Black Macbook keyboard discoloration Options

[SquidCombo]

Does anyone experiencing this? It's not quite a discoloration, rather shinier plastic due to oil residue. I only have it on the command and the left half of the space bar key and it seems to be impossible to remove. Apparently my left thumb generates permanent oil. I'm going to pick up the Mr clean magic eraser but kind of afraid that it will remove the letter printing of the key.

[SquidCombo]

Ok, using magic eraser, I wiped out all the oil residue. So now it looks brand new.

[AirmanPika]

As a heads up...plastic keyboards wear and become shiny over time also. This may not just be oil.

This post has been edited by AirmanPika: Feb 1 2007, 11:29 PM

[blackturtleneck]

The black MacBooks are horrible for fingerprints. Both the keyboard and the case. You'd think they would have learned from the Wallstreet series and the old Thinkpads. Doesn't look good when you go to a meeting and your laptop looks like you were using it during lunch at KFC.

[asap18]

My macbook white got discoloration, most macbooks have this problem (1st gen) , just sent it to apple who replaced the bezel.

[SquidCombo]

Actually, my BenQ keyboard which has been with me for quite a long time has black keypads and none of them are shiny like when my macbook keypads got oil residue. Apple should look into using that material. But yeah, magic eraser really works! I saw this solution on another site that shows magic eraser can clean up white macbook discoloration so I tried it on my black macbook and it works too.

[markusf]

I wouldn't use the magic eraser too much. It works on the basis of a chemical reaction, which means the very top layer of the macbook is being dissolved. Yes, it's a very thin layer, but I rather not use it on my macbook.

[kevin_4e]

I'm pretty sure it's due to oil, not use. My trackpad is horrible, and I sure won't be using any cleaners on that. My space and command key get a little shiny but I'm usually able to whipe it away just fine.

[K4bren]

It will happen, I've had mine since it came out, and the keys are getting shiny. At least it's not as bad as the White MacBook Yellow discoloration.

[ramcosca]

How can one clean the trackpad area? It's looked oily ever since about a week's use when it was new.

I'll try cleaning it with Magic Eraser, post results... but I'm afraid to do it. I'll do it, anyways.

[candice]

What about iKlear? It is recommended by Apple for MacBooks and sold at Apple Stores. Works great with my PowerBook G4. They have a web site. (I've tried to post this a few times, but don't see that it makes it as a reply. Sorry if there are duplicates.)

[GBK.Xscape]

well my school has some old ibooks and they smell like armpits, the teacher said its because of the plastic degrading.

[xtremesniper]

I have a Black Macbook. When it gets all shiny and fingerprinty, I just take out a microfibre cloth (the same one I use to clean my Nikon lenses) and wipe it down. Works well on the case. For the keyboards, I haven't found anything good but then again I'm used to shiny keyboards since all my black keyboards are like that now. I figure a good wipedown from the same cloth would do it too but I just haven't bothered with that since the key shine doesn't bother me.

[Foxy]

I found a safe and effective solution for all over cleaning my black macbook.

Nice & Clean Anti- Static Wipes . I found these in walmart for about 5USD for a tub of 80.

Work really well and are very quick drying and keep dust away for a wile after too.

[crocitto49]

I tried the Mr. Clean method... works excellent.. on the PLASTIC ONLY. The chemicals in the sponge would probably kill the screen.. but anyway.. use the Mr. Clean wipe to clean the MacBook.. then dry it with a fluffy sock.. thats what I did. For the screen use a damp piece of toilet paper, and then dry it with a dry piece of toilet paper... keeps my MacBook good as new!