How to Clean Pre-lubed Switches like the Drop Holy Panda and Yok Panda

After my last video on the Holy Pandas, many of you were unhappy with the lubing situation. Here's how to prep and clean your mechanical switches.
Components seen in the video:
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Foam Q-Tips - amzn.to/2O8Mz1s
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Drop Alt Keyboard - drop.com/buy/massdrop-alt-mec...
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Song:
SOUDIERE - DOUBTS
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mt. marcy - sorry [ep]
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[@thatUtsavRatti]

Thanks for making this video. It completely discouraged me from cleaning a batch of Prevail Nebulas that just arrived - which is a good thing, as you just saved me a ton of work!

[@falictissueextractor1143]

You saved my life as most of my holy pandas came prelubed. Ty i will now sub.

[@shucadoodle9100]

You're going to blow up soon. Keep up the great work.

[@UndefinedThing]

Amazing production quality my dude, you’ll be going places for sure

[@yeahthatsright33]

Excellent videos man! You're on the come up!

[@hrayrgevorgyan5167]

I was wondering how I was going to do this. Thanks for the video, awesome as always :)

[@primarkbargainbin9847]

Great presentation good sir. Thank you for doing this.

[@thegregbradley]

Subscribed based on this video and the other Holy Panda switch video, thanks for following up on that dude. Quality content here.

[@zodspeed]

I just bought some legit holy pandas (Yok panda housing + Halo true stem) and they are already lubed but I wanna clean them out and lube them myself. Thanks for the guide

[@kuroyami6289]

Oh, so this is what I'll have to go through if I decide to clean my switches, eh? I think I over lubed my switches, cuz this is my first time lubing a switch, and wanted to re-do it but I think I'm good now... I'll live with it.

[@woouinluigh]

Saw this video just today, but this is the most underrated channel i have seen for a while

[@Calveeen]

Subbed! Some damn high quality work going on here!

[@user-oy1sv6zs2m]

Mine ones werent that messy but still a good thing that you did this video cause it has been a big problem to a lot of people

[@ActualGlacier]

Great content!! can't believe you don't have more subs

[@genikgold]

Very useful, the explanation I was looking for! Thanks

[@kyronconradj.7611]

Bro, found you randomly and I've watched few of your vids. I'm subbed now. You deserve more subs!

[@HeSo_71]

what a quality :0 nice vid as always

[@IreallyLoveDiamond]

hi? can i ask something? can we use normal small ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning small things like jewelry for cleaning the keyboard switch? i can't really afford a too expensive ultrasonic cleaner... bruh

[@iomagine]

I just wipe all the surfaces down with TP. Kitchen towels are a little too to shove into crevices and corners.

[@homerowco.1957]

dont take the leaf out. use warm water and soap and a tooth brush to clean the rails and then stems. wash out with water, then wash out with 99% ipa. do not remove the leaf. there's nothing in there you need to clean but the stem and the rail.

[@vivago727]

I would assume that if you leave the leaf in, you can't dry it very good. This makes the leaf prone to corrosion.

[@MaxC_1]

@@vivago727 a food dehydrator goes a long way. Or just a few packs of silica gel in a box, put the switches in and put in sun

[@calvin659]

@@vivago727 Copper does not corrode that easily. 99% IPA would evaporate within minutes and tap water would evaporate months or years before it could even come close to corroding the copper.

[@koto3754]

Music was awesome thanks for listing artists

[@Desmond987]

Just lubed 90 oil kings and god damn the factory lubing on them was inconsistent. I didnt bother cleaning them perfectly but wiped some excessive lube off and then brushed myself some on them or just spreaded the factory lube more evenly. Sonic cleaner would have been lifesaver though, nice to see it in action here.

[@dumb870824]

The tedious task.. Well done! Nice editing as well!

[@beastnationofficial]

Very Nice Bro Keep It Up

[@KeebWorm]

so useful thank you :)

[@Twosevenboy1]

why not jus sonic clean in rubbing alc then instant water sonic cleaner ...?

[@UncommonS3nse]

Removing the leaves is easily the most annoying part of anything switchmod related. It's so easy to change the switch feel without even realising until it's too late. For this reason, I don't think I'll ever bother with trying to clean pre-lubed switches - I just avoid them alltogether.

[@Xander_t]

i tried this and it broke 3 out of 6 of the switches i did it to. They only register if i press really hard. Any clue why this is happening to my switches?

[@AlkaVirus]

you dont show how to put the switches inside the hypersonic cleaner. they're incredible small parts so they fall directly into the bottom where they arent supposed to touch.

