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13" MBP shiny keys

A

AbsurdGenius

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 3, 2009
24
0
So,

The most used keys on my 13" Macbook Pro (spacebar for example) are going shiny, and frankly, its pissing me off. I'm in the Apple Store now typing on one of their 13" MBPs, these things get typed on all day by people with all kinds of oils and whatnot on their fingers, and yet, they're not shiny at all, they look brand freakin' new! My 13" MBP is only a couple of months old, am i doing something wrong!? Is this happening to other people? And is there any chance i can get the keys replaced on Applecare?

Cheers

:apple:
 
Good question. I wonder how hard to replace keys?

I always thought it would be nice to put white keys from an Apple new keyboard on one.
 
It's probably similar to all of the MacBook keyboards that they've been using for a while, so the keys shouldn't be too hard to remove (just a bit awkward, and it's possible to break the "scissors" holding them in).

I've seen this happen to one person or another on just about every model of notebook in recent years. While it is unusual that you's is happening so early on it could be because of you as well. Your hands could be like mine and be clamy/sweaty more often than others, or you could just produce more oils from your skin than most people. It could also be how you type, or how you rest your hands on the keyboard. I'm just trying to point out that it's usually never so simple as "it's their fault". I'm not trying to be insulting in anyway.

My money is that it's a combo of a bad paint job (it's not paint, but however they do it) on the keys, and you.

Apple doesn't normally cover wear and tear like that, but you could make a case that because it's only a few months old this is a bit soon. Even if you've been using your computer for 90 days straight with no sleep that shouldn't have happened. It's worth it to present your case at an Apple store (make an appointment) in a professional manner and see what they can do for you. You can try to speak to a manager if possible, or even try coming in at a different time to speak to someone else. The only sure way they won't help you is if you go in kicking and screaming.

They also wouldn't replace the keys (unless they've changed that somehow), but rather would replace the keyboard entirely.
 
I've got the same problem. Supposedly it's becuase some of us excrete more acidic oils which cause our keys to get shinier faster. I've read a few articles confirming this with user testing. My girlfriend bought her MBP the same day I did 2 months ago and her keys still look brand new even though she uses hers just as much as I use mine.

Supposedly the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser gets rid of the shininess very well:
http://www.google.com/products?clie...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CD4QrQQwAg

Try that. I still have not.
 
Shiny keys are going to happen on any laptop. If you replace the shiny keys, in a few months you will have shiny keys again.

Chances are, the MBPs and MBs are replaced frequently in the Apple store so that the keys are never noticeable.

A few of my keys were getting shiny just after two weeks. I use it allot so it doesn't bother me. I knew they would get shiny because it has happened with every laptop I have owned, a 2007 MBP and a black MacBook, even HPs. My iMacs keyboard has shiny keys.

You'll be replacing keys every few months and that will get old and expensive.
 
Thanks for the replys, I wasn't jumping to the conclusion that it was their fault, i was just confused as to how the keys on the MBs and the MBPs in the Apple Store stayed so 'new looking'. :) so it could be worth washing my hands before i do any serious typing then.. i shall try that :D If it gets considerably worse i might take a trip down to the Apple Store with it to see if anything can be done. I've also looked into the keyboard protectors that you can buy for MBs and MBPs, but i can't seem to find one for a British keyboard! :confused: Very annoying!
 
I've have exactly the same problem with shiny keys. I've hardly used my 2 month old Macbook Pro and the keyboard looks 25 years old. It's not happened on my previous 3 Macbook Pro's so I'm taking mine to an Apple store on Monday. I'll let you know how I get along.
 
Chronos1976 said:
It's not happened on my previous 3 Macbook Pro's so I'm taking mine to an Apple store on Monday. I'll let you know how I get along.
Click to expand...
The new MBPs also use a different material for their keyboards. Apparently they are not as resistant to acidic fingers as the past MBP's keyboards were.
 
my keys are pretty shiny too, and mine is fairly new too (only just coming up for 2 months old)
its gotten shinier than any other keyboard i have used, its weird.
If this didnt happen on the old ones maybe its a cost cutting measure or something although a pretty stingy one. I dont mind it too much just considering its age i wold still like it to look a bit newer.
 
I kinda WTF-ed when that happened to my Apple Keyboard's right side of the Space bar, but if i realize, that's the exact spot where i hold my finger all day so it shouldn't be a problem, but my keyboard has probably more than a year, maybe apple can replace it if you want to for some bucks, but it's not worth it unless you want to sell your laptop and make it look new, a tip of mine is that you should wash your hands after and before using your computer and also don't eat while being on your computer if you want to avoid that, usually those spots are not being touched by a sweaty side of your finger, you are more like polishing it by constantly touching it
 
In about 2 weeks mine and my girlfriends new 13" mbp started to get shiny. We cleaned them and got most of the shine off, then put on moshi clearguards. Now they are not shiny but the moshi clear guard is all stained with oils and grosse (after about 5 or 6 months).

sn0warmy said:
I've got the same problem. Supposedly it's becuase some of us excrete more acidic oils which cause our keys to get shinier faster. I've read a few articles confirming this with user testing. My girlfriend bought her MBP the same day I did 2 months ago and her keys still look brand new even though she uses hers just as much as I use mine.

Supposedly the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser gets rid of the shininess very well:
http://www.google.com/products?clie...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CD4QrQQwAg

Try that. I still have not.
Click to expand...
 
I simply wipe the keyboard and wrist rest area everytime I use my notebook, before I close it with a nice plush microfiber.
 
You DO know that the Apple employees clean their products every night before they close, right?

If you don't want shiny keys, get the Moshi keyguard. It limits the dust going into your Macbook too. ;)
 
AbsurdGenius said:
So,

The most used keys on my 13" Macbook Pro (spacebar for example) are going shiny, and frankly, its pissing me off. I'm in the Apple Store now typing on one of their 13" MBPs, these things get typed on all day by people with all kinds of oils and whatnot on their fingers, and yet, they're not shiny at all, they look brand freakin' new! My 13" MBP is only a couple of months old, am i doing something wrong!? Is this happening to other people? And is there any chance i can get the keys replaced on Applecare?

Cheers

:apple:
Click to expand...

Mine's the same, and I take really good care of it. It's really inevitable, as you wear down the keys while adding your oils to it. Wiping the keys (which I do routinely) only removes the residue, but te wear is there to stay. Sorry it's pissing you off :(
 
AbsurdGenius said:
....) so it could be worth washing my hands before i do any serious typing then......
Click to expand...

haha good luck, but I said the same thing. I refused to put lotion on even if my hands were super dry and i washed them right before i would use my MBP and the keys STILL manage to get shiny. Either way your hands are going to excrete the acidic oils.
 
sn0warmy said:
Supposedly it's becuase some of us excrete more acidic oils
Click to expand...

8O You're telling me that I could theoretically harness this power and use acid as a weapon?!

Oh baby, I'm gonna get all Xenomorph on that damn cat! Crap on MY cabbage will you >8D
 
I get keyboard covers for every Mac I've owned. I originally thought the unibody MacBook Pros were a buzzkill with the black keys (versus aluminum covered ones). Learned to live with it by taking the pre-emptive step of putting covers on them before use. I'm less worried about the screen or glass trackpad as they should be more resistant to wear and grease (I think). Put covers on the palmrest and trackpad of my 13" MBP.
 
Give your MBP a good cleaning.

I bet that the Apple employees wipe down every keyboard in the store either before the store opens or after. So a good regular cleaning once a week should help keep those shiny keys away. Just spray Iklear or some other suitable cleaning substance on a microfiber cloth and then wipe down each key. This should eliminate your problem. :)
 
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