a good option but you must make sure that the keys don’t fall off and get sucked inside, the miniature vacuums available for cleaning small places do not have enough suction to be any use cleaning a keyboard.

It is a good idea to avoid the use of air dusters, air dusters can cause the debris being flushed out to enter the membrane and stop the keys working.

A brush can be used to loosen the crumbs but extra care should be used to avoid moving the key tops and breaking or loosening the shaft.

There was a time when I would take a keyboard apart and clean every individual key switch, those days are way gone, the price of keyboards being so low doesn’t justify the time taken.

Finally a piece of damp cloth and a small amount of household soap can be used to clean the individual key tops, do each key top individually to avoid damaging the key top and stem.

The easiest way to clean a keyboard is to throw it away and buy a new one.

Cleaning a mouse

When you feel the mouse has a rough movement or the cursor doesn’t move up or down or left and right it is time to clean your mouse.

To clean an optical mouse couldn’t be easier, just blow the light under the mouse, if there is visible dust that doesn’t want to move the use of a soft cloth will normally shift it.

To clean a ball mouse it is still an easy job but a bit more fiddly, remove the ball by turning or pulling back the cover, there are normally arrows to show which way to open it, use a cloth to dust off the ball, look inside the ball hole and there is 2 rollers and 2 long shafts, the shafts control the up and down and the left and right movement and the rollers are there to steady the ball and to allow it to turn.

Using a blunt blade remove the material from the rollers and the shafts, try to remove the material from the mouse body, leaving it in there can cause a blockage to the light source and light censor, reassemble and use.