Cleaning and restoring pad printed key caps

User avatar
thefarside

30 Mar 2021, 02:57

I have a Focus FK-555 with pad printed keys that I would like to clean and retrobright. Before diving in I wanted to check to see if anyone has advice before I learn the hard way.

1) Will retrobright affect the pad printing on the keys? My plan was to submerge them in a container with Salon Care 40 Volume Clear Developer with a low grade UV light overhead.
- I’ve read some people cautioning against this and one post saying it worked.

2) Would an ultrasonic cleaner affect the printing on the keys? I wouldn’t think so but I had a thought that the ink could break up from the vibration.

Thanks in advance!

User avatar
ifohancroft

31 Mar 2021, 17:37

Sorry, but I have no idea what (if anything) will affect the pad printing on the keys, however do keep in mind that retrobrighting with solutions such as Salon Care 40 Volumne Clear Developer (i.e. anything that's not pure Hydrogen Peroxide) can leave streaks on the plastic if applied unevenly. You mentioned you plan to submerge them in it, so you should be fine as you won't be applying it to them, but I thought it's worth mentioning.

User avatar
thefarside

31 Mar 2021, 19:45

Thanks I was concerned about streaking so I decided to go with the liquid solution. I might try hand washing first and see how they look before proceeding any further.

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