Did you know that your MacBook keyboard has more germs on it than a toilet seat?
Yup, you read that right! All too often, we use our MacBooks with grimy fingers while munching on snacks or leave oily fingerprints on the screen while trying to point out something.
Needless to say, MacBooks also serve as loyal companions on weekends when you decide to binge watch your favorite series while binge eating sitting over it. As a result, small crumbs of food find their way into the crevices around your MacBook keys. Over time, dust and other impurities also settle into the crevices of the ports and keyboard. Keeping your Macbook or laptop keyboard clean and dust-free is extremely important, else it easily becomes a hotbed of bacteria.
Just like any other electronic device, you need to take care of your MacBook to extend its life, maintain optimum performance and keep it looking as good as new. Also, if you just bought a new MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, you may be scared to even touch its perfect shiny surface, making it an excuse to avoid cleaning it altogether.
However, it’s important to clean your electronic devices weekly to prevent grime and dust from settling in and also to avoid any buildup of germs. If you’ve been scratching your head wondering what’s the safest way to clean your MacBook and what the dos and don’ts are, we have it all covered for you. Here, we have used rubbing alcohol as it acts as an excellent disinfectant and stain remover.
For all, you gadget geeks with an undying love for Apple products, here are safe and easy steps to clean your MacBook safely.
Contents
Steps to Clean Your MacBook
Things you’ll need:
- Lint-free cotton towel
- Microfiber cloth
- Laptop cleaning brush
- Rubbing alcohol (stain remover, disinfectant)
Caution: Never spray any kind of liquid or cleaning solution directly onto your device. Apple’s warranty does not cover any liquid damage. If you don’t want to shell out a hefty wad of extra cash to get your MacBook repaired, take our word seriously.
Step 1. Prepare a spray bottle containing rubbing alcohol
- Put a funnel over a small (2 oz.) spray bottle.
- Carefully pour rubbing alcohol into it.
- Attach the nozzle and keep it nearby to clean your MacBook safely.
Step 2. Clean the keys and ports with a laptop brush
- Start by turning off your device and unplugging the power adapter. If it has a removable battery, remove it as well.
- Use a laptop cleaning brush to brush the dust out from the crevices between the keys. Use an outward motion to lift out the dust.
- Use the same brush to clean the USB and HDMI ports, the card slot and the headphone jack. A fan-shaped brush can serve very well to clean these slots. However, do not try to shove the bristles of the brush too deep into the ports or you may end up damaging them.
- Once you’ve brought all the dust to the surface, gently wipe it off with a dye microfiber cloth. Thoroughly wipe each key as well to clean your MacBook safely.
Step 3. Clean the screen with rubbing alcohol on a microfiber cloth
- Spray rubbing alcohol on a folded microfiber cloth. The cloth should be damp enough but not dripping wet.
- Wipe the LCD screen with the damp cloth in small, circular motions. Do not apply too much pressure to get the fingerprints off, as it could damage the screen. The rubbing alcohol will easily wipe off all the spots with gentle strokes.
- Make sure that you clean the rim and screen bezel since most fingerprints are found in this area.
- Do not forget to clean the lens of the front camera.
- If the side of the cloth you’re using has picked up too much dirt, wet another side with rubbing alcohol and use it to continue cleaning.
- Use the same process to clean the Touch Bar and Touch ID as well.
- While the alcohol will evaporate almost instantly, if the screen still feels a little wet, you can use the dry, lint-free cotton towel to give it one final wipe.
Step 4. Clean the case with the lint-free cloth
- Before cleaning the outside of your laptop, make sure that the device is turned off and you have detached the power supply.
- If you’ve put on a laptop skin, remove it as well.
- Dampen the lint-free cotton cloth with rubbing alcohol. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, plain water will also do.
- Thoroughly wipe the outer panel with this damp cloth until all the stains and dirt are gone. Do not apply too much elbow grease or it will dull the aluminum finish on your MacBook.
- Clean the underside of the MacBook case as well. If yours has a non-slip base, use a dye-free microfiber cloth to clean it to avoid causing any discoloration.
Tips
- You can lay down your MacBook safely on a soft cloth or cotton towel to avoid any surface scratches.
- Do not use disinfectant wipes or other household cleaning products, as they may contain bleach and other harmful chemicals.
- You can also use an air duster to remove debris from the crevices in your MacBook. However, make sure that you use the compressed air from a safe distance to avoid any damage to your device.
- You can also use a small vacuum cleaner to suck out dust from the ports and the key sockets.
- Do not use any cleaning spray, aerosols or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean your MacBook, as it could damage the screen coating.
- Do not use paper towels, tissue papers or old T-shirts to clean your MacBook, as their fibers can lead to scratches.
- The cleaning process can also be used for any other make of laptops or electronic devices.
- If you managed to get some liquid inside your MacBook, don’t try any first aid. Take your MacBook to an authorized service center as soon as you can.
- To extend the life of your electronic devices, avoid using them with dirty hands or while eating.
- If you own more Apple products, you can learn how to clean your iPad and iPhone screens here.