How do I clean dust off of an old typewriter?

Asked by occ (4179

) January 1st, 2011

What is the best way to clean an old typewriter when there is lots of dust stuck between the keys? Should I use a wet rag or is there a better way to do it?

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3 Answers

What about the cartridges of compressed air that you can buy at Staples for computer keyboards?

If the keyboard is metal, you might also try water/denatured alcohol on a q-tip.

gailcalled (54647

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I agree with @gailcalled‘s method of compressed air, and a q-tip with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will dry immediately and no rust will develop. After you clean out the dust, you might want to oil any hinged part and strike the keys to work the oil into the joint to make it move smoother.

BarnacleBill (16138

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You could try vacuuming it but make sure the ribbon is removed else it will get sucked in the vacuum too. But for daily cleaning, I usually use alcohol and tissue on the keyboard while I had typewriting class on a typewriter.

bryanking (21

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