i accidently spilled some soda on my laptop and now several of the keys stick badly. Any suggestions on the best way to go about getting them unsticky?

Its a IBM Thinkpad T42 if that matters

4/17/2006 2:37:26 PM

soak your laptop in clorox

4/17/2006 4:26:06 PM

I would remove the keyboard (two screws) and clean it with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol.

Take your time with it and you'll never know anything was ever wrong.

If you didn't spill that much, try swabbing the soda with the keyboard installed (system off).

Good luck.


[Edited on April 17, 2006 at 5:13 PM. Reason : I second what lafta posted.]

4/17/2006 4:58:34 PM

t42's are dishwasher safe,

just kidding, but whatever you do dont pop off the keys cause getting them back on is a real B*$#

4/17/2006 5:04:50 PM

"spilled some soda"

4/17/2006 5:29:42 PM

....yea.......soda.....

4/17/2006 5:47:58 PM

i haven't spilled anything on my ibm and the keyboard is getting more worn out, some letters are hard to get to come up (w/o pressing harder than usual).

i am still under warranty so I will probably get the kb replaced soon.

4/17/2006 6:40:23 PM

they make electrical contact cleaner in an aerosol that will make short work of a gunked up keyboard. a can is like $4-$5. I used to get it at capital electronics...don't know where i would get it now...maybe lowes or home depot

4/17/2006 6:44:19 PM

Quote :

"....yea.......soda....."

4/17/2006 6:57:19 PM

Remove it from the laptop (if you know what you're doing, don't if you don't or you'll break the fine cable that connects the keyboard to the motherboard), just straight up wash it out in the sink for a while, hang it out to dry for a long time, running a hair dryer on it (on a very low or cool setting) if you so please. Just make sure it's dry, hook it back up, put the screws back in, and voila it'll work.

Since it's a T42 I'm going to guess you bought it at the bookstore. IBM will replace it.

4/17/2006 7:17:19 PM

the connector on the T-42 keyboards isnt anything to worry about.. I think its ~2-4 screws on the bottom and a ribbon cable that slides easily out of and into its slot

they keys pull right up and the plastic pieces underneith come apart and go back together reasonably easily.. just take it apart and carefully clean it.. had some coca cola spill around the backspace key, cleaned up alright.. also had my little brother (age three) take off about 1/3 of the keys when I left my laptop unattended..

if its bad and still under warrenty have them ship a new keyboard..

4/17/2006 9:24:31 PM