Stay clean with a waterproof keyboard

The CleanKey keyboard.

(Credit: Devlin Electronics)

A friend of mine once spilled coffee on her computer keyboard and then took it to a sink to clean that muck off with soap and water. She ended up having to get a new keyboard. Now I know what I should get her.

Devlin Electronics is offering a new keyboard that you can wash with water without harming the circuit board inside.

The surface of the keyboard is sealed to make cleaning easy.

(Credit: Delvin Electronics)

Dubbed "CleanKey," the keyboard is waterproof and fully submersible, even when it's still plugged in. You can also quickly wipe the surface, which is sealed and has no crevices for dust (and bacteria) to hide, as traditional keyboards do.

Devlin Electronics designed the keyboard mostly for health care institutions and schools, where illness can spread through shared computer equipment, such as keyboards and mice. The CleanKey was inspired by numerous studies highlighting the potential health risks of computer keyboards, which are said to be frequently dirtier than the average toilet seat.

Devlin Electronics also designs computer mice that have similar attributes, allowing for quick cleanups and disinfection.

Personally, I just wonder what it's like to type on one of these keyboards. Hygiene aside, once you've put a layer of protection on, things won't feel as real as they are supposed to anymore.

The CleanKey products are only available by order and it's unclear how much they cost.

[jamesreb]

"Hygiene aside, once you've put a layer of protection on, things won't feel as real as they are supposed to anymore." -- rimshot

Otherwise its a great idea, especially if used in places where dust, fluids, and other env. hazards are like construction sites, restaurants, or even public computers.

[hughv]

I have been washing keyboards in the dishwasher for years, and only lost one, that was probably dead anyway.
Place them in upside down to facilitate draining, shake out well when the cycle is finished, let dry for 24 hours or more.
I've also used a little soap, a brush and rinsed them under the faucet, followed by thorough drying.
Works like a charm.

[yanchineseguy]

Same here. I washed my 2 keyboards in the dishwasher. Both came out clean, but did need to sit and dry for nearly a week before they worked without problems. I'm still using both of them.

[MoKraak]

As my hobby is rescuscitating and rehabilitating abused and homeless notebooks and PCs, I refer to my home as the Nothern New Jersey Home for Abused and Battered Tech. You would be surprised at the number of notebooks that I inherit that are all gunked up inside from being waterboarded with various liquids. The most lethal that I have found appear to be Classic Coke and Starbucks caramel macchiato's (because I know the previous owners of these poor, tortured devices). Nine times out of ten, I have to replace the entire keyboard module because one or more keys refuse to resurrect. FYI, eBay is a great source for notebook keyboard moduless and Dell lappy keyboards are the easiest to replace.

[Jauman1]

Man & Machine, Inc. has a entire series of waterproof keyboards and mice. You can check them out at www.man-machine.com