Does Keyboard Lube Dry Out? (+ How Long does it Last?)

Lubricating keyboard switches and stabilizers are essential as they help to remove friction during clicks and deliver a smooth typing experience.

If you are using a mechanical keyboard and found that your switches feel to be scratchier, it’s time to lube the mechanical switches. But, before choosing a lube it is essential to know whether the keyboard lube will dry out.

It will help you to get to know the lifetime of the lube application and when you need to reapply the lube again to make the switches sound smoother than ever.

Let’s dive right in! 

Does Keyboard Lube Dry Out?

Keyboard Lubes are a type of grease that dry out with time and slowly they lose their consistency of lubrication.

They tend to wear off and finally, you will start to feel switches feeling scratchier and losing their lubrication unless you reapply lube to them again.

How Long Does the Keyboard Lube Last on Mechanical Keyboard?

High-quality keyboard lubes last about 4-6 years on average on moderate usage. The mechanical switches tend to keep their smoothness.

However, you can re-lube the switches once a while in 1-2 years in case of medium-quality lube.

The duration of the lube lasting would depend on many factors among which the main ones are keyboard usage, temperature, type of lube, and lube quality.

In my case, I always go for high-quality lube, apply a small quantity(as min qty as it requires) of it to the switches, and not reapply it often.

Does Krytox 205g0 Dry Out?

Krytox 205G0 does not dry out quickly once applied on switches, and stabilizers on a mechanical keyboard. It will last for 8-10 years without drying out.

It is a high-quality Grade 0 lube which is a thinned-out variant of its Grade 2 which makes it suitable for its application for keyboards. It is made of fluorinated Polymer.

When should you lubricate Keyboard Switches?

If your keyboard feels scratchy, or if you feel like you need to apply pressure in order to type, it might be time to lubricate the keyboard switches.

Applying a small amount of lubricant can help the switches move more freely and make typing easier.

You should only need to lubricate the keyboard switches if they feel stiff or scratchy. If the keyboard is working properly, there’s no need to add any extra lubricant. 

If you do decide to lubricate your keyboard switches, be sure to use a high-quality keyboard switch lube like the Krytox 205g0.

How to prevent Keyboard Lube from Drying Out?

This happens often with the factory pre-lubed keyboard lube and stabilizers. When your keyboard lube starts to dry out, it can be a hassle to get it working again. 

In order to prevent the keyboard lube from drying out, you cannot do much to that instead of lubing them again.

Cleaning the Keyboard Dust Regularly

Many times dust piles up under the keycaps in switches which can bring scratchiness to the switches. Your Keyboard Lube has not dried out yet, still, it apparently feels like that.

So, clean your keyboard switches and it will maintain them long without needing to lubing them. 

Keeping Keyboard in a Cool Place

Your keyboard lube can evaporate at a higher temperature, if your workspace is exposed to direct sunlight or if your room is hot.

Choosing A High-Quality Grease Type Lube that does not Dry off Quickly

If you are lubing your keyboard switches and the stabilizers, opt for the greasy type of lube. It will keep it far off from drying.

Factors We Need to Check Before Choosing a High-Quality Switch Lube that does not Dry Out Quickly

Lubricating your mechanical keyboard switches is a must to keep them functioning properly.

Not all switch lubes are created equal, however, and it’s important to do your research before selecting one. Some lubes can dry out quickly, leading to stickiness and other problems. 

Here are a few factors to look for when choosing a high-quality switch lube that does not dry out quickly:

1. Oil Based vs Grease Based lubricant for keyboard switches

Oil-based lubricants tend to be thinner and more liquid than grease-based lubricants. This makes them ideal for use on switches and stabilizers, as they can penetrate easily, providing smooth, consistent lubrication. 

However, oil-based lubricants can also be more prone to evaporating or running off which means that they need to be reapplied more often.

Grease-based lubricants are thicker and less runny than oil-based lubricants. This makes them better at staying in place and providing long-term protection against wear and tear. 

However, to have a grease-based lubricant suitable for mechanical keyboard switches its consistency should be thin, otherwise your switches won’t respond well especially if you use them on tactile switches.

2. Keyboard Lube Viscosity

Keyboard lubes with more viscosity wear off less often and hence stay for long. So, as a result, the grease base lubricant stays for decades whereas with oil-based you need to reapply the lube in a year or two.

However, you should see the type of switches you are lubing before you choose the higher viscous lube. Go with manufacturer specification for the lube type recommended for different switches.

You cannot use a higher viscosity lube with a switch type like a tactile or clicky switch. Whereas you may use that with linear switches.

Conclusion

Let’s conclude the post on whether the keyboard lube does dry out!

If the keyboard lube dries out, it can be fixed by reapplying more keyboard lube. 

I hope you enjoyed reading the post.