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Thoughts From the Drive In: Flag Day and Dishwasher Keyboards
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Thursday, June 14, 2007
11:06:00 AM EDT
Hi folks -- just a couple of items from the drive in:
* U.S. Flag Day: today is Flag Day (check out the Library of Congress's Today in History for June 14).
Here in Virginia, it's kind of grey and cool, but it doesn't look like rain. Growing up, they used to say that you shouldn't fly the flag in the rain, but the U.S. Flag Code makes allowances for all-weather flags, which apparently is most of them these days.
* Dishwashers and Computer Keyboards -- Still a Bad Idea: Caught a bit of this on NPR's Morning Edition, though I didn't realize it had a blog angle until just now: "Are Computer Keyboards Dishwasher Safe?" they interviewed Scott Moschella, whose blog is Plastic Bugs. Two years ago, he'd done an entry about how he'd cleaned up a beer-soaked keyboard by running it through the diswasher.
Now, this seems to me to be an extra-ordinarily bad idea (unless your dishwasher runs on distilled water), though it's seemed to work for both Moschella and the reporter who tried it.
Also, blogger Moschella notes that his blog is the first thing that comes up when you search Google for dishwasher keyboard, though when I do it, it's actually the BoingBoing article about his blog entry, which to my thinking, is not the same thing.
Having spilled many things on my own keyboards, including coffee, soda and beef stroganoff (not in the same incident), and even killing a few of them, I have my own method of cleaning keyboards... by hand (I'm not a dishwasher person, anyway):
1. Unplug the keyboard immediately.
2. Drain away as much of the liquid as you can.
3. Pry off the keys with a plastic knife. (Only do this if you're sure you can put the keys back in the right order.) Note that some keys, like the Enter, Shift and Space bars may have additional metal bars on them.
4. Clean the keys in the sink. (Make sure the sink drain is closed.) You can use soap and water, scrubby sponge, whatever. Rinse thoroughly, towel off and air dry. A hair dryer helps, especially for the undersides.
5. This part can get pretty gross: Take the keyless keyboard, turn it upside down over a garbage can, and shake out the hair, crumbs, and dust. An old toothbrush usually helps.
6. If it's really soaked through and you have nothing else to lose (and you don't want to take the keyboard all the way apart), try rinsing it through with distilled water (the kind you put in irons). It has fewer impurities and is less electrically conductive.
Rubbing alcohol on cotton swabs also helps for spot cleaning, though be careful not to leave wet cotton fluff behind.
7. Dry everything with a hair dryer on "Low." Not a heat gun.
8. When dry, put the keyboard back together. Make sure you don't switch the "M" and "N" keys.
9. If it still doesn't work, go to the store and buy a $10 replacement keyboard.
To save time, you can also just do steps #1 and #9.
Thanks -- Joe
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11:06:00 AM EDT
Thoughts From the Drive In: Flag Day and Dishwasher Keyboards
* U.S. Flag Day: today is Flag Day (check out the Library of Congress's Today in History for June 14).
Here in Virginia, it's kind of grey and cool, but it doesn't look like rain. Growing up, they used to say that you shouldn't fly the flag in the rain, but the U.S. Flag Code makes allowances for all-weather flags, which apparently is most of them these days.
* Dishwashers and Computer Keyboards -- Still a Bad Idea: Caught a bit of this on NPR's Morning Edition, though I didn't realize it had a blog angle until just now: "Are Computer Keyboards Dishwasher Safe?" they interviewed Scott Moschella, whose blog is Plastic Bugs. Two years ago, he'd done an entry about how he'd cleaned up a beer-soaked keyboard by running it through the diswasher.
Now, this seems to me to be an extra-ordinarily bad idea (unless your dishwasher runs on distilled water), though it's seemed to work for both Moschella and the reporter who tried it.
Also, blogger Moschella notes that his blog is the first thing that comes up when you search Google for dishwasher keyboard, though when I do it, it's actually the BoingBoing article about his blog entry, which to my thinking, is not the same thing.
Having spilled many things on my own keyboards, including coffee, soda and beef stroganoff (not in the same incident), and even killing a few of them, I have my own method of cleaning keyboards... by hand (I'm not a dishwasher person, anyway):
1. Unplug the keyboard immediately.
2. Drain away as much of the liquid as you can.
3. Pry off the keys with a plastic knife. (Only do this if you're sure you can put the keys back in the right order.) Note that some keys, like the Enter, Shift and Space bars may have additional metal bars on them.
4. Clean the keys in the sink. (Make sure the sink drain is closed.) You can use soap and water, scrubby sponge, whatever. Rinse thoroughly, towel off and air dry. A hair dryer helps, especially for the undersides.
5. This part can get pretty gross: Take the keyless keyboard, turn it upside down over a garbage can, and shake out the hair, crumbs, and dust. An old toothbrush usually helps.
6. If it's really soaked through and you have nothing else to lose (and you don't want to take the keyboard all the way apart), try rinsing it through with distilled water (the kind you put in irons). It has fewer impurities and is less electrically conductive.
Rubbing alcohol on cotton swabs also helps for spot cleaning, though be careful not to leave wet cotton fluff behind.
7. Dry everything with a hair dryer on "Low." Not a heat gun.
8. When dry, put the keyboard back together. Make sure you don't switch the "M" and "N" keys.
9. If it still doesn't work, go to the store and buy a $10 replacement keyboard.
To save time, you can also just do steps #1 and #9.
Thanks -- Joe
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This entry has 2 comments: (Add your own)
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I listened to that piece yesterday, on NPR. I was totally amazed. Problem is that if I were to do that, I would have to load my laptop into the dishwasher:) NOT a good idea.
That is the problem with laptops. They get gooey and letters begin to disappear, especially if someone has acidic fingertips. Now THAT would be a great idea: A laptop keyboard which will never have disappearing letters.
Great entry. Got another good chuckle:)
Jo
6/15/07 4:38 PM