# How claean is you keyboard?



## Rhisiart (Mar 14, 2007)

One of the main routes of MRSA transmission in European hospitals is a ward-based computer keyboard. A Toronto hospital recently had to throw out their keyboards when it was battling an outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). 

Fortunately, our own keyboards probably harbour bugs that are just unique to ourselves.

How obsessive are you at keeping you keyboard clean?

Categories: 

LEVEL 5 - meticulously clean at all times (alcohol swabbed etc.)

LEVEL 4 - clean

LEVEL 3 - generally clean except when squiffy after a visit to the bar/pub, or children/spouse have ate chips/cookies whilst on the computer

LEVEL 2 - stains, particles of food etc.

LEVEL 1 - junk food remains, human waste, general squalor etc.

P.S. I wonder if we will see an under-reporting of LEVEL 1?


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## pds (Mar 14, 2007)

hmm - cat 5 (nature's worst) is for the obsessive???

I often wonder how people can keep their keyboard (and screen etc) immaculate. I wish I could too, but it just ain't happenin'. Never quite level 1, but the computer never stays level 4 for too long. Egyptian dust is the main component of the mess.


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## CaptainQuark (Mar 14, 2007)

My keyboard is, shall we say, a bit mucky...

Some people password protect their Macs to keep others off *I just have an icky keyboard!


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## Giaguara (Mar 14, 2007)

Variable. However, I would not let any kid use my keyboard. If it will be any crunches etc, they are mine.


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## caribooyj (Mar 14, 2007)

level 5 - defiantly obsessive. Even ordered the iKlear Apple polish product and special cloth. I do find the MacBook Pro is not the easiest to keep clean, or I should say dirt shows very quickly. Form and design was a major buying factor, so it's important for me the MBP looks good at all times - obsessive -


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## Mikuro (Mar 14, 2007)

Clean enough for me. There are no stains or noticeable food particles, but I'd hesitate to call it flat-out "clean", so I'll say 3.

On the surface, it's clean. I dust it often enough. However, if I peer deep down between the keys, I see a lot of beard hairs, dust and some flaky stuff that I can only assume is accumulated dead skin. I suppose I could unscrew the thing, pop the bottom off and clean it out, but . . . somehow I am not inspired to.


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## icemanjc (Mar 25, 2007)

I clean mine whenever I see dirt marks starting to form.


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## bbloke (Apr 6, 2007)

Hmm, difficult to say.  I consider my keyboard to be generally clean, but I don't tend to actively clean it, so it gets a bit dusty in between the keys.  That's about it, though!


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## reed (Apr 6, 2007)

Clean. The beer can is always on the chimney (which is next to the table that has the computer) when I use it. Just in case. No snacking for my daughter when she uses it.


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## icemanjc (Apr 8, 2007)

My keyboard gets so dirty, I have to clean it about once a week now.


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## vladx (Apr 9, 2007)

I would say 3-2 is where I am at, however it has rarely been known to hit level 1.  But generally gets cleaned pretty quick.


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## icemanjc (Apr 9, 2007)

I still havent cleaned mine, and its starting to look really bad.


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## CaptainQuark (Apr 12, 2007)

I got seriously bored at work yesterday *so bored that I actually _cleaned my keyboard_! Mind you, that's a difficult job with these silly new white G5 keyboards  they are the perfect ashtray


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## loyaltubist (May 3, 2007)

You mean the keyboard isn't for food storage?


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## CharlieJ (Jun 7, 2007)

Mines awful. I dont have the time to clean it.


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## simbalala (Jun 7, 2007)

CaptainQuark said:


> Mind you, that's a difficult job with these silly new white G5 keyboards  they are the perfect ashtray



I dunno. I think the white keyboards actually encourage cleaning. Dark colored ones get just as grimy but you don't see it till there's a whole layer of crud to clean off.

I use window cleaner and a small soft cloth (with tweezers to drag it around through the "valleys").


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## Rhisiart (Jun 8, 2007)

The latest forensic analysis of my keyboard has identified the following:


207 varieties of bacteria, fourteen deadly to man
Pizza sauce
'Walkers' Roast Chicken crisps (chips to our American cousins)
The remains of a biro
An abundance of human hair follicles, (long and grey, not short and curly!)
18 varieties of cider spillages
A nail clipping (big toe I suspect)
For someone with OCD, this is quite an achievement.


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## CincyJim (Jun 9, 2007)

Mine is very clean due to a waterproof skin I bought some time ago. I see a little hole on one corner, 'bout time to buy another.


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## Trip (Jun 16, 2007)

http://www.coudal.com/keywasher.php


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## jimi269 (Sep 7, 2007)

i clean my Wireless keyboard &wireless mouse all the time i turn keyboard upside dw and shake itand blow it out w/aircan . jimbo


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## Qion (Sep 7, 2007)

My high-powered industrial air can is no match for the keyboard grime that drives me absolutely crazy. My workspace at work is so meticulously organized that it actually offends people walking by my office. (I even arrange bits of stray film in logical patterns until I feel compelled to throw them out.) 

I'd have to say that my keyboard comfortably resides at a Level 4, Clean. I hate the smell of rubbing alcohol, therefore, I cannot claim to be at Level 5.


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## icemanjc (Sep 8, 2007)

I haven't clean in mine forever, when it does get crumbs in it I bang it on the desk upside down like a monkey. Though I did like clean my keyboard really good once, someone had spilled soda in the keyboard and only a few keys worked, so I took it apart and let  it sit in the sink and there was so much junk that came out, after I was done, it worked maybe about 20 more keys, but that was not enough so now I just use  it as a spare keyboard if I lose any keys.


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## CincyJim (Sep 8, 2007)

Not only spotlessly clean but sanitary too!  I use a skin on the keyboard and wash it annually with one of Proctor And Gamble's finer detergents. A few minuted in the washing machine (delicate cycle) and VOILA!, something me mum (the surgeon) could be proud of.

A skin for your keyboard can be purchased @ www.barcodeplanet.com


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