Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
Hey,
after a few years of use the underneath of my keyboard accumulated a fair amount of dust, bread crumbs and whatsoever. And I want to clean it.
Is there a easy way to remove the keyboard buttons as a whole? Or are they individually attached? Will removing the keyboard void the warranty? As far as I recall its a CRU, right?
All the best,
Martin
after a few years of use the underneath of my keyboard accumulated a fair amount of dust, bread crumbs and whatsoever. And I want to clean it.
Is there a easy way to remove the keyboard buttons as a whole? Or are they individually attached? Will removing the keyboard void the warranty? As far as I recall its a CRU, right?
All the best,
Martin
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Tasurinchi
- Senior ThinkPadder

- Posts: 2009
- Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:38 am
- Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
To remove dirt under the keyboard what I did a few times was to remove the keyboard from the laptop (follow the instructions from the HMM, which can be downloaded here) and wash it under the kitchen's sink. Be careful that the electronic doesn't get wet.
Let it dry for 24 hour or so and attach it again to the Thinkpad. It will be so clean as when it was new
Let it dry for 24 hour or so and attach it again to the Thinkpad. It will be so clean as when it was new
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
Thanks for the quick reply!
Do I actually get to the part below the keys that way? Or do you just get whole keyboard including fluid collector?
Is my warranty affected by removing the keyboard in any way?
Do I actually get to the part below the keys that way? Or do you just get whole keyboard including fluid collector?
Is my warranty affected by removing the keyboard in any way?
-
Tasurinchi
- Senior ThinkPadder

- Posts: 2009
- Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:38 am
- Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
The water stream would definitely clean everything on top and below the keys. But I have no clue if you loose the warranty by removing it.
You could also try some compressed air or even a hair dryer (no hot air!). But in my experience the compressed air does little if there's lot of dirt.
Hope this helps...
You could also try some compressed air or even a hair dryer (no hot air!). But in my experience the compressed air does little if there's lot of dirt.
Hope this helps...
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
Only if you break something ... which is very unlikely since it's only a few screws and a ribbon cable to be removed.zodiac wrote:Is my warranty affected by removing the keyboard in any way?
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bgalakazam
- Freshman Member
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- Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 9:51 pm
- Location: Rock Hill, SC
- Contact:
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
I took out the keyboard and then used compressed air. I wouldn't want to risk with water. Compressed air worked just fine.
15" Macbook Pro, T400 for car diagnostics
previous: T60p -> X60 -> T61 QXGA -> X220 -> W510
previous: T60p -> X60 -> T61 QXGA -> X220 -> W510
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Tasurinchi
- Senior ThinkPadder

- Posts: 2009
- Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:38 am
- Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
It sounds bad but it's an easy task, just don't submerge the keyboard in water. I've cleaned three X4x, a T43p and a T60 keyboards with this method with no issues at all. You have to be patient and let them dry though...
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
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IvanAndreevich
- Junior Member

- Posts: 296
- Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:41 pm
- Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
Why not just pop all the keys off one by one and then vacuum or use compressed air?
Owned Thinkpads: X300 X201T X200,T X61,s,T,T+ X60,s,T,T+ X41 X40 X31 T510 T500 T410 T400 T400s T61,p T60,p T43 T42 T41,p T40 W500 W700 - favorites in bold 
To do list: X301 X220 X220T X201 X201s X200s X201i T420s T410s T420 T520 W510 W701 and future models
To do list: X301 X220 X220T X201 X201s X200s X201i T420s T410s T420 T520 W510 W701 and future models
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Tasurinchi
- Senior ThinkPadder

- Posts: 2009
- Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:38 am
- Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Re: Cleaning the keyboard - how to?
I'm too lazy for that. Normally I wash the kb at night, go to sleep, go to work, come back and tadaaaaa! Ready to reinstallIvanAndreevich wrote:Why not just pop all the keys off one by one and then vacuum or use compressed air?
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
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