Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!ogicse!cs.uoregon.edu!ns.uoregon.edu!milton!sumax!thebes!polari!miker
From: miker@polari.UUCP (Mike Ranta)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: motherboards in the dishwasher?
Message-ID: <3988@polari.UUCP>
Date: 7 May 91 17:15:38 GMT
References: <0094836B.DA657A80@Eagle.oscs.montana.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Seattle Online Public Unix (206) 328-4944
Lines: 16

>Someone claimed that the best way to clean a contaminated (e.g. soda pop)
>computer keyboard was to disconnect it and run it under tap water.  I thought
>water was enough of a solvent to cause damage to circuit boards.  Who's right?
>What's the best way to clean a pop-filled keyboard?  (BTW, it's not mine.)
>

Cleaning PC boards in water is _not_ normally a problem.  In fact, nearly
every board in your PC was probably washed that way after it was soldered.
The company I work for produces AT and PS/2 bus boards and they are washed
in a dishwasher with special flux remover "soap" after final assembly.  The
exception to this rule are certain components such as some relays, switches,
connectors, etc.  Certain kinds can trap the water, and hence some of the
dirty residue, and it causes problems.  ICs, resistors, caps, and the PC
board material itself are all very immune to water.  I'd wash your keyboard
out with hot water and perhaps a very dilute solution of Ivory liquid.  At
least you don't stand much to lose....