Washing keycaps in the washing machine

24 Jun 2012, 20:57

Just to let everyone know, I found out this method works surprisingly well on Cherry double-shots and dye subs!

I put all the keys inside a small mesh zippered laundry bag and put them in the washing machine with the clothes. Wash at 40C with reduced spinning and you get wonderfully clean caps. Just cleaned a set of german Cherry DS caps this way. They were dirty as hell but turned out like new.

24 Jun 2012, 22:54

Did you try the dryer? Just curious since 7bit recommends his high tech oven.

24 Jun 2012, 23:46

Nice idea. Warm, soapy water did the trick for mine, but they weren't that bad.

24 Jun 2012, 23:50

I used a sink of hot water and a handful of denture-cleaning tablets with great success today. The keys went in filthy and came out completely clean an hour later with no further work required.

24 Jun 2012, 23:50

The only downside is you have someone else's pubes in your washer now.

25 Jun 2012, 01:44

didja wrote:The only downside is you have someone else's pubes in your washer now.

Better than on your fingers. After a good bleach run, all traces removed, completely gone, like StevieWonder2 or SonOfRipster...

25 Jun 2012, 02:57

But not Ripster. Damn wikis.

25 Jun 2012, 08:24

ripster wrote:Did you try the dryer? Just curious since 7bit recommends his high tech oven.

Nah, just hang them out to dry in the laundry bag for a day.

25 Jun 2012, 08:45

Don't they get scratches in the wm?

25 Jun 2012, 08:51

mintberryminuscrunch wrote:Don't they get scratches in the wm?

I presume the linen bag protects them from that, mostly, but they could get scratched by rubbing up against one another during the spin cycle. The denture-cleaning tabs don’t cause the caps to move very much, so reduce the likelihood of them being scratched.

25 Jun 2012, 10:04

i always use the washing machine for keycap cleaning. 60C is also fine for me.

25 Jun 2012, 15:35

Have you washed ABS caps at 60 degrees, too?

25 Jun 2012, 15:37

CeeSA wrote:i always use the washing machine for keycap cleaning. 60C is also fine for me.

+1. I usually soak them for 1 day in dishwashing water before, then divide them at ~50 keys per sock

for the mashine.
Since I don't care about scratchy keys, i never bothered, but ymmv.

25 Jun 2012, 15:37

didja wrote:The only downside is you have someone else's pubes in your washer now.

This is a goal I strive for.

I use my DataVac to dry keys if in a hurry. Like a low low heat hair dryer since only heat is from the motor as it gets hot. Put them in a laundry bag or prepare to have keys flying everywhere.

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?3119 ... w-Job-Time!

25 Jun 2012, 16:02

I have never used my datavac to dry keycaps for some reason.

I have used it to dry myself

25 Jun 2012, 16:13

I believe that is called autoeroticaerofapping.

Just don't get anything caught in the intake port.

27 Jun 2012, 21:04

FYI, keys do not get scratched.

04 Aug 2012, 03:04

need to try this

07 Aug 2012, 12:50

How did it go?

08 Aug 2012, 15:07

Sorry i've yet do it, i need to get some of that type of bags for small clothes like the small mesh zippered laundry bag you seemed to have used. ill try 40c too, i'll keep posted.

08 Aug 2012, 15:32

just skip the fancy stuff any large sock will do ! :shock:

08 Aug 2012, 15:40

really

i haven't though about that, but how do you avoid the sock to open

08 Aug 2012, 15:45

make a knot ? on the open end you have to ofc.

08 Aug 2012, 15:52

well im always afraid that because of the water that the knot will open lol

08 Aug 2012, 23:22

Gonna try this today, found a bag to put the keys in.

11 Aug 2012, 20:26

Seems this has worked nicely. Just washed the ibm keycaps, and now there's a new session going on with both alps and acer caps

13 Aug 2012, 13:43

Seems the acer caps are of low quality, the printing seems it has been afected.

14 Aug 2012, 08:11

Pad printed? Not surprised...

Was everything but the pad printed caps! also, 40C is max I'd expose my caps to..

14 Aug 2012, 08:38

I still prefer dishwashing powder and a good rinse in cold water afterwards, i sometimes even used anti bacterial spray first if they are extra nasty caps

14 Aug 2012, 08:53

Because CeeSA gave me this tip, I also wash all my keys in the washing machine. Works out pretty well imo

Washing keycaps in the washing machine

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