One of my mechanical keyboard keys sometimes doesnt seem to work properly and I think its a contact problem. Could I use wd-40 as a contact cleaner?

 

Hello,

Do you mean this WD-40 product?
https://www.wd40.com/products/contact-cleaner/

Bertus

 

NO! WD stands for Water Displacer. It is not contact cleaner. Keyboards are pretty much considered throw-away items these days, unlike the old teletype keyboards they used to use.

 

Hello,

Do you mean this WD-40 product?
https://www.wd40.com/products/contact-cleaner/

Bertus

Yes

 

NO! WD stands for Water Displacer. It is not contact cleaner. Keyboards are pretty much considered throw-away items these days, unlike the old teletype keyboards they used to use.

What do i do then, i dont want to buy an new keyboard

 

Purchase recognized contact cleaner, you can get two types, those that leave a lube residue (oily) or non-residue type.
Max.

 

Are we referring to a computer keyboard?
Show us a photo of the keyboard.

PC keyboards are usually made with membrane switches on layered sheets of mylar. Disassemble the keyboard and carefully and gently wipe the sheets with a swab of IPA (isopropyl alcohol).

If it does not fix the problem then the only resort is to buy another keyboard.

 

Purchase recognized contact cleaner, you can get two types, those that leave a lube residue (oily) or non-residue type.
Max.

Are we referring to a computer keyboard?
Show us a photo of the keyboard.

PC keyboards are usually made with membrane switches on layered sheets of mylar. Disassemble the keyboard and carefully and gently wipe the sheets with a swab of IPA (isopropyl alcohol).

If it does not fix the problem then the only resort is to buy another keyboard.

The keyboard is mechanical meaning that each key has its own switch and the contact is happening in those switches independently. So dissasembling the keyboard wouldnt help

 

Did you remove a faulty keyswitch?
How many pins are on the switch?
If there are only two pins then I would inject some IPA into the housing and work the keyswitch many times. Allow the IPA to evaporate.

 

Can you swap the bad switch with a key that you never use? Or, if you can remove the switch, try soaking it and blowing dry with compressed air; first with water, then with isopropanol. Maybe the switch can be carefully pried apart and you can directly clean the contacts.