Cleaning W510 Speakers

[rockets]

Hey fellas. I've found that my W510's speakers get a TON of dirt stuck in them, due to the flat design with small holes, and honestly it's getting pretty gross.

Any thoughts on how to clean them? I've tried using scotch tape to lift up the dirt out of them, no luck.

Thanks!

[sarbin]

a sure-fire way would be to remove the keyboard bezel and go to town on it from both side.

you can grab the hardware maintenance manual here:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-74250
all the removal and reinstall steps should be listed.

hth.

[rockets]

Well of course, I always have that option. But I've only had the thing for two weeks. I'm hoping for an option that doesn't involve taking the thing apart every two weeks.

[sarbin]

understood. i wouldn't relish that either.

seems like the bezel-top-mounted speaker grills aren't real well thought out on lenovo's part. i don't personally use any of the t/r/wxxx machines, but i support 2, so i'm going to keep a better eye on them. so far, no issues of excessive dirt build-up that i've seen.

do you use the machine in a particularly dusty environment? or is it different kind of dirt?

[rockets]

It's not dust. It might be food, but it's hard to say because I don't really notice it until after the fact.

It is my all purpose machine, I do everything with it.

I bought the W510 since it makes a pretty decent desktop-replacement laptop, and I just don't like desktops.

Also, wanted the 95% gamut screen for my photo stuff.

[sarbin]

if it were dust, one of those little keyboard vacuums might work. but if it's food crumbs, it seems from your op, that they're stuck more firmly. since the tape trick isn't working, the only thing left i can suggest is 'no eating' over top the keyboard.

prolly not the suggestion you were looking for.

[QFoam]

I assume you're talking about the grille, and not the speakers themselves. Same thing happens with the W700, except I don't use it as a dinner plate. No food or liquids are allowed near my laptops.

Turn the computer off, first. I use a just-barely-moist piece of paper toweling (no dripping, and with no wetness even remotely close to dripping), or the crevice tool on a vacuum cleaner (I surround the end of the tool with my fingers, so that it never touches the plastic itself), or I sometimes use a soda straw (with flexible end) taped to the end of the crevice tool for cleaning tight places (although sucking through such a small hole can overload many vacuum cleaners -- I have a 30-year-old indestructible Hoover cannister vacuum).

But don't use the paper towels (or vacuum) on the screen, because they're too abrasive and can produce fine scratches on clear plastic. I suppose you could also use microfiber cloths for all of this.

But just for fun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SWi6LlFGjk (this might be needed just to keep the W510 from overheating! )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CrpUU3cCPE

Of course, if you do crazy things, don't blame me for the results!