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My iBook smells like sweat and grease!!!

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macgeek2005

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2006
1,098
0
Okay, so alot of you know that I bought a 900mhz G3 iBook a few days ago.

Well, I have it now, and it's working great. I has key marks on the screen, from the incredible amount of grease that the previous owner slathered onto the keyboard. (I assume).

When I first took it out of the box, I thought I smelled some sort of weird smell, and I just thought it's some sort of plasticy commercial smell, and I ignored it. Yesterday, I decided to just smell the keyboard close up, and BOY does it stink.

It smells like a beer bellied 37 year old man, who ate a greasy burger and fries while typing away on his laptop, and dripping sweat onto it as he sits in the blazing sun of some outdoor burger king. YECH.

Is there any safe way to remove the smell? And also, is there any safe way to remove the key marks from the screen?
 
D

danny_w

macrumors 601
Mar 8, 2005
4,467
300
Cumming, GA
Unfortunately that smell is common to the G3 iBooks. There have been many people on here and other forums indicate that it comes from the keyboard, and even if you replace the keyboard it will come back again after some time. Apparently it is somehow related to the interaction of the plastic in the keyboard and the sweat that you get on it from your hands.

Clean the keyboard and case first with a baby wipe or some other method (don't get it on the trackpad though). Then leave a dryer sheet on the keyboard overnight (but don't let it get on the screen - use a sheet of cardboard or something if you close the case). This should help, at least for a while.
 
thegreatluke

thegreatluke

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2005
649
0
Earth
For the screen, try using microfiber cloths. You can get a pack of two at Staples or somewhere like that for $5 US, I believe.
Dampen one of the cloths, wipe the screen down, and dry it with the other cloth. Between uses, just remember to throw the cloths in the wash (there's specific instructions on the back, but I believe they're the same thing) as dust can get trapped in the microfibers and the dust can scratch your screen. But washing them takes out the dust.

About the smell, hmm... I dunno. Your iBook has a removable keyboard, right? If so, maybe you could remove the keyboard and put something on it... like soap or whatever, as long as you're careful and you don't get any on the electronics.
 
M

macgeek2005

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2006
1,098
0
danny_w said:
Unfortunately that smell is common to the G3 iBooks. There have been many people on here and other forums indicate that it comes from the keyboard, and even if you replace the keyboard it will come back again after some time. Apparently it is somehow related to the interaction of the plastic in the keyboard and the sweat that you get on it from your hands.

Clean the keyboard and case first with a baby wipe or some other method (don't get it on the trackpad though). Then leave a dryer sheet on the keyboard overnight (but don't let it get on the screen - use a sheet of cardboard or something if you close the case). This should help, at least for a while.
Click to expand...

Thanks.. So you are admitting that the previous owner was a very sweaty person. Because if I owned the laptop from the beginning it would never have gotten that smell, cause I don't touch my electronics if my hands are sweaty.
 
D

danny_w

macrumors 601
Mar 8, 2005
4,467
300
Cumming, GA
macgeek2005 said:
Thanks.. So you are admitting that the previous owner was a very sweaty person. Because if I owned the laptop from the beginning it would never have gotten that smell, cause I don't touch my electronics if my hands are sweaty.
Click to expand...
I'm not admitting anything of the sort. This apparently has NOTHING to do with excess sweat. Do a search - you will find many, many threads on this. The keyboards just seem to develop that smell over time, even with minimal use.
 
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macgeek2005

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2006
1,098
0
Ah, okay. Good, I'm glad to know that my laptop was not neccisarily owned by a fat 37 year old sweaty guy who typed on it while eating a greasy burger.

To all of you who had a good laugh over this thread, you're welcome. :)
 
T

touchsky

macrumors newbie
Jan 28, 2002
11
0
Nothing to do with sweat!

I manage about 800 iBooks. We have since replaced the 900's with G4's but when we did have the 900's we found out that the smell is from the Glue that holds the keyboard together. When it heats up it starts to smell and it doesn't go away. Has nothing to do with people touching it with sweaty hands. If you buy a replacement keyboard the new ones use a different glue and won't make the smell. You have to get it from Apple though. I would be more concerned with the Motherboard on the 900. Out of 300 900mhz iBooks all had their Motherboards replaced once. Over half had it replaced twice, some 3 times and about 40 were completly replaced with G4 iBooks because the Motherboard failed 4 times. This is a well known problem and Apple even extended the warranty on the motherboards because of this. Not sure if it transfers if you bought is second hand but I doubt it. Good luck.
 
cwedl

cwedl

macrumors 65816
Jun 5, 2003
1,401
30
use some cillit bang!! and wipe the fat man off the keyboard.
 
