Keyboard odor

[JerzeeDevil]

This a little strange but my laptop seems to exude a raunchy smell once it gets warm, making it hard to work right over it. Someone owned it before me, but it is very clean and I used alcohol to clean the keys. I might even send it back. The smell seems to emanate from the keyboard, not the fan outlet. Any experience on this?

[Harryc]

Remove the keyboard and clean it or else get a new one. Could be old food particles (or who knows what) under the key tops or else it could have come from a smoker.

[Tasurinchi]

I would take out the keyboard and put it under running hot water.

May sound weird, but I have cleaned three keyboards in my kitchen's sink using this method and never had a problem. Just be sure that you let the keyboard dry properly. A hair dryer may help a bit too

My 0.02 cents...

Cheers

[poshgeordie]

AFAIK, the keybaord itself doesn't get warm, though it's covering hot components and will of course have warm areas.

I'd suggest running the laptop with the keyboard lifted out and see if there's a dead mouse in there or something.

It reminds me of the time we put pieces of fish on top of a friend's engine...phew!

Seriously though, have you pressed the Fn key - you know the FlushiN' key?!!

[Vempele]

I'd suggest running the laptop with the keyboard lifted out and see if there's a dead mouse in there or something.

Killed by the Trackpoint in a battle for survival?

[poshgeordie]

Killed by the Trackpoint in a battle for survival?

Better than having an absess in your bluetooth

[JerzeeDevil]

It is a sweaty kind of odor. What about soaking the keyboard in 91% isopropyl alcohol? Isn't the kb designed so liquids can be poured onto it and not get into the case itself?

[poshgeordie]

Can you smell it on the keyboard itself?

I'm not sure iso alcohol's a good idea because each key has a soft rubber cup which is held in place with a bead of silicon type of sealant. The alcohol may dissolve the bead or more likely harden the rubber.

Better to wash it in warm soapy water and dry it out thoroughly for 24 hours.

Keyboards get very mucky under the keys, and I use a dry toothbrush to clean out under the keys with the kbrd held upside down so the dirt falls out.
Before washing I'd suggest very gently brushing under the keys to get this dry crud out since it may get get stuck around the working parts when wet.

But I'd make 100% sure it is the keyboard first by using the "nose test".

[RealBlackStuff]

Somebody may have used the wrong gunk between CPU and fan.
That would stink if it gets heated up!

[Ralf Hutter]

Somebody may have used the wrong gunk between CPU and fan.

Mmm. Perhaps Vegimite.

[joester]

I would remove the keyboard and heat it gently with a hair dryer. If it stinks, I would follow the hot water method for cleaning.

Alcohol will dry the cups as mentioned, and by virtue of being a solvent with a low surface tension, it will allow the gunk to seep under the cups where water (higher surface tension) will wash it away with less seepage. Use hot water that isn't too hot to keep your hands in (about 130-140 degrees F.) Hotter than that can cause plastic to warp.

If you are into pain, you can remove each of the letters and clean it that way. I reassembled one someone had pulled the keys from once. I wouldn't want to repeat it.

Joe

[Tasurinchi]

If you are into pain, you can remove each of the letters and clean it that way. I reassembled one someone had pulled the keys from once. I wouldn't want to repeat it.

Definitely not! Once I cleaned four sticky keys using your method. I don't want to imagine what it would take to do this with a complete keyboard

I also had a keyboard with odor, my experience with the washing method was very positive, it's easy to do and it just require some time for the cleaning...