Don't do it, don't look at your keyboard too closely. Ignorance is bliss in this instance, trust me. I looked and I am horrified to say my keyboard looks worse than the dirt catching crevices of my car. You know, those little areas in your car where your vacuum tool can't quite reach but you can still see the mummified french fry wrapped in dog hair, dirt, and an old sucker stick. Well my keyboard had everything but the fry and sucker stick but it had many other UGOs (unidentified gross objects) to take their places.

So what is a person to do? First inclination is to run screaming for the hand sanitizer and call hazmat to dispose of the thing. But the folks at NPR had an idea. Put the keyboard in the dishwasher. Yes, you read it right, in the dishwasher. Of course they also say that while it got the keyboard clean it is probably not the best way to do it. Most computer companies suggest using compressed air and a damp cloth to clean the keyboard. They obviously have not seen my keyboard, if it could it would maniacally laugh at the idea of compressed air and a wet cloth.

If you are a germ-a-phobe or if you work in a hospital or somewhere else where you need easy to clean keyboards, NPR mentioned the Seal Shield keyboard which can work submersed in 9 ft. of water. Seal Shield introduced a medical grade washable keyboard and mouse, displayed at the 2007 HIMSS in New Orleans and Los Angeles, in response to the demand from healthcare organizations wanting to combat the spread of cross-contamination infections, including MRSA. While presenting at OLC a few months ago, I saw a flexible rubber keyboard, which might be the answer to your problems. Since it is completely sealed, the spilled coke and other nasties can't hide and live underneath the keys. One thing to note is that it is completely flat so you might need some trays or boards to prop it up to avoid any wrist issues.

Of course if you want to walk on the wild side with your own home computer keyboard, both Nell Boyce of NPR and Scott Moschella of Plastic Bugs dishwashed keyboards work. However I wouldn't recommend using it as a way to "get to know" your IT guy. Best to recommend something similar to the Seal Shield or rubber keyboard to your Infection Control people and IT.