M

macgeek2005

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2006
1,098
0
touchsky said:
I manage about 800 iBooks. We have since replaced the 900's with G4's but when we did have the 900's we found out that the smell is from the Glue that holds the keyboard together. When it heats up it starts to smell and it doesn't go away. Has nothing to do with people touching it with sweaty hands. If you buy a replacement keyboard the new ones use a different glue and won't make the smell. You have to get it from Apple though. I would be more concerned with the Motherboard on the 900. Out of 300 900mhz iBooks all had their Motherboards replaced once. Over half had it replaced twice, some 3 times and about 40 were completly replaced with G4 iBooks because the Motherboard failed 4 times. This is a well known problem and Apple even extended the warranty on the motherboards because of this. Not sure if it transfers if you bought is second hand but I doubt it. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Well, since mine is pretty old, I figure if it's gonna happen it's already happened. And besides, computers that I own don't have problems. Ever.
 
WildCowboy

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,390
2,829
Yep, my G3 500 also smells like this...almost a burning smell. More like burning body odor. Not pleasant, but it's only really bad when I first open it up.
 
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macgeek2005

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2006
1,098
0
WildCowboy said:
Yep, my G3 500 also smells like this...almost a burning smell. More like burning body odor. Not pleasant, but it's only really bad when I first open it up.
Click to expand...

I'm so relieved.
 
yellow

yellow

Moderator emeritus
Oct 21, 2003
16,018
6
Portland, OR
macgeek2005 said:
More like... Nasty!!
Click to expand...

Someday, you'll be 37+, fat, and sweaty (I have no idea if you'll ever be a man or not).. and you'll look back on this thread and think:

If only I had a laptop to get my stank onto..
 
M

macgeek2005

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2006
1,098
0
yellow said:
Someday, you'll be 37+, fat, and sweaty (I have no idea if you'll ever be a man or not).. and you'll look back on this thread and think:

If only I had a laptop to get my stank onto..
Click to expand...

I'm never gonna be fat. I can't become fat even if i tried. It runs in my family. I burn fat too fast. If I ate pure fat, my body would keep up with it.
 
WildCowboy

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,390
2,829
macgeek2005 said:
If I ate pure fat, my body would keep up with it.
Click to expand...

Maybe not...

6.jpg
 
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macgeek2005

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 31, 2006
1,098
0
yellow said:
Wait 25 years and say the same thing to yourself. Hopefully you can answer yourself the same way.
Click to expand...

Hey, I don't care what you guys think. I know i'll never be fat. I can't get fat. I don't eat crap. And.. yeah.
 
someguy

someguy

macrumors 68020
Dec 4, 2005
2,351
21
Still here.
macgeek2005 said:
If I ate pure fat, my body would keep up with it.
Click to expand...
Yes, your 15 year old body would. When you are 30 (or God forbid, 37!), don't be suprised when you look down one day and the only thing you see sticking out is your belly. :eek:
macgeek2005 said:
...computers that I own don't have problems. Ever.
Click to expand...
...another exciting thread from macgeek2005, full of immature remarks and bogus claims. You know, I've never known a PC to smell bad. :eek:

BTW, my PowerBook still has that new computer smell to it. *takes a big whiff* Ahhhhh....
 
Josias

Josias

macrumors 68000
Mar 10, 2006
1,908
1
someguy said:
Yes, your 15 year old body would. When you are 30 (or God forbid, 37!), don't be suprised when you look down one day and the only thing you see sticking out is your belly. :eek:

...another exciting thread from macgeek2005, full of immature remarks and bogus claims. You know, I've never known a PC to smell bad. :eek:

BTW, my PowerBook still has that new computer smell to it. *takes a big whiff* Ahhhhh....
Click to expand...

My Amilo Pro also smells kinda new, even though it's 3 years old. I baby any computer i have.:rolleyes:
 
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