[@krisrobitzsch]

Why can’t we just throw the bottom housing in the ultrasonic cleaner with the leafs on? Shouldn’t damage them

[@shuo_tonny_tao1725]

Hope to see your keyboard collection soon

[@anobeus4814]

how to remove residue from bandaids from holee mod from previous owner? isopropyl 99% or it would damage stabs, could it damage plastic? can't remove sticky glue from bandaids with the soap I have zealpc plate mount stabs

[@conspiracykill]

my back hurts just looking at that pile

[@NathanVariety]

The vid I needed to see

[@704pat]

I just brush over the factory stuff, did that with my oil kings with no issues.

[@haurjie]

I have a sonic cleaner and tried it with stabilizers... it doesn't work too well lol. Do you have any advice on cleaning prelubed stabs or even stabs we ourselves have manually lubed from a previous build?

[@justinwooledge8152]

I am using the sonic cleaner and was wondering which parts of the switch I put in the machine? I took the switches apart so far. Thanks!

[@jr15gameplay94]

Is this how u clean off the lube switches like u lubed them

[@mr.benchwormer7723]

Wait so if I use an Ultrasonic Cleaner do I still need to remove the leaf? Or can I leave them on?

[@channalname5771]

same question

[@ManyBoredoms]

It's better to remove the leaf so that the ultrasonic cleaner can properly do its job. If you're not too comfortable with removing the leaf, you CAN skip the step. Your results may just vary.

[@chrisriker8186]

Absolutely not. Do not remove the leaves from your switches. You're going to end up with wildly inconsistent tactility if you do that

[@wustinailson269]

@please thanks

[@rehimpertense811]

@@chrisriker8186 I am assuming you can remove the leaves from linear switches right?

[@TheZorboidOrbb]

Thanks for the follow up video.. Can you point me to the 3d models you used to print the switch openers? for both YOK and Halo housings?

[@JTTR]

Cherry - www.thingiverse.com/thing:2775085 Kailh - www.thingiverse.com/thing:3634208

[@Raptor-ln2mr]

Is there an easy way to remove the lube from inside the stem hole without using liquid? I tried sticking paper towel into it but it was hard to take it out.

[@AlkaVirus]

also thanks for not showing how to reassemble the leaf

[@ianheyman2682]

I see Swan speakers in the back! Have never seen a pair other than the ones I have lol

[@seantan7420]

@JTTR, do you need to remove the metal leaf when you are using the ultrasonic cleaner? Can you put the springs in the cleaner also?

[@potty7141]

do you have to remove the leaf of the switch or can you just soak them with the leaf still in?

[@Nintendo0994]

Have you used Isopropyl alcohol to clean the lube off of switches before? I've seen some other videos suggest that. Do you think that would be more or less effective than water + detergent? Thanks!

[@CrazyRiverOtter]

That's what I've done, and it's worked out alright. Just be wary, since it can "bite" the plastic used for the housing and the stem.

[@GamingRobot13]

Did you print your switch opener with a SLA printer?

[@newtonapple8688]

Thanks for making this video. But, I have to ask: have you tried just lubing the switches over the existing lube? Is it really that much of a difference. I personally just lubed over the existing lubes for my holy pandas and the switches feel fine, as long as you spread the lube and coat the stem and the housing evenly.

[@JTTR]

I personally went with clean Holy Pandas so I can't say for certain. I would imagine mixing two types of lubes with different thickness and viscosity will probably change the feeling. Would you be able to tell in a blind test? Probably not. Will some people clean it up anyways so they know exactly what is going into their switches? I think so. IMO, if you like it, run with it.

[@sunnysideuplife]

hi a little bit of question.. is it okay if i leave the leaves in when i put them inside the ultrasonic cleaner?

[@MrDoodsz]

Do you need to remove the leaf if you're going to use the ultrasonic cleaner?

[@alpacarider9623]

This is probably a bit late, but I was wondering about this myself. As I use my supersonic cleaner to clean other metals, it makes sense that it wouldnt hurt to use it on some (brass) leaves. Be careful though because if you use it too often it might remove some material, espesially paint.

[@sizre2500]

@@alpacarider9623Thank you so much but I should make sure their dry before putting them in my keyboard right? How many seconds should I put it in for and with soap and water or achohol?

[@alpacarider9623]

​@@sizre2500Make sure to thoroughly dry the leaves before reapplying grease or reinserting them into the switch. I have never utilized any additives in the water, which is why I recommend using only plain water. The duration for drying depends on the spring materials; if you're uncertain, I wouldn't recommend exceeding 300 seconds, as it could potentially harm the outer coating. However, you could conduct a test using soup on a single leaf.

[@madisontnn]

Can I put those metal pieces into the sonic water as well?

