Computers get dirty. Computers even get wet sometimes. They certainly get soiled despite the best of intentions. Even the most perfectly treated computers need occasional cleaning. Computers that are used all day, carried around, used with sticky fingers, used by multiple people, those ones are even more likely to need a good clean fairly often!
The best remedy is prevention: if you have a computer that’s in a situation where it’s likely to get drink or drool or muck in the keyboard, get a keyboard cover (such as the zCover) for your keyboard or laptop and use it. You can get cases for all other portable Apple products too – ask your local retailer if you don’t know where to start.
But when your computer does get dirty, Apple’s online knowledgebase contains a wealth of articles about cleaning and disinfecting your iMac, Mac Mini, or MacBook.
Computers:
Screens and cases:
Keyboards, mice, and trackpads:
- How to disinfect the Apple internal or external keyboard, trackpad, and mouse
- How to clean a keyboard
- How to clean a Mechanical Mouse
- How to clean a Mighty Mouse
Other bits and pieces from Apple:
- How to clean an iPhone
- How to clean an iPod
- How to Handle and Clean CD and DVD Discs
- Apple Wireless Keyboard: Cleaning the battery contacts
- Use and cleaning of power adapter with MagSafe connector
Also possibly helpful, but not from Apple themselves:
If you’ve managed to make your keyboard or laptop stop working because something got spilled into it, you’ll need more drastic measures than the ones listed here and your best move is to get professional help from your local Apple retailer. If you can’t afford the professional help and you’re not afraid of taking the computer apart yourself, the iFixit Guides for Mac can help you take things apart and safely clean or replace soiled components but this is not for the faint hearted and there are no guarantees. I would only suggest the do-it-yourself option if you can’t afford to get your computer fixed professionally and the only other option is tossing it out. In that case, you may find that the guides let you take a machine that’s only good as a doorstop and end up with a functioning computer.
- Ricky Buchanan
Responses to "Cleaning your Mac"
Time for some cleaning… | Tech Tips & Resources October 14, 2009 at 1:21 am
[...] here is a very handy set of links to all the official Apple instructions for cleaning your hardware. So [...]