Question How can I clean up the rusted part of the wireless keyboard

brannsiu

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Apr 20, 2013
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I have a wireless keyboard that has been used for less than 3 years, which is Microsoft, one day it didn't work at all, I have plugged and unplugged the receiver a lot of times but it still doesn't work, however, the separate keypad works perfectly. so it suggests that the receiver is good. I then found that one pole of the battery is not shiny, while another pole is shiny like new (It requires two AAA batteries) I don't really understand. I always use batteries of the same brand, one battery chipped, I think it's the reason that polluted the pole (Is it the possible reason?). Now , how can I clean up the rusted pole of the battery? Can I wipe it with 75% Alcohol? Is it safe? I know that 90% is better for electronics but it's not available in most of the pharmacies nearby. Will the alcohol go into the inner of the keyboard and cause danger?
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Like any product it is very likely that the corroded (not shiny) battery/pole was indeed damaged or defective in some manner. Probably not enough cause any sort of Quality Assurance flag - if the battery was even checked at all....

You can forego the alcohol for the most part. You can use it as a solvent for cleaning but do that outside, no smoking, no flames, no sparks, etc.. and apply the alcohol to a cloth then use the cloth to clean and wipe. May or may not remove some of the battery fluid gunk. Do not pour alcohol into the keyboard or battery bay.

For the most when I deal with a corroded battery or contact I carefully scrape of the heavier gunk/corrosion and then use Emery cloth to smooth and restore the contact surfaces.

Give cleaning and smoothing a try, replace both batteries.

Determine if the keyboard will again function.
 

brannsiu

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Like any product it is very likely that the corroded (not shiny) battery/pole was indeed damaged or defective in some manner. Probably not enough cause any sort of Quality Assurance flag - if the battery was even checked at all....

You can forego the alcohol for the most part. You can use it as a solvent for cleaning but do that outside, no smoking, no flames, no sparks, etc.. and apply the alcohol to a cloth then use the cloth to clean and wipe. May or may not remove some of the battery fluid gunk. Do not pour alcohol into the keyboard or battery bay.

For the most when I deal with a corroded battery or contact I carefully scrape of the heavier gunk/corrosion and then use Emery cloth to smooth and restore the contact surfaces.

Give cleaning and smoothing a try, replace both batteries.

Determine if the keyboard will again function.

I know that alcohol is safe on surface, but is it safe on the corrode battery pole? I tried to wipe it with a kitchen towel (without water or alcohol), hardly anything was seen to be cleaned.

I'm not cleaning the battery. It's just AAA battery which is cheap and I've thrown it

BTW, hardest to understand is why only one pole is badly corroded while another pole isn't corroded at all
 
I use white vinegar or lemon juice, they are acidic and will cut through the corrosion - pour some into a very small drinking cap or other small container - dip a q-tip or old toothbrush into it so it's saturated, brush it onto the corrosion and wait a few mins so it cuts through it... scrub it up with the old toothbrush if it's really bad, or just wipe it off with another qtip or paper towel if its clean - let it dry and you should be good to go!

I also have a lot of issues with the cheaper / bulk brands done it many times - not sure why it's just one pole and not the other in most cases... Have seen both poles in extreme cases where it takes a bit of scrubbing with a wire brush, and sometimes the metal is so corroded it needs replacing to make good contact. Will just get worse if companies cut corners and costs, I just buy the more expensive brand names these days, avoid the headache...
 

Ralston18

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jasonf2

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Depending on application there is a product called corrosion x that you can buy on amazon. The product is a dielectric oil that has a polar molecule. Do not get it on displays (it will crawl inside and destroy it) but for this type of stuff it is incredible. Scrape off the big gunk. Put a small amount on the corrosion damaged area and let it sit overnight. If the corrosion hasn't burnt traces this typically will clear the corrosion and get resistance back up. Battery corrosion is a two fold issue. First off the leakage is a caustic (alkaline battery) that will chew on the metal. But the bit that really messes with stuff is that the corrosion itself is conductive and shorts stuff out. If nothing has been damaged by the short, corrosion x will help with both issues by protecting the metal and reestablishing the dielectric. (Just to be clear I have no affiliation with the manufactures of corrosion x. I have worked in industrial high moisture / humidity electronics environments in the past an had excellent luck with the product with both battery corrosion and general galvanic stuff. It is not a cure all, but it works a lot better than a solvent pen.) Also I do not recommend using acid to clean contacts on electronics. It definitely will dissolve the alkali powder, but will cause corrosion itself if not cleaned impossibly well. There is a big difference between using coke on a car battery terminal and a pcb. What I like about using the dielectric is you don't have to remove it post application as it will help prevent future damage. The stuff comes in a spray can. For electronics I spray the stuff in a small container and apply with a qtip.
 

brannsiu

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I use white vinegar or lemon juice, they are acidic and will cut through the corrosion - pour some into a very small drinking cap or other small container - dip a q-tip or old toothbrush into it so it's saturated, brush it onto the corrosion and wait a few mins so it cuts through it... scrub it up with the old toothbrush if it's really bad, or just wipe it off with another qtip or paper towel if its clean - let it dry and you should be good to go!

I also have a lot of issues with the cheaper / bulk brands done it many times - not sure why it's just one pole and not the other in most cases... Have seen both poles in extreme cases where it takes a bit of scrubbing with a wire brush, and sometimes the metal is so corroded it needs replacing to make good contact. Will just get worse if companies cut corners and costs, I just buy the more expensive brand names these days, avoid the headache...

It's a Microsoft wireless keyboard, isn't Microsoft a reputable brand? At least shouldn't be a bad or cheap brand...
 
Nov 11, 2021
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I just tried lemon juice on an old brush but looks like it isn't cleaning up anything.... how much lemon juice should I use

Enough product to create the reaction, make sure the brush is hard to rub the rusted part, and the juice should be "pure" not mixed with water or other liquids. And if it doesn't work, maybe is better to try the product mentioned before, the DIY does not always work out.
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
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I never use an acidic chemical like lemon juice or vinegar. They all will leave an acidic residue that will continue to corrode the metal. Water or alcohol can work only if it can disolve the corroded metal oxides, and that can NOT happen usually.

The easiest way to remove the corrosion down to clean metal is abrasion. A scraper and emery cloth was suggested above. I often use an emery board sold for smoothing and filing fingernails. It is small and sturdy enough to scrub the oxides off. It will leave small dust particles that need to be shaken and blown away, but they will be dry so that's easy.

These incidents can happen over time just from air oxygen attacking the metal contacts, especially if that metal was some cheap material. More commonly it is from minor contamination, especially if the battery case develops a crack (worn-out battery?) to allow internal fluid paste to seep out. If you actually see such deposits in the contact area, THAT is when you can use water or alcohol to try to clean that off. Use sparingly, with a cotton swab (Q-Tip?) to avoid spreading it around. Let it dry thoroughly before re-installing the new battery.