wet keyboard, or, Yes, I really am that stupid

[Valley girl]

I had a couple of sticky keys on my Compaq laptop. As I started to go
for a bottle of 409 cleaner I got the usual look of doubt from my
husband. (This time he was right but that is only in hindsight. ) He
poopoos most of my ideas out of the gate and then I almost always
prove him wrong, so I got a little cocky this time. Even his
coworkers have noticed this doubting thing and now tease him. So,
that is how I came to stupidly get my keyboard wet. I turned off the
laptop and unplugged it (did not think to remove the battery) and held
it so the keyboard was vertical. I sprayed 409 at it, then left it
open, upside down all night. The next day the computer will boot up
but no keys will work for me to sign in.

Now, I've taken the battery out and done another spray with plain
water to remove any residue from the 409. This time I will let it dry
for several days, after using compressed air to really blow it out.

I want to know how much damage I could have done and possibly what to
do next.

I have seen a good suggestion here to plug in an external keyboard so
I will try that.

Thanks, if you've managed to read this far.

Humbly....

 

[BigJim]

when I HAVE to clean a laptop keyboard I use tuner cleaner. I also remove
the keyboard from the laptop.
I never use a water based solution. So far the ones I have cleaned are fine.
Just search the web if you
need it.

For you keyboard no matter how dry you think it is, hit it with a hair dryer
for a few minutes on the warm setting, don't melt it.

 

[JohnO]

I had a couple of sticky keys on my Compaq laptop. As I started to go
for a bottle of 409 cleaner I got the usual look of doubt from my
husband. (This time he was right but that is only in hindsight. ) He
poopoos most of my ideas out of the gate and then I almost always
prove him wrong, so I got a little cocky this time. Even his
coworkers have noticed this doubting thing and now tease him. So,
that is how I came to stupidly get my keyboard wet. I turned off the
laptop and unplugged it (did not think to remove the battery) and held
it so the keyboard was vertical. I sprayed 409 at it, then left it
open, upside down all night. The next day the computer will boot up
but no keys will work for me to sign in.

Now, I've taken the battery out and done another spray with plain
water to remove any residue from the 409. This time I will let it dry
for several days, after using compressed air to really blow it out.

I want to know how much damage I could have done and possibly what to
do next.

I have seen a good suggestion here to plug in an external keyboard so
I will try that.

That should work.

Thanks, if you've managed to read this far.

LOL, so it goes.

IMO you didn't use enought 409, but that's probably a good thing. I would do
two things at this point. First, go to ebay and see if you can get a
replacement keyboard. While that's in the mail, remove the gunky keyboard
and spray it down with plenty of clean cold water. (Can't help you with
instrux on removal, try google) Put it in front of a strong fan and dry it
thoroughly. If it works, you have a spare. If not, you're good, too.

Next time, use a cloth and spray 409 on the cloth, then wipe.

-John O

 

[Paul]

I had a couple of sticky keys on my Compaq laptop. As I started to go
for a bottle of 409 cleaner I got the usual look of doubt from my
husband. (This time he was right but that is only in hindsight. ) He
poopoos most of my ideas out of the gate and then I almost always
prove him wrong, so I got a little cocky this time. Even his
coworkers have noticed this doubting thing and now tease him. So,
that is how I came to stupidly get my keyboard wet. I turned off the
laptop and unplugged it (did not think to remove the battery) and held
it so the keyboard was vertical. I sprayed 409 at it, then left it
open, upside down all night. The next day the computer will boot up
but no keys will work for me to sign in.

Now, I've taken the battery out and done another spray with plain
water to remove any residue from the 409. This time I will let it dry
for several days, after using compressed air to really blow it out.

I want to know how much damage I could have done and possibly what to
do next.

I have seen a good suggestion here to plug in an external keyboard so
I will try that.

Thanks, if you've managed to read this far.

Humbly....

*******
Formula 409 MSDS (material safety data sheet). A chemical soup.
A quick water spray probably won't remove it all.

http://www.uline.com/PDF/MS-7147.PDF

Potassium carbonate - "The solution in water is a medium strong base"
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/icsc/dtasht/_icsc15/icsc1588.htm

Potassium carbonate - "insoluble in alcohol"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_carbonate
*******

Based on symptoms - replace keyboard.

There are very few cleaning items in the kitchen cabinet, which
are suitable for computers. In the lab, we might use isopropyl
alcohol, or something similar, for cleaning around a PCB. (There are
spray cleaners with things like fluorocarbons, but I don't use them.)
But when it comes to electromechanical or mechanical items, it is just as
likely, that applying a cleaner or a lubricant, will attract more
dirt in the future, and leave a residue. Or even force dirt deeper
inside the item.

Optical drives have lasers and lenses that should not be immersed
in things that can leave a residue. The hard drive has a breather
hole, with a filter on it, but should not be exposed to harmful
vapors, in case they can get through the filter. So there are plenty
of reasons to be cautious.