[@nickolodeon5959]

Is it okay to put krytox lube onto my factory-lubed or pre-lubed switches? I have the Glorious Lynx Panda switches (factory-lubed) and Gateron Milky Yellow Pro (Pre-Lubed).

[@jakedoughertymusic]

Do you have to use specically Dawn dish soap or will any dish soap work?

[@99ayumi]

please tell me this works on krytox 205g0 lubed switches

[@NukeZoned]

why tf do manufacturers have to prelube ;(

[@lyrical2689]

Question: Can i throw the leaf attached to the bottom part of the switch into the sonic cleaner? Thanks for the video bro!

[@JTTR]

I tried this on a few switches and didn't see any discoloration when using distilled water. I did make sure to go through and dry them out the best I could before setting them out though.

[@lyrical2689]

@@JTTR did you throw the springs in the sonic cleaner too?

[@JTTR]

​@@lyrical2689 I did for fun but going forward, I don't think it is necessary. Majority of them were untouched by grease.

[@lyrical2689]

@@JTTR thanks bro, you the best

[@homerowco.1957]

dont take the leaf out... that's nonsense.

[@ObiHornchen12]

Is it true that switch films don’t fit on Drop‘s Holy Pandas?

[@Tk12038]

Wait u can get the bottom housing wet?

[@NoBrvnd]

@JTTR is it okay to use a soft bristled brush instead of a qtip?

[@zetsu2267]

So does it also work with stabs?

[@imryden]

The thumbnail says it all.

[@TheCLICKUPS]

What did you use the trash pandas for? I was wondering since you already have invyr pandas, did you buy the trash pandas just to have the black housing?

[@JTTR]

I have spare set's of Halo True and Clears that I pulled. I'll be converting these and installing them on my new 60% boards.

[@chaunceyaznaryt8752]

Can I do this without opening the switches?

[@karlvdia]

Can you put the switch housing with the leafs in the sonic cleaner???

[@Mia34090]

up

[@AlkaVirus]

you spent half the video showing how to remove the leaf and not how to assemble it. Great job dude.

[@tippyc2]

First, the q-tip method sucks. Avoid this if you value your sanity, unless you're only cleaning one or two switches for testing. Second, If you don't have an ultrasonic cleaner or don't want to buy one, dish soap or solvent is a good alternative. Throw the switches in a mason jar along with your degreaser of choice, and shake it by hand. Be careful with aggressive degreasers and solvents, they can attack a lot more than just the grease (like the plastic the switch is made of). Third, I don't see any good reason to remove the leaf if you're using ultrasonic cleaner. If you leave them in though, you will want to make sure all the pins are straight before you install them in your board. A quick squeeze with a pair of small pliers is enough to straighten them back out.

[@Mrspoptropicahelper]

How do you lube it ? I know you said “do it however you want” but is there a bad way of doing it? How much lube should we use?

[@FrancoDFernando]

Look up Taeha Types' lubing how-to video

[@TheGamerbond]

Yooo!!! Thanks man. I just left them in a bag full of isopropyl 91% and now theyre CRISP

[@lyrical2689]

You'd damage/discolor the plastic bro

[@jdbaker82]

Why can't you ultrasonic the bottom housing with leaf still installed? Trying to clean vint blacks

[@JTTR]

You can and should. Just showing both sides of things. Remember to use distilled water and make sure they dry. Good luck and nice grab on the vintage black switches.

[@LookTheresJosh]

how to clean pre lubed stabilizers?

[@ivanaviNiebla]

Does removing the leaf of a switch will make it more loose or change it's position (height) if inserted in a Hot Swap socket?

[@JTTR]

If done correctly, no. However, for the effort and risk needed to do a full deep clean with the leaf removed, the end result may not be worth it. I would recommend cleaning them in the housing and making sure you dry them out very well.

[@ivanaviNiebla]

@@JTTR Oh, thank you. That was a very clear and quick answer.

[@hvbias3811]

Oh god, Yok Trash Pandas from Novelkeys are pre-lubed as well? :( I was hoping this wasn't the case.

[@uchuynhhuu5916]

HV Bias just ordered Yok Red Pandas. Hoping they won't come pre-lubed :(

[@hvbias3811]

@@uchuynhhuu5916 Do you mind replying when you receive them to say if they're pre-lubed or not? Thank you.

[@uchuynhhuu5916]

HV Bias Yes, I will. However, I won't be able to receive them in at least 2 weeks since I live in Asia. So you may have to wait

[@uchuynhhuu5916]

HV Bias I did email novelkeys and they said all of their switches slightly come with factory lube

[@kennethng9653]

@@uchuynhhuu5916 so do they come pre-lubed?

