Help me unstick my Kindle!

January 13, 2009 9:25 AM

I spilled a little bit of juice on a few of the keys on my Kindle. I thought I'd mostly cleaned it off, but when I took out my Kindle later, I found the juice had surrounded a couple of the keys and dried, making them difficult to press. What's the best way to unstick the keys without damaging the Kindle?

Because it's a Kindle keyboard, the keys are really tiny, and don't seem prone to removal like a regular computer keyboard. All the keys still work, but I have to press them hard. I'm thinking q-tips and alcohol, but I wanted to ask the hive mind before I tried it.

posted by grrarrgh00 to technology (5 comments total)

I'm thinking q-tips and alcohol

That's what I would try first. Pop out the battery while you do this too.
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:29 AM on January 13, 2009

I'd go with q-tips and alcohol too, and possibly a few cocktail sticks.
posted by mandal at 9:39 AM on January 13, 2009

Remove battery and any other source of power.

Use a damp (not dripping) sponge with mild detergent.

Wipe clean.

Let dry.

If you go the alcohol route, use isopropyl alcohol with as high a concentration as you can get, because it evaporates more quickly and, unlike rubbing alcohol, won't leave a residue. Also test the alcohol on an inconspicuous area of the Kindle first, as it might discolor the plastic.
posted by zippy at 9:47 AM on January 13, 2009

Thank you all! Keys unstuck, Kindle working, disaster averted. Yay!
posted by grrarrgh00 at 11:36 AM on January 13, 2009

(I used q-tips and 70% isopropyl alcohol.)
posted by grrarrgh00 at 11:36 AM on January 13, 2009