# Protect my keyboard from my sweaty hands! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793 "2007-10-15T15:31:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/1 "2007-10-15T15:31:33Z")
I am _this_ close to saving up for a new Apple laptop. I would like to take some precautions this time. I have very sweaty hands – my hands tend to sweat any time I am doing something that requires concentration or when I am under stress. And half the remaining time as well. My mother has the same thing only worse. In school, I would make pools of sweat on my desk and completely dissolve paper. Anyway … enough about that. What tends to happen with a computer is the buildup of sweat residue, which also attracts lint, resulting over time in a gummy, sticky keyboard. Is there any kind of plastic or rubber keyboard cover that would help protect it from my toxic hands? I recall seeing such things for cash registers. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/2 "2007-10-15T16:18:05Z")
Something like [this](http://www.datacal.com/typing-cover-info.htm)? I know nothing about this company or the quality of their products. It’s just the first link that popped up when I Googled “keyboard protective covers.” ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/3 "2007-10-15T16:46:23Z")
To fit a Mac specifically, look at [this](http://www.iskin.com/store/i2shop_ptmb.tpl?cart=11924665123745990). Perhaps inevitably, it’s called iSkin. I have one for my G5 desktop’s keyboard, and it works as advertised. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/4 "2007-10-15T21:44:57Z")
Waaaaay off topic (well not compleatly) and I know you didn’t ask for advice at all. But I just wanted to mention that my BIL’s wife just had outpatient surgery for that. In case you were wondering about options for get getting it to stop. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/5 "2007-10-15T22:00:15Z")
Eh. I’ve had it for about four decades. My mom has had it for more than six decades and has lived with it. I don’t think I want to subject myself to the risks of surgery just for this. ---
**Author:** ![Dunawake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dunawake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunawake)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/6 "2007-10-15T23:17:07Z")
I learned a bit about this a while back, since I have the inverse case where my hands won’t sweat, ever. A [sympathectomy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endoscopic_thoracic_sympathectomy) appears to be the most common way to eliminate the problem, but it looks like there is wildly differing responses on whether side effects are significant or not. Given the cost differences between that and an “iSkin”, I think I’d go with the latter. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/7 "2007-10-16T00:58:26Z")
The iSkin ProTouch is a nice product, though mine doesn’t quite fit properly (two of the corners curl up a bit) and you still have to take it off and wash it from time to time if you’re using a laptop. Otherwise, you get transfer from the ProTouch to the display. Of course, washing it is as simple as some soap and water. I’ve had several iSkin products and have been quite happy with all of them. The iSkin keyboard cover and two different iPod cases. I have not tried one of the laptop sleeves (I bought a Speck hard case and a neoprene soft case instead.) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/8 "2007-10-16T14:42:13Z")
Yeah, my next question would have been about cases – I find most cases to be way too bulky. And I also want a sleeve for when I just want to put it in my backpack with my other stuff. Anything good for keeping it safe in there? (Thanks for all the suggestions!) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/9 "2007-10-16T14:52:05Z")
A friend of mine with a similar problem uses [these things](http://shopping.msn.com/prices/shp/?itemId=572671580) which don’t cost much and she just rinses them under the tap. She prefers them to her laptop keypad too. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/10 "2007-10-16T15:00:01Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Yeah, my next question would have been about cases – I find most cases to be way too bulky. And I also want a sleeve for when I just want to put it in my backpack with my other stuff. Anything good for keeping it safe in there? (Thanks for all the suggestions!) [/QUOTE] Well, I use [this](https://www.speckproducts.com/products/seethru/13-macbook/24)as a hard case to help protect the outside of the laptop (the little feet work better too) but I know I didn’t pay $50 for it. I then just bought a cheap neoprene sleeve at Wal-Mart. It was sized for 15" 4:3 notebooks but a 13" widescreen notebook fits the length perfectly, even if there is a bit of extra material the other way. As I said, I don’t know about the iSkin product. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protect-my-keyboard-from-my-sweaty-hands/422793/11 "2007-10-16T15:05:02Z")
A friend of mine with a similar problem uses [these things](http://shopping.msn.com/prices/shp/?itemId=572671580) which don’t cost much and she just rinses them under the tap. She prefers them to her laptop keypad too.