# What is the best way to decontaminate a keyboard? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2005, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879 "2005-10-12T12:23:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/21 "2005-10-14T00:21:40Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > How in the heck do I decontaminate my keyboard? From [Answers.com](http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=5hm7a9jgo494u?tname=common-cold&curtab=2040_1&hl=rhinovirus&sbid=lc03b), an indication that the virus responsible will only live for a few hours on objects. Depending on how long you have recovered, you may well recontaminate objects you touch anyway, as you may be shedding the virus up to a day after your symptoms clear. So you wash the keyboard, removing the virus, then pick it up to plug it back in, and transfer the virus back to the keyboard. And what about other objects that both you and your husband use? Door handles, drawer pulls, chairs, remote controls… Shrug and chance it. KF ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/22 "2005-10-14T01:31:29Z")
1. Diluted bleach’n’water, in bowl. 2. Disposable toothbrush. 3. Dip TB in DBNW, brushy-brushy. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/23 "2005-10-14T02:21:56Z")
Whatever you do do it quick! Don’t want your virus to spread to your computer. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/24 "2005-10-14T11:27:03Z")
Perhaps Ultraviolet light? Lousy hippies probably won’t let you use a gamma source. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/25 "2005-10-14T11:51:03Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > Whatever you do do it quick! Don’t want your virus to spread to your computer. :eek: Wolfian wins the thread! I’ve decided to spray a light coat of lysol on it. since everything else in the house has been shellacked with it by my husband, a gentle touch of its germ killing goodness should be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/26 "2005-10-14T11:57:33Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Wolfian wins the thread! > > I’ve decided to spray a light coat of lysol on it. since everything else in the house has been shellacked with it by my husband, a gentle touch of its germ killing goodness should be helpful. But don’t forget to tell us if your German relatives get the bug, and take it back home with them. That’s 80 million Germans, and another couple hundred million in the European Community. Hey–this could get bigger than the Avian flu virus. Save that keyboard, Shirley, you gonna be famous!!! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/27 "2005-10-14T11:59:29Z")
I don’t know if I want to be more famous than Typhoid Mary. And I happen to like zee’s German Relations. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879/28 "2005-10-14T14:22:37Z")
I just noticed that the Google ad for this thread!!! It says “Is God Real?” I’d like to click on [meant4more.com](http://meant4more.com) but I’m afraid it’s a site sbout divine retribution for sinners who use contaminated keyboards. Shirley,-------Repent!!! Repent!!! Repent!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-decontaminate-a-keyboard/325879.md?page=1)