On Tue, 7/7/2026 2:06 AM, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
If a keyboard's Cherry MX keywitch got some
WD40 inside, is it possible to flush it out?
Is replacing the MX keyswitch the only way?
You'd flush it out with WD40.
Well, you should not have used WD40 in the first place
(we could have told you that).
Seriously, you should never use a substance that
you know leaves a residue. It should be a liquid
which dries up. Rinsing keyboards in clear water,
it depends on keyboard construction how long it would
take for the water to dry.
Membrane keyboards are great for water-rinsing. Two
or three days of gentle-warm air flowing over the
keyboard, and it is dry again and ready for reassembly.
Any mechanical key-switches, it's going to take longer.
And some keyboards are toast, if you spill a coke on them.
If the keyboard cannot be fully disassembled, it makes
it difficult to avoid sticking-switches. I had a keyboard
that cost $150.00 and that one used steel rivets and
no screws, so it could not be disassembled for drying
purposes (the plastics unscrew, but the internal assemblies
are riveted).
Paul
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