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CLEANING YOUR MAC (LAPTOP OR OTHERWISE):

(This information also applies to most laptops and many desktops including the G5, G4, iMac, eMac, iBook, PowerBook and even the Mac mini, iPod, iPod photo, iPod mini and iPod shuffle!)

First of all, a little primer on proper laptop care while on the road or at the desk (to keep it from becoming really, really dirty in the first place):

  1. Make sure you clean your hands before using the laptop - this prevents much of the grime that is on your hands from getting on the keys, trackpad, and palmrests.
  2. Keep the laptop away from any really dusty, moldy, or generally dirty areas.
  3. Close the lid of the laptop when it won't be used for a while (no dust will get in)
  4. When transporting your laptop, put something (like ScreensavRz or the like) in between the keyboard/trackpad and the screen (something soft and flexible) so that the natural grease doesn't get onto the screen (the keyboard and trackpad button will touch your screen when closed). This will also prevent key/button marks from appearing over time on your screen.
  5. When transporting your laptop, keep it in a sleeve separate from all other items in your bag (like the PowerSleevz). Better yet, get a case designed to separate the laptop from the rest of the bag's contents (like the SaddleBag).

Even if you follow all the above procedures, there will definitely be grime, dust, and dirt on your laptop - mostly one the palmrests and keyboard. On Macs (especially shiny white iBooks), the outer shell may also look fairly dirty after some time.

There are many great products out there to help keep your Mac looking beautiful for a long time:

  • For your screen:
    • iKlear is great on any LCD screen, as it contains no ammonia or other abrasive chemicals, and is specially designed for laptop and desktop LCD screens. It is especially good for getting rid of smears or a large amount of grime on an LCD.
    • Remember to use a very soft cloth, as cloths such as paper towels or washrags are pretty rough and can make little 'micro' scratches on a screen. iKlear comes with an LCD cloth, but you can find special cloths at most department stores or computer stores.
    • If you don't want to purchase anything, you can try using a facial tissue with a small amount of water on it (just try to get it damp - not soaked). Or, you can get a cloth like the ones mentioned above and dampen it a little. But DO NOT use any window-cleaners on an LCD - this will damage the screen over time.
  • For your keyboard, trackpad, trackpad button, and palmrests:
    • For dirtier plastic, try using Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser (picture in link). This 'magic' eraser, when dampened, will remove almost anything from the plastic surface - but be careful... always test it on a corner or somewhere where you don't usually see the plastic and make sure it doesn't do anything bad to your plastic.
    • A plain 'ol pencil eraser (the white variety) works okay to remove most grime from the plastic, but DO NOT use this method on the keyboard keys, as they could pop off or break. Only go this route if you don't have an alternative.
    • If there is dust/dirt/hair inside the keyboard (i.e. under the keys), you can spray it out (gently) with compressed air (example), OR you can suck it out with a little vacuum cleaner attachment for keyboards (like this). The best way to do this would be to first remove your keyboard (instructions), but only do this if you are comfortable doing it.
  • For the outer casing:
    • On iBooks, iPods, and other shiny plastic devices, iKlear (mentioned above) does wonders - over the whole surface. You can also use most window cleaners, as well, because the hard plastic will tolerate it. Just make sure you don't get any of these chemicals on the LCD display unless the bottle says it's safe to do so.
    • Whenever using ANY chemicals on the outer surfaces, make sure you've tested them in some area where you don't normally see the surface, to make sure the chemical won't damage the surface.
    • If you have any bad scratches (or even small ones), you could use a product such as Ice Cream to polish them out.

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