Hope the replacement keyboard works.

For laptop keyboards, be aware that due to the worldwide
distribution of laptops, some of them have several keyboards
available for them. Make sure you are getting one with the
right keycaps, for your laptop. You wouldn't want one
with Chinese characters, or German Umlauts or whatever,
if you're English. If you're lucky, maybe you'll find a
part number on the keyboard itself.

I have had an accident with a keyboard here at home. I spilled
coffee onto a nice one. I immediately rinsed in tap water, for
about 10 minutes. I applied gentle heat and airflow, over and
around the keyboard, with the cover removed, for about 12 hours.
When I was finished, three keys no longer worked. It cost
me $150.00 to replace, because it was a Macintosh Extended
Keyboard II. I still drink coffee around computers, but now
I use cheap PC keyboards The Mac is too slow to use any
more, and is now a museum piece. (The "yellowed plastic" museum.)

Paul

 

[PaulMaudib]

I had a couple of sticky keys on my Compaq laptop. As I started to go
for a bottle of 409 cleaner I got the usual look of doubt from my
husband. (This time he was right but that is only in hindsight. ) He
poopoos most of my ideas out of the gate and then I almost always
prove him wrong, so I got a little cocky this time. Even his
coworkers have noticed this doubting thing and now tease him. So,
that is how I came to stupidly get my keyboard wet. I turned off the
laptop and unplugged it (did not think to remove the battery) and held
it so the keyboard was vertical. I sprayed 409 at it, then left it
open, upside down all night. The next day the computer will boot up
but no keys will work for me to sign in.

Now, I've taken the battery out and done another spray with plain
water to remove any residue from the 409. This time I will let it dry
for several days, after using compressed air to really blow it out.

I want to know how much damage I could have done and possibly what to
do next.

I have seen a good suggestion here to plug in an external keyboard so
I will try that.

Thanks, if you've managed to read this far.

Humbly....

Why ask HERE? This is a purely hardware related question and has
NOTHING to do with the XP OS.

Ask elsewhere

 

[JohnO]

Why ask HERE? This is a purely hardware related question and has
NOTHING to do with the XP OS.

Ask elsewhere

Your name is Paul? Did you do that intentionally or did you slip up?

By the way, it seems kinda dumb to complain about a posts' content after
several people have already responded and helped the OP. Just my opinion.

-John O

 

[Bill Sharpe]

Why ask HERE? This is a purely hardware related question and has
NOTHING to do with the XP OS.

Ask elsewhere

1. This IS a hardware newsgroup.
2. Instead of "ask elsewhere" why don't you offer a newsgroup suggestion?

Bill

 

[JohnO]

1. This IS a hardware newsgroup.
2. Instead of "ask elsewhere" why don't you offer a newsgroup suggestion?

Bill, he's a troll who wants to be a MS netcop when he grows up.

-John O

 

[Ian D]

I had a couple of sticky keys on my Compaq laptop. As I started to go
for a bottle of 409 cleaner I got the usual look of doubt from my
husband. (This time he was right but that is only in hindsight. ) He
poopoos most of my ideas out of the gate and then I almost always
prove him wrong, so I got a little cocky this time. Even his
coworkers have noticed this doubting thing and now tease him. So,
that is how I came to stupidly get my keyboard wet. I turned off the
laptop and unplugged it (did not think to remove the battery) and held
it so the keyboard was vertical. I sprayed 409 at it, then left it
open, upside down all night. The next day the computer will boot up
but no keys will work for me to sign in.

Now, I've taken the battery out and done another spray with plain
water to remove any residue from the 409. This time I will let it dry
for several days, after using compressed air to really blow it out.

I want to know how much damage I could have done and possibly what to
do next.

I have seen a good suggestion here to plug in an external keyboard so
I will try that.

Thanks, if you've managed to read this far.

Humbly....

409 Cleaner is corrosive. It's main active ingredient is sodium
hydroxide, otherwise known as caustic soda, or lye. It's the same
chemical used in oven cleaner. The only hope is to flush it by
spraying it gently with distilled water with the keyboard face down
so that it doesn't penetrate further into the laptop. Then, let it dry
for several days. It would be preferable if you could get the
keycaps off, but most keyboards no longer allow that. If flushing
fails, the only alternative is to replace the keyboard, or use an
external USB keyboard.

 

[PaulMaudib]

1. This IS a hardware newsgroup.

Yes - a group that also specifies XP. Put that together - a newsgroup
that deals with hardware and it's interaction with the OS - XP, in
fact.

2. Instead of "ask elsewhere" why don't you offer a newsgroup suggestion?

Because spoon feeding idiots just brings them back for MORE
spoonfeeding. Better to let them discover the correct places to look
on their own - so they actually LEARN something.