[@dedelabinouze5110]

Pardon me for the noobish question but why should you clean it ? Is the factory lube bad quality ? Can't you just add a little bit of Krytox on top of it to have a consistent lubrification ? I'm confused

[@AlpBozo]

Factory lube are quite inconsistent among all the switches and won’t give u the best sound u can get

[@timhan9264]

Do u not put the parts in strainer while it's cleaning?

[@JTTR]

No reason other than it was a pain to deal with during filming.

[@8bitsamurai6]

I'll prob just buy a sonic cleaner. Had to learn the hard way and slightly over lubed my ink v2 with 205g0 becuase I was used to 3203. I just wiped down the stems but still like to clean bottoms. I never lube the tops. I think it's pointless imo nothing really touches the top.

[@Jack20c]

Can i just use my jet washer ?

[@JTTR]

Spray down your car and switches.

[@ff1077]

Could also do the quick and decent way of whipping them off with a microfiber cloth. That is what I did with my holy pandas at least.

[@ArchdukeAnderson]

yeah, a sonic cleaner is like $60 on Amazon. totally doing that.

[@reviewforthetube6485]

I'm having to do this with my fucking mx blacks I used to much trybosis 3204 really upsets menidk how I did it wasnt really paying attention obviously so I'm going to clean it and use a super super light coating of krytox 205g0

[@Gothrek2341]

You could probably replace water and soap with isopropyl alcohol, as Holy Pandas are made of POM which doesn't react with that specific alcohol. It should make short work of most dielectric lubes. Copper pieces might react though, could be worth a check, as it might not require disassembly to clean with IPA.

[@ArtFiendz]

Yea you definitely do not want alcohol on your copper leaf. Also you could fog up your housing plastics or just discolor in general

[@CozaMcCoza]

Why not simple disassemble and then soak and shake in isotropic alcohol? Drying is a dream and the alcohol will dissolve the grease if you leave it to soak. You're not likely to corrode any of the parts as well.

[@conormcgregor7325]

you just made wayyy harder than it has to be

[@dillonc4508]

I just get a mason jar with hot water and dawn. Then, I place a batch of the switch components in and shake it long and hard. lol also I leave the leaf in, fuck that

[@sillowillo]

Huh great idea. Ima try that out

[@uzzy1364]

I wish I got unlubed panda switches now. Still might not lube my switches the prelube seems to be fine for the most part except for a few. Edit: I aint lubing switches this ain't for me

[@purcinnamon7404]

Feelsbad you have such low subs since your videos are so good

[@rxckyiskuul6829]

this is what happens when you buy a keyboard off ebay and the previous owner had no idea wtf he was doing...

[@NukeZoned]

this video is old as fuck but whats stopping you from just putting the whole bottom housing in and letting them dry for a few days

[@MattMathias]

I've opened my fair share of YOK trash pandas and they didn't have anywhere near that amount of lube present. I call shenanigans for dramatic effect. In another JTTR video, the switches were suspiciously "factory lubed". Doesn't even look like the lube on that YOK switch could physically end up like that after being opened. Its on areas that don;t even get lubed on the housing. I dunno, man....

[@JTTR]

There is no way I would ever over lube switches and claim that they came like that from factory. My guess of why the lube looks the way it does in my pictures and videos is that I spend a good amount of time on the lighting positioning to make sure it visually pops since it is very hard to capture something as small as a switch with high fidelity. Luckily I still have a bag of YOK pandas from when this video was made. I don't mind posting a few macro pictures of some housing and stems to clear the air on this.

[@kennethng9653]

@@JTTR Would you say that they're closer to being dry in general then?

[@traaaaan]

I fear I may have overlubed my gat yellows

[@tatskari1997]

i would not fuck with the leaf. most people will fuck up their switches doing that.

[@TheMrInadecuada]

Dude, why do you make it so hard? Ultrasonic cleaner - yeah, you've got the point, but specific non-fibrous swabs, sheesh. Just get yourself a bowl, 1 litre bottle of isopropyl alcohol, get a size 2 brush and cut it down a little on the end, so that the bristles have more of a cleaning surface, dump the bottom housings in the bowl and fill it with isopropyl alcohol so that the housing is at least half covered by alcohol. Then start scrubbing the inside of the housing with a brush 1 by 1. It's far easier than whatever you are doing with those swabs.

[@muhammadfaisal9350]

dishwasher for switches go brr

[@twilch8071]

I thought that the cleaner was a rice cooker...

[@george8920]

I would rather just buy a new set of switches

[@Nocturnes11]

Even if you buy a new set of pandas those will come lubed as well

[@saltystorm8806]

Holy fuck, this is a lot of work, but it's worth it in the end though right? right?? ;(

[@AMiniki]

In other words… just lub yourself…

[@Steff0010]

Your beautiful face is distracting me from learning 😂😂😂