Laptop: cleaning-up the keyboard

[Sleidia]

Hello and thanks to the ones who will respond.

I own a Fujitsu FMV Biblo NS VIII 23X and the keyboard is really too dirty now. I've ignored this problem until now, but I can't stand it anymore. The problem is that I can't find any way to disassemble the keyboard in order to clean it up.

Does someone have some experience concerning this issue?
Thanks again.

 

[Accessdabbler]

I'm not familiar with your notebook.

(Sidenote: I was told by a Dell tech that legally, they can't call them "laptops". The reason? These computers dissipate most of their heat through the bottom and using the computer on your lap my cause a burn! Calling it a "laptop" infers that the proper usage for the computer is to be used on your lap. If you did this and burned yourself, you'd have a legitimate claim against the manufacturer.)

Anyway, my Dell notebook had 3 or 4 screw holes on the bottom. Each was marked with a "K" for keyboard. Removing those screws removed the keyboard.

 

[Sleidia]

Hello Accessdabbler, I always put my Fujitsu on my lap everytime I use it and I have clean legs! Plus the position is the most comfortable (in a bed or sofa).

Unfortunately, the only screws I can see are the ones located in the back of the beast. I thought it was possible to remove keys from the upper side instead. There is something wrong somewhere.

 

[MuhammadD]

It is possible to buy some compressed air and spray it onto the keyboard, the instructions should be on the can, it's not that difficult to use

 

[schwartz52758]

Sleidia,

Cool name, do you have word?, if not let me know and I will copy things out of my hardware book and send it to you and it may help. You can remove the keyboard, just be careful. Let me know.

Terry

 

[Bobg1]

You can use compressed air to blow out anything loose from around the keys. To clen the keys themself, with the unit powered down take a soft cloth and spray with some cleaner and gently wipe the keys. If they are really grundgy you may have to turn the cloth and redo. It can be time consuming ot do a good job, but you really dont have to disassemble the machine.

 

[bcastner]

I agree with Bobg1 that pulling off the keycaps is not such a great idea on a notebook, and may not even be possible without damage.

Along with clean clothes or paper towels, grab a few q-tips and a good cleaner.

 

[nlm9802]

I've never worked on a fujitsu, but with the dell's you have to pry up the panel that covers the power on button right infront of the keyboard, then pull up at the top of the keyboard and it comes out as one piece.

 

[etarhan]

I have no idea at all about the labor rates in your country. All the same, I feel that no more than $30 should be charged for cleaning the keyboard by the service. This should include cleaning the top and bottom sides of all the keys. Is that too much as an insurance premium against a notebook (carefully refraining to call it a laptop) broken by an unexperienced user (even though he calls himself a technical one)?

I'm a professional technician and everytime I see something broken by an eager user, I know that I will charge twice - once for restoring the unit to its normal (broken) status, once for restoring the unit to its pre-normal (operating) status. That's fair, isn't it?

Learning by mistakes is one of the ways, but it's expensive...

Engin

 

[bcastner]

I'm with you etarhan. But send it to a place that is authorized to do repairs on the particular notebook you have.

Each one is a separate puzzle, and you do not want someone using their Dell skills on your Fujitsu or whatever.

 

[rexxxy]

I would save your money and purchase some 'phone wipes' or similar from a stationary store and clean the keys yourself.

I suggest you first vacuum the keyboard gently to remove any crud from under the keys and then gently push down on the keys with the cleaning cloth and firmly rub the keys individually until they are clean.

Removing the keyboard can be dangerous if you are not experienced with pulling notebooks apart. But generally you will find clips or a plastic cover at the top of the keyboard which will allow you to release the board. Then you will have to un clip the ribbon data cable to remove the keyboard completely. The connector for the data cable can be easily damaged and this is why I would recommend not removing the keyboard.

Hope this helps

 

[schwartz52758]

Probably a good idea, I am a CIS major. Try the compressed air thing, but whatever you do, do NOT pull off the key caps... I was trying to help, maybe a little too much for a novoice. $30 is not a bad investment if they take the keyboard off and clean it good.

Good luck,
Terry

 

[feylin]

I found this in reply to Accessdabbler's comment about burning pieces.

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,56552,00.html

A man burned his "area" while surfing w/o "swim trunks" on!
I put it on as I think it is silly and uncalled for! Why are there so many warnings? Why can people not learn in school? Common sense is or should not be free! You need to live to learn but don't have to learn how to live. Right?

 

[technome]

Cleaned many laptop keyboards, very carefully. Would strongly suggest you do not try to remove the assembly. If broken a keyboard assembly can cost > $300. -$500.00. Dampen a paper towel with "Tub and Tile" by Lysol, best cleaner around. Don't use it, or Windex on monitor glass, can remove anti glare coatings.


For standard keyboards, I spray the inverted keyboard from 12-15" away; lay out inverted keyboard on paper towels, do not invert the keyboard until the "Tub and Tile" has sloughed off. Clean between keys with creased, folded paper towel before the keys dry . Use common sense as to how much to spray, I have never lost a keyboard yet.

Ps Spray Moose is not a good substitute

 

[jared5494]

Even though i might get shunned upon telling you this, but you can actually just soak the entire notebook in warm water. What you do is get a big ole' bucket and fill it with luke-warm water, dump the laptop (remove battery first) then let it soak there for about 15 minutes, then take it out and let set dry for a good 2 days (just to make sure). I have done this with both my laptops and my PC. My old PC actually had better performance after the dunking. Again, turning the computer on or plugging the battery back-in will fry your computer if it is wet. I would make this a last-option scenerio.

*** also make sure you dont have one of those secondary battery backups! =) ***

best of luck,
jared

 

[technome]

jared5494, I would not give this as advice.
Leave this to people who fry their private parts with laptops, or roast themselves to death with solar refector panels ( really happened; nature has a way of weeding out the unfit).

With water that is basically salt ion free you can get away with this ( I am not dunging my 2.8 Gig laptop). Most municiple or well water has desolved salts. Fathom to guess, in 70% of the country you will fry your electronic equipement instantly upon powerup.

In my own experience, I had a Novell server submerged in a basement flood up to 1" from the hard disk. The motherboard was completely submerged and running, the entire time. The water drained after two days, and I dried the mobo with a hair dryer. No problem, never switched off the power.

possible , not practical