This morning when I entered the number 3 and it put in close to a hundred 3s until it stopped. If I use the number keys at the top of the keyboard, it's OK. It's only the number 3 key down at the bottom right. I've got to tell you that 2 days ago I was drinking some coffee or a can of pop--I don't remember which- but I spill a couple of drops down in that area :o . So this morning I popped the key off and cleaned it. It looked OK down below where the key sits, but I blew it out with some compressed air. I thought that might help but it didn't. Any suggestions so that I can got only one 3 instead of 33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 333333333 of them? Thanks

What kind of keyboard do you have? One of my keyboards is a wired MS ergonomic "Elite" model, which is pretty well designed for easy cleaning. I opened it up one time and the bulk of the keys are attached to the top panel of the body. They are seperated from the actual switches by a rubberized bladder that covers all of the electronics. This came out and was really simple to wash with soap and water. If you've already tried cleaning your keys, and there is nothing between the electronics and your soda, you're probably in trouble. Not all the keys necessarily go out at once if there is a fried circuit. If its just sticking you might be able to slow down the repeat rate, but it's probably time for a new one.

My wireless keyboard does something like that [about a dozen repeats] when the battery is running low.

I clean out my old wired keyboard about once a year

The sticking key from a spill can be a number of things.
Including the fluid getting Under the rubber section under the keys

Don't Blow anything into the keyboard
You may think you are blowing it out.
Your Not .. You can make it even worse. By forcing the stuff into the elec. area of the keyboard

It is best to open the keyboard and clean it.
As you found out already the keys can be removed with a little work.
To open the keyboard up
use a flash light to find the top side screws
For most you will find at least 4 screws on the topside
To get at these screws remove the keys around them. In my case that’s ( Q,A,Y,H,[,',8,5)

Then flip it over and remove the 6 or 8 screws on the back
flip it back over and remove the top ..

It's a good idea to scan the keyboard before removing any of the keys
Helps keep tract of where they all belong

At this point I remove ALL the keys and place them in a washing bag
then scrub the top section of the keyboard with dawn soap and a brush
Then dip and dunk the key bag in the same water in the sink

Check the rubber cover and remove it if need be,
Wash it in soap and water

Now DRY everything completely
Im place it all on a towel and let a fan blow across it.
Stir the keys around a few times..
When it is ALL dry.
Just put it back together and your up and flying again.

BTW.. The keyboard I am using is a 1997 IBM

Hello Rick, Long time.
A very good post.

I'm wondering if the number pad just went bad--or maybe spilling that few drops of pop (or as some call it, soda) made it go bad. I cleaned it as you suggested, Rick. And when I got it all apart, sure enough there was some sticky stuff in the area where I spilled my drink. But I washed everything and dried it good. I put it back together and now the number 3 and number 2 key doesn't work at all. I had an old keyboard from one of the computers I used to have so I'm using it now and it works OK. Do you think that spilling the drink on it made it go bad? At least I now know how to clean it. Thanks for your feed back.

The spill may not have caused it.
But the blowing air in may have..

Yup the sticky stuff is a real pain in the you know where.

Is it doa?
If your sure everything is back together correctly and all the little rubber pads line up.
Then it is very possible it's gone

It may also be nothing but a miss alignment of the pads ..

If you have the time and your in the mind to try.
You can always pull it down again and check the pin holes that align it

Another possible place to look is at the top of the pads.
The PSB that has the lights in it
The rubber may need to be slide under that part way .
In my case I have to loosen it a bit. Slide the pad under and then tighten it

It doesn't take much to cause a fault
Even a little soda in the area of the contacts can do it.

IF it's worth a try and it's your time
Give it a shot

Hello Rick, Long time.
A very good post.

Talk about long time !
Where you been hiding ?

Still building systems ?

IF it's worth a try and it's your time
Give it a shot
I've got a little over an hour before the football game starts. So, I'm going to give it a shot right now....

Don't rush
that is when Murphy likes to visit

Murphy law
it can go wrong it will

Murphy must have been out to lunch! :D It's working great now! I took it apart again and in the area that was giving me the problem, I made sure that it was good and clean. I then put it back together making sure that everything was lined up, and everything works now! So I either didn't have it cleaned well enough, or as you said maybe the first time I didn't line things up. I made sure that everything fit this time. Actually I'm glad it happened. It was a good learning experience for me. Thanks again for your help.

maybe spilling that few drops of pop (or as some call it, soda) made it go bad.
LOL, Frank. I was born and raised in Ohio, so I learned to call it pop too. 5 years in Pittsburgh made me a "soda" convert. The trickiest one has been my recent move to Florida, where everything is a coke. Including orange coke, sprite coke, and dr. pepper coke.

I think it would be difficult for me to go further off topic than that. Sorry (mildly)

Murphy must have been out to lunch! :D It's working great now! . Actually I'm glad it happened. It was a good learning experience for me. Thanks again for your help.

Glad to hear it.

Thats what were here for.
Save a few bucks and get it working if we can :)