Fixing mechanical keyboard spill damage

Step 1: Strip your keyboard to just the main PCB.

Step 2: Get a container for it. I used 6 layers of saran wrap and the box the keyboard came in.

Step 3: Get some high % alcohol and warm tap water. Any clean alcohol will do, if it dries without residue we're golden.

Supplies..

Step 4: Pour both in until the keyboard is submerged. I put maybe 50/50.

Step 5: Press on the pcb, so that all the switches get some action. Imagine you're resuscitating a person ;)..
Staying alive.. Staying alive.. Ah ah ah ah.. Well, the BPM doesn't matter here. Actually the faster the better, basically.

Pump it!

Step 6: Leave it submerged for ~30min, then get pushing again. Repeat. I did maybe 4 cycles.

Step 7: Dump the booze stew somewhere (I suggest you don't drink it) and find a tap. Now, give the kb a good shower. I mean it, mash each switch under warm running water - don't worry, it's already soaked.
I did it for ~5 minutes. Mech keyboards are usually well made, you won't break it. Just make sure you don't hit the small components on your sink or anything. Don't scrub it with anything either.
Stop once you feel there's nothing for the water to dilute out anymore.

Step 8: Important step! While still at the sink, have the switches face down and push all of them in with your palm. You see a bunch of water dripping out. Keep doing this until it's just some droplets.
Now, find a piece of cloth, like a t-shirt. Place it flat on your floor, and place the keyboard on it - again with the switches facing down. Put on some speedcore and get pumping @ 200BPM ;)
Change spots on the cloth every few minutes. You can stop once the cloth doesn't get wet anymore. Really, make sure you got all the water you could out from inside the switches. It won't be perfect, but the dryer the better.

Dehydrate this man!

Step 9: Find a nice dry place with good constant airflow. The back of a running PC case is pretty optimal - this is more about airflow and less about heat, so forget about ovens and hot air guns. After an hour you can do
some more resuscitating, if you feel like it. Eventually though, just let it chill in the wind. Depending on humidity and such, anywhere from 12 to 48 hours should be fine.

Drying..

Step 10: Put on some keycaps and test the switches out. They should feel nice and crisp again, no wet mushiness. If so, assemble the keyboard back together, plug it in and wish for the best! :)

Success!


Working? Congrats! :) Some keys may double fire at first, but don't worry, keep spamming those trouble makers intil they're back in line!
I've fixed two spill damaged keyboards now. An MK-80 (blues) which had corrosive NaOH syrup on it (gave the keycaps a nice urban camo effect :D ),
and one Ducky shine (reds) with plain old sugary coke spilt on it. The MK-80 had one key which kept double firing for a couple of days, but it returned back to normal. Both are good as new now.


"HEY! It's still dead!"? - Well sorry. If it shows no signs of life it's likely some component got fried when the spill occurred and the KB was plugged in :/