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How to clean a macbook trackpad?

S

Star Destroyer

macrumors 6502
Original poster
its simple, how do i clean my macbooks trackpad?

I dont want it to get dirty, also i dont want it to get streaky or broken 😀

anyone?
 
bumped..

So i wanna use the Mr.clean magic eraser but, i wanna know if i can use that over the trackpad to clean it?
Or will the product ruin the sensitivity of the trackpad?

Thanks
 
Dirt shouldn't be a problem, I just think a damp cloth will suffice. What I doubt you can remove, is the way it sort of goes 'shiney' - this annoys me but there isn't one trackpad that's had a decen amount of useage that avoids this, to my knowledge.
 
hmm

depends one what you are trying to clean off.


ink or something i'd use rubbing alcohol.

grease or dust human related dirtyness i'd use a highly diluted dish soap.

and a very soft lense cleaner type rag if you care about scartches.
 
cleaning

I dont know whats in this magic eraser, but it may contain bleach or something, so i would avoid that as it may damage the thin peice of material that is the trackpad. I would recommend a damp microfiber cloth, no soap or anything. If you don't have a microfiber cloth, you can get one at any pharmacy near eyeglasses tools. Also try an electronics or photo store, because they will likely have screen cleaning cloths. Staples or office max will have them too. If you really cant deal with spending 3 dollars on one of them, though i highly recommend it for all devices with an lcd screen or any type of screen, go for a damp cloth. It may scratch though, and it wont be as gentle. I beg you to use a microfiber.
 
I use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on my laptops' trackpads. I used it on my iBook's trackpad always, and I do on my MacBook too. However, unlike when cleaning the palm rests, I don't apply any pressure on the trackpad.

I don't think the Mr. Clean contains any bleach, I think it's just a really, really, really fine micro something sponge that works amazingly well, lol. If it had bleach or some chemical I would think the box would have to say that. The box doesn't say anything about anything.
 
Star Destroyer said:
its simple, how do i clean my macbooks trackpad?

I dont want it to get dirty, also i dont want it to get streaky or broken 😀

anyone?
Click to expand...

Very lightly damp cloth. Screen cleaner should be safe as well. Anything else can potentially damage the trackpad. Don't put pens, markers, white-out, or whatever on your trackpad - this is common sense. If you have a roommate who throws markers at you all day, you should charge them for the repair costs.
 
eraser

well i looked up the magic eraser. I was picturing it as something similar to one of those tide to go pens or something. It looks fine to use, though i would really have to see it, so i would say just go with the microfiber, but it sounds like neither would do any damage to your trackpad. DONT use a wet cloth if you want scratch free trackpads. It very well may scratch, because of the large cotton fibers, etc. But the magic eraser sponge seems alright to me from what i found on the internet
 
i could be wrong but i remember reading somewhere that when dealing with the trackpad, exposure to moisture (damp cloth) should be avoided. 😕
 
yeah

And what im trying to say is he should take a microfiber cloth, douse it lightly in water, hang it to dry but take it down before its completely dry so its moist but not wet. the microfiber itself might even work.
 
jamone80 said:
i could be wrong but i remember reading somewhere that when dealing with the trackpad, exposure to moisture (damp cloth) should be avoided. 😕
Click to expand...
As long as any moisture is confined to the trackpad itself, and does not seep into the corners around it, there shouldn't be any issues related to moisture.
 
mister clean magic eraser

go ahead and get the mr clean eraser. its completely harmless. the sponge is made out of some crazy soap, and does wonders for my iBook. DONT wet the sponge though, cause when it gets wet it starts to dissolve, thus being a fantastic cleaning agent though if used wet it will use a residue on your laptop, though that can be taken off with a damp cloth. just take the sponge out of the box, and still dry, rub it on the track pad and palm rests and...well....the rest of the ocmputer. its completely harmless on the shiny plastic of the clamshell and on the keys. also, unlike nail polish remover (which idiot me tried once.) this will not take off any of the writing on the maching, I.E. the Macbook name, serial number, anything.
if theres a really tough spot of dirt or palm oil that wont come off, then wet the sponge a LITTLE, just enough so that if you touched it youd be like, oh, thats a little damp, not like, woah, dont touch that, its soaked.
mr clean erasers are like 4 bucks for a 4 pack at Target. theyre amazing.
 
hi everyone, i have an issue

i have an one-year old+ macbook and my touch pad got little dirty, it has slightly noticeable black areas on it.

the point, i am looking for a home-made solution.. a micro-fiber cloth and some cologne would do good?
 
i want to clean under my clicker on my trackpad. it makes a funny noise like there are crumbs under it or something.
anyone know how i can do that?
 
gelatin said:
i want to clean under my clicker on my trackpad. it makes a funny noise like there are crumbs under it or something.
anyone know how i can do that?
Click to expand...
Get a keyboard cleaning brush that has bristles and just dust away.
One long deep stroke should do it.
 
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