手头有备用的计算机电缆总是一个好主意，但是当你突然继承了大量需要清理的电缆时，你该怎么办呢？你能用洗碗机安全地清洗它们吗？今天的超级用户问答帖子回答了一位好奇的、有线电视丰富的读者的问题。
今天的问答环节是由SuperUser提供的，SuperUser是Stack Exchange的一个分支，是一个由社区驱动的问答网站分组。
问题
超级用户读者user58446想知道在洗碗机中清洁电脑电缆是否安全：
A large quantity of assorted computer cables has recently come into my possession. The collection includes almost every type of computer-related cable you could want (video, USB, Ethernet, printer, audio and speaker, SATA, power, etc.). I am focusing on just the passive cables here, nothing with active electronics or things like power bricks. They became dirty while in storage and need to be cleaned.
Most of us have probably heard about washing a keyboard in a dishwasher and I find myself wondering if the same method can be applied to dirty cables. My assumption is that because the older PS2 keyboards used in those dishwashing experiments have their own cables attached, what would be the difference between those cables and the ones I have?
Some of the possible concerns I can envision with using a dishwasher to clean these cables are:
- The c***truction of these cables could be different from a keyboard cable and the materials/fastenings might not hold up to dishwasher cleaning.
- The water temperature in a dishwasher might be too hot for the materials used in some kinds of cables.
- Immersing some kinds of cables in water might be bad for them, so some might be cleanable in a dishwasher and some not.
My assumption is that if all kinds of cables cannot be safely cleaned in this way, cables fall into just a few broad categories that drive what would be dishwasher-safe.
Questi***
- Washability: What characteristics (i.e. type of c***truction or type of use) would differentiate computer-related cables that should not be cleaned in a dishwasher from those that can be, and why?
- Scope Of Risk: If a computer cable is put in a dishwasher and is adversely affected in a way that is not externally visible (so it would be used rather than discarded), would it only be the cable itself that was affected or are there any kinds of computer cables where the kinds of adverse effects from dishwasher cleaning could damage the equipment it is plugged into?
在洗碗机里清洗电脑电缆安全吗？
答案
SuperUser contributor fixer1234为我们提供了答案：
People do all kinds of things that are not a good idea. If you read the answers on your linked question, you will see that some people managed to get away with it and some did not.
Dishwasher Use
Personally, I would not use a dishwasher at all for cables or other electrical/electronic components. The detergent requires very hot water to thoroughly dissolve and rinse, and can leave residue. It also tends to be a little corrosive. The plastic will not melt at dishwasher temperatures (unless a cable falls near the drying element), but it can leach out some of the plasticizer and make the plastic more brittle.
If you are going to use a dishwasher, I would limit it to molded cables like power cables or speaker cables where there are just a few wires, the wires are heavy, you are dealing with low frequencies, and/or the molded connectors hermetically seal the ends.
Insidious Water
Where you have openings into the connector or cable, water and detergent is likely to wick in and will be difficult to remove. Capillary action can pull liquid into nooks and crannies, and into the cable, where evaporation can take ages. Using heat to dry it out may even make it worse because the cable can act like a heat pipe; the evaporated water spreads as a vapor to other areas, so you can end up spreading it more than getting rid of it.
In any kind of cable, residual water can, over time, cause the conductors to become brittle and more prone to breakage (through oxidation and chemical/electro-chemical reacti*** mentioned in the answers by txtechhelp, Nick T, and Tonny). The thinner the wires in the cable are, the less metal they have and the more susceptible they are.
Different Types of Cables
If water gets into low frequency cables, it can shorten the service life of the cable, but it probably will not significantly change the cable’s performance. Cables used for high-speed data communication are a different matter; the water itself can be an immediate problem because these cables are not just wires and connectors. Their performance relies on electrical characteristics of the cable design. Water can affect those characteristics and degrade performance.
Cleaning Recommendation
What you are trying to get rid of is external. The cables should still be internally good. If you get water inside, you may create issues you do not currently have. A better solution is to just hand clean the cables externally by wiping them with a rag and some isopropyl alcohol.
Risks
The risks relate primarily to the performance or service life of the cable. The only risk of damage I can envision to something other than the cable would be getting water inside the plug of a power cord. You could potentially get leakage currents that could corrode the wires or cause other problems beyond the cable itself.
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