Crap in your keyboard.

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Thread title not to be read as an imperative.

I have a bad habit of eating snacks near my computer, and so over time crumbs and other assorted crunchy junk inevitably make their way beneath the keys. This is gross and bad especially when keys start sticking and I have to mash them until I pulverize the little chunks of Cheez It or whatever that are lodged underneath.

When I had a desktop computer I used to just pop out individual keys and clean around them, or simply buy another keyboard. Now I have a laptop and obviously I cannot do that anymore. What's the best way to get this stuff out?

― Laura H. (laurah), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:42 (twenty years ago)

Canned air.

― svend (svend), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

Listen to what I am going to say very carefully: I. Poured. Beer. Into. My. Powerbook!

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:45 (twenty years ago)

Gnomes

― Dr. Glen Y. Abreu (dr g), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:45 (twenty years ago)

Turn it upside down and shakeshakeshake it!

― elmo (allocryptic), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

I took the subject line as being in the imperative voice and my first thought was "I will not, and I resent being asked"

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

A hogshair paintbrush between the keys works well, also like someone said gravity (tipping it upside down).

― In the springtime of the year / Kate (papa november), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

gravity is so cool!

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

You can pop out the keys from your keyboard??! How do you get them back?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

I popped them back in! They'll snap right back in as long as you're careful taking them out.

― Laura H. (laurah), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

They just clip back in, if you have one for long enough they start popping out and they won't go back. At that point it's time to bin the keyboard and buy another one...I think.

― In the springtime of the year / Kate (papa november), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:59 (twenty years ago)

Wow! Do they come out by just pulling them? I'd like to try it, but I'm afraid I'll break the keyboard... Should I try it?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I accidentally dropped my keyboard while I was cleaning it recently, and about half a dozen keys fell out. But they popped back in quite easily.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Try it. Use a screwdriver to prise them off.

― In the springtime of the year / Kate (papa november), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:01 (twenty years ago)

Yes. It's very satisfying.

Instructions for popping keys

― Laura H. (laurah), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:02 (twenty years ago)

Okay, maybe I'll try it with one of those pesky "F" keys, I have no idea what purpose they serve anyway...

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:03 (twenty years ago)

Holy shit, I was trying to remove the F12 key, and the computer threw to some other website! I think it's resisting my attempts to disarm it!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:05 (twenty years ago)

Yes, I did it! There goes F12! How you like me now, computer, huh?! Moving on to F11...

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

http://www.pdacool.com/graph350/art_00503_hal.jpg

― Laura H. (laurah), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

It did it again... It threw me back in page history! It's tough against tough, you lousy electric brain!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

It is important to not angle so much as pull straight up.

― Tumililingan (ex machina), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

And anothr on gos!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:12 (twenty years ago)

Hmm, mayb I shouldn't hav rmovd the ""-ky...

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:13 (twenty years ago)

Hhttp://perso.normandnet.fr/maxilys/images/fon/e.pngrhttp://perso.normandnet.fr/maxilys/images/fon/e.png

― Laura H. (laurah), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

that *is* satisfying! But now my spacebaris fuckedup.

― kelsey (kelstarry), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

Thanks!

I really didn't know you can remove the keys... It's little everyday wonders like this that make life worth living.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

(x-post)

Uh oh, Laura's instructions clearly said you shouldn't remove the spacebar...

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:23 (twenty years ago)

fuck. well, i can attest to why.

i should read directions first, huh?
You're right about the everyday wonders, Tuomas.

― kelsey (kelstarry), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:30 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure I have eaten or drank something around my laptop, I mean it IS a laptop, fer chrissakes. However, this has nothing to do with the fact that my "CTRL" key was loose. It also has nothing to do with the fact that I got my laptop back with the "i" key a bit loose. Maybe the service person down in Tennessee should be chided for this transgression.

I DO NOT HAVE 'CRAP' IN MY KEYBOARD, EXCEPT FOR CAT HAIR, mea culpa.

― crown victoria (dymaxia), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 20:57 (twenty years ago)

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