[!Nekko!]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for cleaning a laptop keyboard. I have a HP Pavillion ze4900 laptop. It's fully functional, just sticky and loud. I can separate the keyboard from the laptop, but I'm apprehensive about pulling off individual keys, so is there a way I can do something to the nature of fully submerging the keyboard or is it recommended to do fine cleaning instead? Also, are there any recommended liquid solutions I should use? I've heard of using the dishwasher as long as your dishwasher soap is non-caustic and stay away from heated dry.

[Katsurugi]

Well, for cleaning keyboards, usually I take a slightly damp cloth and maybe some compressed air to get the hard to reach places. I know that for my laptop, the company's site has a really good tutorial of how to remove the keyboard and all of that good stuff. They even put in some tips on cleaning it as well. For mine, they said that water is fine. But personally, I don't really trust water near any sensors. It's fine for the keys themselves on a desktop keyboard.

I would suggest, if your keyboard isn't a total mess, that you use a combination of rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol and compressed air. You can buy a can at almost any electronics place. I'm pretty sure of it. It should contain a long straw-like tube so you can get to the harder to reach places. Use a cloth and you should be on your way. Oh yeah, rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol is a good cleaner because it evaporates at more or less room temperature. Additionally, you should make sure that you close the bottle every time you're not using it.

[Pyrion]

The easiest way to clean a keyboard is to avoid getting it dirty in the first place.

The easiest way of doing this: wash your hands frequently. I'm guilty as charged of not following my own advice though, btw. ;)

[!Nekko!]

Just to point out, I bought it from a friend about a year and a half ago and the keyboard worked fine for a bit until I noticed it was starting to stick. After taking out the keyboard, I noticed the soda pop residue. It was dark like Coca-Cola and I barely drink pop much, less dark pops (Which my friend did drink).

I'm more of a Nazi of keeping food away from laptop than most people I know. I didn't mind it for a while, but I figured I should be more proactive about getting it cleaned since I'm using it a lot.

[Pyrion]

Then the previous suggestions sound like the best. I just wouldn't clean it with anything water-based or conductive, just in case. Alcohol and compressed air ftw.

And yeah, I don't bring food anywhere near my laptop. My desktop is a far different story however, but that's cuz keyboards are so cheap that I end up replacing them every couple of years anyways even if they've never had anything spilled in them.