the keyboard for my cube is driving me batty. The u key requires you to hit it hard to register and the m, k and x keys have keybounce. It probably needs a good cleaning.
Now, what would be the best way to do that? I would assume open it up, and clean the membrane and the pads with rubbing alcohol but this NeXT so I don't know if the keyboard is more like the Model M or something else where the moment I open the thing up, parts will fly everywhere.
I cleaned one of those. First I recommend getting a soft plastic lever. I used the handle from a very small measuring cup I found in my kitchen. Then I recommend very carefully prying off all of the keys. I then put the keys in a cup with dish soap to soak, then individually hand-washed each one.
Once I had all the keys off, I cleaned the keyboard with a moist cloth. I then reassembled the whole thing.
First replace the large, irregular keys (i.e. shift, enter, etc.). I play the clarinet and had a tube of mechanical oil for the clarinet keys. I put a drop of oil on the metal bars on the shift and enter keys where they make contact. Then I reassembled the whole thing.
My keyboard feels like new, and none of the keys stick what so ever.
The secret to prying off the keys is use a tool that is of a softer plastic than the keys. That way you won't scratch anything.
I hope this helps.
Brian Moore
It's not the keys that are dirty, it's the actual contacts for the keys that I need to inspect and clean.