Is your keyboard dirtier than a toilet seat?

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,233
0
71
Yes, but my immune system is stronger than a toilet seat so it's ok.
 

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
14,488
7
81
Make sure spidey reads this:

"Why are out keyboards such a bio-hazard? Several factors seem to be at work:

* Eating at the desk
* Not washing hands properly
* Not cleaning the keyboards regularly
"
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,391
1,780
126
BTW....just for the record, we come in contact with a lot of harsh germs all the time. Having said that, they actually boost your immune system when you come into contact with them. Just don't stick your fingers in your mouth and you'll be good.


There was once a study saying that kids who did put their fingers in their mouths got sick less often...
 

puffff

Platinum Member
Jun 25, 2004
2,374
0
0
I imagine office bathrooms are cleaned every night though, which probably makes a huge difference.

 

rivan

Diamond Member
Jul 8, 2003
9,677
3
81
I clean my keyboard regularly by wiping it off with a thawed chicken breast.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
I flip it over and bang it whenever I'm vacuuming around my desk anyway and the crap that comes out is less than ideal. Afterward I can't help but spray some Fantastik or something on a napkin and give the top a nice wipe-down. 2nd best solution to pulling off all the keys and throwing it in a dishwasher, isn't it? Same wipe-downs for the mouse. Any other solutions / ideas?
 

takeru

Golden Member
Jan 1, 2002
1,206
8
81
i clean my keyboard pretty often... whenever i sneeze and wipe, there ya go.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
BTW, they said the same thing about a kitchen counter vs. toilet. I mean, how often do you spray cleaning stuff on your home kitchen counter? I think all we do are wet-cloth wipe downs. I can't even stand the thought of the dish sponge accumulation but I use it sometimes anyway. ...and I'm not even a germaphobe.
 

fatpat268

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2006
5,853
0
71
Originally posted by: TruePaige
It's all MY germs anyway, my body knows how to deal.

Same here.

I still clean my keyboard every couple of weeks to get the crumbs and dust out, but I'm not anal about it.

But I shudder sometimes when I look at my coworker's keyboards... god that's disgusting how dirty those keyboards are.
 

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
I don't know, making the comparison between X and a toilet seat in cleanliness will almost always come out with the toilet seat on top (its a bad comparison). What ever touches a toilet seat, your bum? Most people shower daily so the most that is touching it is clean skin (unless you have kids, then urine spots might appear). Then you make the comparison to something like a keyboard that by its nature will be touched by varying states of cleanliness, of course the keyboard will be ranked dirtier.

I imagine the remote controls, doorknobs, telephones, pianos, or any tool in the house will probably rank lower on the cleanliness scale then a toilet seat.

Conclusion. Toilet seats are bad comparisons for how dirty something is.
 

T9D

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2001
5,320
6
0
I wash my keyboard in the tub with soap and water every so often so it's probably pretty clean. It always feels so fresh and crisp after I do that. I love that feeling.
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
31,528
3
76
Originally posted by: rh71
I flip it over and bang it whenever I'm vacuuming around my desk anyway and the crap that comes out is less than ideal. Afterward I can't help but spray some Fantastik or something on a napkin and give the top a nice wipe-down. 2nd best solution to pulling off all the keys and throwing it in a dishwasher, isn't it? Same wipe-downs for the mouse. Any other solutions / ideas?

That's exactly what I do, except I use 409. :thumbsup: I can't stand to use a grimy keyboard or mouse.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
Originally posted by: Cogman
I don't know, making the comparison between X and a toilet seat in cleanliness will almost always come out with the toilet seat on top (its a bad comparison). What ever touches a toilet seat, your bum?

Don't forget that the water in the toilet splashes up. A nice mist shoots in the air also, supposedly.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
isopropyl spray+qtip+vac ftw
yea kbs can get gross, hard to clean.
i don't suggest dishwasher. if ur unlucky and water gets between the circuit sheets and corrodes some contacts ur borked...depends on kb design. the ones i've seen have layers of plastic like transparency sheets, if water gets between those its gonna take its time drying.
 

ForumMaster

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2005
7,792
1
0
i clean my keyboard with alcohol wipes quite often. i don't let it get dirty. i don't eat at my desk so food doesn't get into the keyboard and i take it apart and clean it once a month. overkill for sure but i admit that i'm a neat freak.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
I take the keys off mine and clean it one ever 3 months or so. A little dusty right now, but beyond that it's clean.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
Originally posted by: Cogman
I don't know, making the comparison between X and a toilet seat in cleanliness will almost always come out with the toilet seat on top (its a bad comparison). What ever touches a toilet seat, your bum? Most people shower daily so the most that is touching it is clean skin (unless you have kids, then urine spots might appear). Then you make the comparison to something like a keyboard that by its nature will be touched by varying states of cleanliness, of course the keyboard will be ranked dirtier.

I imagine the remote controls, doorknobs, telephones, pianos, or any tool in the house will probably rank lower on the cleanliness scale then a toilet seat.

Conclusion. Toilet seats are bad comparisons for how dirty something is.

Carlin on Germs:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-Y-yH_Qyipc
 

m1ldslide1

Platinum Member
Feb 20, 2006
2,321
0
0
I just buy a new keyboard every few weeks and therefore don't have to clean it. This also works for pets.