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There's been some studies who found that certain keyboard were 5 times filthier than a toilet seat. And what about your keyboard ? :p
Here's one of those study: http://www.which.co.uk/reports_and_c...557_137708.jsp
Personally, my keyboard looks quite bad. I have never clean it. I might do so. I bet it was white at start... and I may discover soon.
This is the one I like most:
"Most people don’t give much thought to the grime that builds up on their PC but if you don’t clean your computer you might as well eat your lunch off the toilet."
For well over 20 years I should have had my lunch off the toilet and I didn't even know that. Going to start today! Good thing we have researchers for these things. I feel so warm and protected.
I wash my hands thoroughly all day long practically. Cleaning the keyboard isn't worth it; though if you let it dry for a couple months, they are apparently dishwasher safe. Just don't use dish soap.
I've never cleaned a single keyboard that I've owned. Anyway I just bought a new one and I'm still in the anal dusting-with-my-hand-every-10-minutes stage, so it still looks new. I'll stop doing it when the first major incident occurs (crumb between the keys, drink spillage).
EDIT: I just read that... I have issues.
I think you are far more at risk from pathogens carried by your fellow human beings, than anything which might be living on your own keyboard. If it's on your keyboard, it's already on your hands, and therefore in your mouth.
Your hands are equivalent to a jungle, with hundreds of species competing for living space and nutrients. Routinely wiping out this population with strong antibacterials chemicals just leaves the terrain wide open for resistant bugs to take over. I'd rather my hands be covered in lots of innocuous species than dominated by a single drug-resistant strain.
But of course, I'm a person who won't hesitate to eat food which has dropped in the dirt (although I would never do that in an urban environment).
I'd rather just buy a new keyboard ever 3-6 months rather
than deal with cleaning it. I can already see tonnes of crumbs
below the keys right now. Keys that are currently shiny because
there's a layer of pastrami-sandwich grease over all of them.
One of the developers here had some keyboard issues years ago, so our does-everything tech guy took the keyboard and gave it a really good slam onto a desk. Imagine our surprise when a CHICKEN BONE fell out of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ethic
EDIT: I've learned to not let the "tech guy" get his hands on a keyboard. I spilled coffee into mine one day, so he took it and rinsed it off in the sink. Then, in an attempt to dry it off, he took it at arms length and swung it around like somebody getting ready for a hammer throw in the Olympics -- of course the keyboard slipped out of his hands, flew across the room, and slammed into the window of the data center (which thankfully was made of bulletproof glass), shattering into a thousand pieces and sending keys, wiring, and chunks of circuit board all across the room.
I actually recently washed a microsoft natural keyboard 4000 recently that I no longer use. the only thing I'm wondering about cleaning are the keys with the metal braces because they have the petrolium lubrication on it, but it was pretty fun. Washed all the keys and the little membrane between the keys and the circuits and it's pretty nice. Just need to get those last keys.
the desk rolls in so it's not as dirty so quickly.
Hahaha. This is one funny anecdote.Quote:
Originally Posted by brewbuck
I routinely replace my keyboard whenever the vermin living in it start to cause too many typos :D
By the way, every keyboard I've ever tried it with survived a run through the dishwasher, IF you allow it to dry completely before using it again.
Back in those stupid days I also proved that a motherboard will still function even after being submerged in a tub of antifreeze, rinsed off in the sink, and blown dry with a hair dryer... That antifreeze actually leaves a really nice, brand-new look.
I am the only person I have ever known to clean his keyboard. Every couple weeks I clean it with windex or something to remove dirt from hands etc... and every few months I take the whole thing apart to get rid of crumbs and spilled coke.
I cleaned my keyboard a few weeks ago, stripped off all the keys -- without taking a photo ;)
Then cleaned each key and washed the keyboard with warm soapy water. Works great.
I'm more concerned about the mouse, or the keyboards & mice at uni. It's like rubbing a fat mans oily belly.
thanks for reminding this foxman!
my keyboard is very dirty, buttons are very hard to press, i will wash it this sunday :D
I rub my belly all the time, whats wrong with that :)Quote:
Originally Posted by zacs7
Optical meeces make life easier, although I still have to remove a hair from the sensor on occasion. (Fat AND Hairy :D)
I have been using my current keyboard for 10 years, though I have switched computers meanwhile. :p
My keyboard looks quite nice, but if you remove a key, then you see a lot of dust under it hehe.
Ive been looking around for one of the old 24 function key keyboards that people arent trying to charge 'collectors' prices for. Im all about a spartan keyboard, no silly interweb shortcut keys for me, although I do like the volume knob on the keyboard, but my new speakers are high end enough to have their own remote.
Aye talking of mice mine was way dirtier than my keyboard before I got this new one and it's getting worse every day. Don't you hate the way dirt / grease / sweat sort of solidifies? There's a horrible grey patch of it on my mouse mat too.
Man I'm disgusting. Good thing I don't eat at my desk. Well, I do all the time. Meh.
And drink, and smoke, and spit onto it while talking, and scratching my head, and chewing my fingernails, and burning a key accidentally. My keyboard is, how should I put this... an extension of my manliness.Quote:
Originally Posted by ahluka
And its just the way I want. The keys made too much noise...
I was going to hold back the story about blowing the pubes out from between the keys, but now it somehow seems appropriate. No its not from porn, it's from programming naked, and playing games naked, and from posting naked :D
I reckon most of the scum on my keyboard comes from the wax in my hair; along with the stuff that sticks to it. Scratching my head helps me think harder.
My mouse is way worse than my keyboard. Occasionally, when i lift my hand off it, it sticks to my palm, like a huge bubble-gum...
Ha, never though of cleaning my keyboard, couldn't be bothered and I don't eat at my desk (often), didn't think they would write an article on this, oh wait its the UK, that would make sense, never thought of a tech guy throwing a keyboard :) , smart thing to do eh?
No, I wash my hands before using my keyboard. I doubt it's that bad; on the other hand, about thrice a month, I clean my mouse 'cause a line of gunk forms on the edge of the left button. In fact, the mouse I'm using right now has one. (not mine)
I'm guessing a computer used for gaming is dirtier; it doesn't take much sweat mixed with dead skin, to get yuck after a while.
I've been there too. I occasionally use Dax, the most vile wax known to man. It holds my hair in place as well as polymer cement but it takes about a week's worth of showers to wash it all out. Apparently they make a special shampoo to get it out but I'm yet to find it.Quote:
Originally Posted by mike_g
Anyway I eventually end up getting it on my hands through head scratching / hair brushing (my fringe is starting to annoy me so I knock it out of the way a lot) and it ends up on my keyboards and mouse.
Good times. Noodle salad.
my keyboard is so dirty that there are ants living inside it whenever i punch a key a few of them come out apparently i must have spilled some coke :D