Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
Have you cleaned your computer/keyboard lately??? >

Have you cleaned your computer/keyboard lately???

Have you cleaned your computer/keyboard lately???

Old 09-12-2010, 03:39 PM
  #1  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
amandasgramma's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: La Pine Oregon, USA
Posts: 5,907
Default

Or, I should have titled this "I THOUGHT I was a good housekeeper". I thought I'd share this with you...because so many people don't know about doing this simple maintenance!

I had to dig behind my computer screen for a pen and discovered TONS of dust on my computer hard drive...right on the vents. I'd noticed the fan would run loud and long the last few weeks, but put off cleaning it. My harddrive (the tower, or whatever your computer people call it) has screws....you CAN get in there without causing the machine to blow up. I unscrewed two screws and opened the machine. OMG..the dust, cat hair and god knows what else was caked in there! I used a "dust-off" spray, but I think I'll get a vacuum. It blew dust EVERYWHERE! Okay - got that cleaned out and then remembered something else. The keyboard.

The keyboard keys are VERY simple to get out. Simply use a pair of old scissors or a letter opener and pop them off. Keep them in order though! You won't believe what's behind/under them! Using the q-tip type swabs does NOT get all the gunk out! I used alcohol on swabs to get the hard stuff and just dusted with a rag on other stuff. I've heard of people actually putting them in the dishwasher but I haven't had the nerve yet. Below is what I got out of my keyboard AFTER I'd used the swabs!!!

I've done this for years......worked for a gov. agency that didn't believe in spending money (yip, you heard it here) and they wouldn't replace our keyboards if they got sticky. So, I experimented one day and never asked for another keyboard.

I figure today's antics saved me $50.00 or more for the keyboard and an untold amount for repairs if the fan had quit working!!!!



TTFN!

dee
Attached Thumbnails attachment-91931.jpe  
amandasgramma is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 03:47 PM
  #2  
Super Member
 
Quiltforme's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Beautiful Washington state!
Posts: 3,203
Default

Wow....
Quiltforme is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 04:00 PM
  #3  
Super Member
 
Chasing Hawk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 9,263
Default

Gosh Dee !!!! Did you remember to put the keys back in the right spots?......LOL

Don't you live on a dirt road?
We do, I clean our computers monthly.
I take ours out to the garage and stand back a few feet and use a air compressor on it. Dust is a killer to computer, it clogs the power supply, the fans and the fan on the video card. I also take the keyboards out there too. We have gaming keyboards, I don't pop the keys off though. A little alcohol on a q-tip gets between the keys. And I use alcohol swabs to clean the track balls.

And to keep my computer cool I have two fans pointed on it. Those small 10 dollar ones from Wal Mart.
Chasing Hawk is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 04:42 PM
  #4  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
amandasgramma's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: La Pine Oregon, USA
Posts: 5,907
Default

Yes, Chasing Hawk, I DO live on a dirt road...LOL but that doesn't mean I'm smart enough to dust the computer!!! I've dusted tables, etc...but not the computer! I hadn't thought of Bob's compressor...I'll use that next time. I DID use q-tips between the keys...this is what I found AFTER doing that!!!

BTW - did you see the "vote" we're going to have in November for the Newberry Estates? The newspaper said it's the will be the smallest election ever here....just us in Newberry Estates get to vote (all 175). They tried out a new "thing" to put on the dirt roads to cut the dust...It REALLY works!!!!
amandasgramma is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 06:00 PM
  #5  
Super Member
 
Chasing Hawk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 9,263
Default

Originally Posted by amandasgramma
Yes, Chasing Hawk, I DO live on a dirt road...LOL but that doesn't mean I'm smart enough to dust the computer!!! I've dusted tables, etc...but not the computer! I hadn't thought of Bob's compressor...I'll use that next time. I DID use q-tips between the keys...this is what I found AFTER doing that!!!

BTW - did you see the "vote" we're going to have in November for the Newberry Estates? The newspaper said it's the will be the smallest election ever here....just us in Newberry Estates get to vote (all 175). They tried out a new "thing" to put on the dirt roads to cut the dust...It REALLY works!!!!
HHHMMM, what is the stuff called? We tried to get several of the homeowners around here to have dust control sprayed on the dirt road. But they all said no, and I haven't heard anyone forking over some gas money to the guy who grades the road in his spare time. Our little cul de sac is graveled. 5 of the 6 houses chip in for 2 loads of gravel to keep the dust down.
Chasing Hawk is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 06:10 PM
  #6  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
amandasgramma's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: La Pine Oregon, USA
Posts: 5,907
Default

Here's the article in the Bend Bulletin (if it doesn't come thru, look up Bend Bulletin and click on LaPine. http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbc...ategory=NEWS01

We have a "road committee". We pay almost a $1.00 per thousand per YEAR for them to maintain the roads. it's included as an extra in our taxes. They grade, plow and now coat the roads!! good deal, huh!!! We were so lucky to get this place...we didn't even think about who would plow roads!!!
amandasgramma is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 08:35 PM
  #7  
Super Member
 
Chasing Hawk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 9,263
Default

I guess we live in the slums then....LOL

I don't think I have ever even seen a county vehicle within mile of our neighborhood. :shock:
For a bout a year our neighbor had a huge pothole in front of his driveway. That is until the man with the grader fixed it. He even put little ditches on the sides of the road so it wouldn't wash out so bad.
Chasing Hawk is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 09:33 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
BettyB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Atlanta Texas
Posts: 659
Default

I have a wireless keyboard and I spilled apple juice on it. I asked my computer expert son what to do. He laughed and said go buy a new one and then said no just put enough warm water in the bathtub and swish it up an down in it and let it dry on a towel upside down. I thought he was joking but he said no just do it. So I did and it was fine and CLEAN.
BettyB is offline  
Old 09-12-2010, 10:57 PM
  #9  
Super Member
 
Gramof6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 3,357
Default

I am glad to see this as I thought my laptop was probaby the worst. LOL I popped off the keys one by one and cleaned under them 2 weeks ago. They just snap back on. WooHoo. I had one that stuck really bad. Not anymore! LOL There was so much wound up dog hair! OMG I would have been mortified if any of you had seen the yuck! LOL
Gramof6 is offline  
Old 09-13-2010, 06:26 AM
  #10  
Super Member
Thread Starter
 
amandasgramma's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: La Pine Oregon, USA
Posts: 5,907
Default

Originally Posted by Gramof6
I am glad to see this as I thought my laptop was probaby the worst. LOL I popped off the keys one by one and cleaned under them 2 weeks ago. They just snap back on. WooHoo. I had one that stuck really bad. Not anymore! LOL There was so much wound up dog hair! OMG I would have been mortified if any of you had seen the yuck! LOL
Kinda like when you move and someone moves your fridge out....and you realize you've lived there for 10 yrs and NEVER cleaned under it...:roll: I've just HEARD about people doing that.....it wasn't me :roll: ;-) :mrgreen:
amandasgramma is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
osewme
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
7
09-21-2018 09:01 AM
ranger
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
30
08-02-2012 02:55 PM
nativetexan
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
12
11-16-2011 09:39 AM
craftybear
Main
26
05-25-2010 11:52 AM
Rhonda
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
20
01-06-2010 01:26 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


FREE Quilting Newsletter