Hardware Getting rid of cigarette smell?

[TheLostSabre]

"doubled-posted* read next post...

 

[TheLostSabre]

The "quick" way would be covering the smell but that would only prolong the issue; you're going to have to get rid of the source to do away the smell permanently eventually.

Better take the long way and dismantle the keyboard and use alcohol or vinegar to get rid of the buildup causing the smell. It takes effort but it's worth it.

 

[DiabloStorm]

take apart n wash non mechanical parts in dish water
rest of sensitive parts....
wash with alcohol and cotton swabs....

Profit?

probably what I'd do.

 

[YayMii]

Just finished wiping the keycaps and backplate with 50% isopropyl alcohol, and the smell still seems to be there (and mostly coming from the underside of the keycaps). Probably should've listened to Lacius about the vinegar.

 

[Pleng]

Hey, I bought a (slightly used) mechanical keyboard off of Kijiji, but the previous owner was a smoker. The keyboard smells awful. Anybody know a quick way of getting rid of the smell? Thanks in advance.

Did the previous owner make you aware it had been in a smoky environment? If not I'd demand a refund.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

This is going to sound really weird... Put the whole keyboard in the dishwasher and run it (make sure to turn off the heated dry cycle or you risk warping the plastic if it gets too hot.)

Shake out as much water as you can dry it with a towel or what ever, then let it dry for like 2-3 days.

It will work perfectly fine, it will be clean and most importantly it will smell better lol

The secret is that water doesn't really damage electronics if it is clean water, the damage comes from either being dirty or when the electricity is applied it shorts out things.... So let it dry completely (days) and it is perfectly safe

Edit: When I say run it in the dish washer, I mean put soap in just like your doing a load of dishes.

 

[DiabloStorm]

This is going to sound really weird... Put the whole keyboard in the dishwasher and run it (make sure to turn off the heated dry cycle or you risk warping the plastic if it gets too hot.)

Shake out as much water as you can dry it with a towel or what ever, then let it dry for like 2-3 days.

It will work perfectly fine, it will be clean and most importantly it will smell better lol

The secret is that water doesn't really damage electronics if it is clean water, the damage comes from either being dirty or when the electricity is applied it shorts out things.... So let it dry completely (days) and it is perfectly safe

Edit: When I say run it in the dish washer, I mean put soap in just like your doing a load of dishes.

...what about corrosion? I can't foresee myself throwing my 3ds or any other electronic in a dishwasher anytime soon in the off chance I let it get dirty...

Also I have a hunch you've never actually done this.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

...what about corrosion?

What corrosion? I wouldn't add salt to it....

Oxidization would happen if the air, but all that gold and tin and lead is designed to keep that under control

It's a keyboard your hands perspire constantly while you use it, your breath and all that. (Keyboards are kind of designed to resist these things.)

 

[DiabloStorm]

What corrosion? I wouldn't add salt to it....

Oxidization would happen if the air, but all that gold and tin and lead is designed to keep that under control

It's a keyboard your hands perspire constantly while you use it, your breath and all that. (Keyboards are kind of designed to resist these things.)

The only part you're coming in contact with is the plastic shell/keys...at least during normal use. Unless you're doing strenuous exercise or beating off furiously while leaning over it I really can't imagine that much moisture getting into a keyboard due to 'perspiration.'

Anyway, I use a shitty dell keyboard and even I wouldn't throw it in there, the rubberized plastic my keys press against would deteriorate due to the dish soap...

 

[2ndApex]

Well, if you want to get rid of the smell of smoke, I say cover it in dog poop. But then you have dog poop to worry about... shit, I'm stumped.

Was that pun intentional?

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

The only part you're coming in contact with is the plastic shell/keys...at least during normal use...

Not a lot in a keyboard to corrode to be honest. If your talking about iron I doubt there is much in it. Like you say plastic shells or keys underneath those is not much to corrode to be honest.

The board itself is glorified sand or glass, traces are tin and lead or some tin lead substitute. The only part that could corrode possibly would be the springs but I can promise they are 99.9999% chrome plated jobs that 1 or 3 days of being damp are not going to bother. If they where not chrome plated they would corrode in a few months time just being in close proximity to a human.

Might not be chrome plated they might be some cheaper to make nickle alloy. Either way corrosion is not an issue for a keyboard.

If it was your keyboard would be dead every few months from natural sources.

 

[YayMii]

Did the previous owner make you aware it had been in a smoky environment? If not I'd demand a refund.

The smell no longer as strong as it was when I got it... Either way, I don't see why this is something worth getting a refund over, especially since it's normally a $150 keyboard and the guy was selling it to me for half the price.

@Psionic Roshambo: as I said, this is an expensive mechanical keyboard. So the whole inner backplate is made of steel. And the keys themselves have metal internals too (although the contacts are silver+gold plated). Corrosion would likely be a huge issue.