Re: Flushing WD40 inside a Cherry MX keyswitch

On Tue, 7/7/2026 2:06 AM, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
> 
> If a keyboard's Cherry MX keywitch got some
> WD40 inside, is it possible to flush it out?
> 
> Is replacing the MX keyswitch the only way?
> 

You'd flush it out with WD40.

Well, you should not have used WD40 in the first place
(we could have told you that).

Seriously, you should never use a substance that
you know leaves a residue. It should be a liquid
which dries up. Rinsing keyboards in clear water,
it depends on keyboard construction how long it would
take for the water to dry.

Membrane keyboards are great for water-rinsing. Two
or three days of gentle-warm air flowing over the
keyboard, and it is dry again and ready for reassembly.

Any mechanical key-switches, it's going to take longer.
And some keyboards are toast, if you spill a coke on them.
If the keyboard cannot be fully disassembled, it makes
it difficult to avoid sticking-switches. I had a keyboard
that cost $150.00 and that one used steel rivets and
no screws, so it could not be disassembled for drying
purposes (the plastics unscrew, but the internal assemblies
are riveted).

   Paul