Clean a laptop?

[ComputerDragon79]

I had a little accident where root beer got spilled on my laptop keyboard. I thought I got rid of the worst of it, but the next day, the right side of the keyboard has sticky keys, so I guess there was some left. Does anyone have a suggestion for cleaning it that does not involve key removal?

[EzyStvy]

Make and model number?

[ComputerDragon79]

It's a Compaq, I don't know the model #. It's exactly a year old. The laptop really doesn't belong to me, so I don't know everything about it, but I can say that the keys are soft to the touch and don't come off easily (if at all. Neither me or the owner has tried to really force it). We would prefer to avoid removing the keys at all.

[yeoamuca]

lightly moistened qtips can be helpful but you really arent going to be able to get down in there unless you take the keys off

if you pop one off and look at them and see how they work you will find that most laptop keys are surprisingly easy to put back on
it would be a chore but very doable

also (im not very familiar with the compaqs) but if you want to you might be able to take the keyboard out pretty easily
i know on my dell if you pop the little plastic piece right above the keyboard off there are two screws and then you can take the keyboard out
this would probably help you clean it you could use a wet papertowel or something like that (keyboards are more mechanical than electrical just a little eletrical contact point and as long as you let it dry before you use it water wont really hurt it)

[ComputerDragon79]

I'm just leery of messing up someone else's laptop.

[yeoamuca]

thats understandable but keyboards really arent that hard to take out and arent that easy to break (if you do they are only like 15 bucks on ebay)
id say your best bet is to just use a qtip
but unless you take the keyboard out or the keys off i dont think you will be able to clean it up as much as you would like to

[ComputerDragon79]

They sel laptop keyboards on ebay?

[yeoamuca]

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...rclo=&saprchi=


there are a ton
and they are cheap as well

[yeoamuca]

if you get a laptop with one broken part like motherboard or screen you can part it out on ebay and make enough money to buy another nicer laptop
screens can go for like 300 dollars and cd drives for over 100 batteries for 100 cpus and so on those things break so peopl need them and pay for them
keyboards dont really break so if you part out a laptop you try to sell the keyboard too but not many people wnat them so they go pretty cheap
ive parted out a couple laptops on ebay ive made a ton of money but i also still have all they keyboards laying around

[rave]

what a coincidence.i have a compaq too
2 days ago i saw some big piece of paper under my keys.dunno how it got there?
being an idiot and not really worrying i just popped the 2 keys off...then my brain kicked in.i was scared as hell.hahaha

but its surprisingly easy. underneath the key is just a white piece of plastic.it allows the key to swivel(kinda.doesnt work sometimes.its not the most expensive part if the laptop :P)
for my compaq,best part to lift the key from is on the left side(pulling it upwards gently).its not rocket science
i totally understand that you are afraid since its not your laptop.but just try to have a soft touch.not much i can explain.but if i can do it...im sure you can