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The "Keeping your computer perfectly clean" mentality - good or bad?

S

shmutheprophet

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 12, 2008
139
0
Wiping off your screen everytime there is a fingerprint, searching the top for smudges and wiping them off. I've done this before, but I really think its unhealthy. It would be more pleasureful to just use the computer and forget about little stuff like this. Let someone touch your screen and dont clean it afterwards for 5 days at least. :apple:
 
I don't worry so much about grease on my keyboard, or a smudges, but touch the screen and you die...

Specially since the Macbook screen is glossy, just by barely touching it results in streaks. Then if you get greasy smudges in it, it takes FOREVER to get them off. You pretty much smear the grease when you try to wipe it off...
 
I was never like this with my old IBM, but with the MBP. I wipe it down once every day or two days. And I have a Incase Hardshell, keyboard cover, and Moshi palmguard.

With my old IBM i didn't give a rats butt, the MBP is just too pretty, like a pretty girl in a pretty white dress. :p
 
Totally not worth it, in my opinion. I think too many people here lose sight of the fact that a computer is a tool. A mac is a nicely functioning, elegantly designed tool, but a tool nonetheless. Other than getting smudges off the screen, dirt doesn't affect it's function. Do you polish a hammer every time you use it? Wash your car every day?
 
I make sure I keep both my iMac and MacBook very clean. Then again, I was brought up to look after the things I owned, and I believe keeping them clean/scratch-free is part of that.

It is certainly not unhealthy.
 
shmutheprophet said:
Wiping off your screen everytime there is a fingerprint, searching the top for smudges and wiping them off. I've done this before, but I really think its unhealthy. It would be more pleasureful to just use the computer and forget about little stuff like this. Let someone touch your screen and dont clean it afterwards for 5 days at least. :apple:
Click to expand...

I think there is a difference in "searching the top for smudges" and "letting someone touch your screen" and not cleaning it.

I wouldn't go searching for things, but if it is obvious... take care of it.

Oh, and don't let people touch the screen. I've found breaking fingers will cure someone of that. :)

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
I'm actually not sure if I should purchase iKlear or just continue using the alcohol swabs.

Anyway, I don't really care about little smudges on case of my MB, since it's pretty much inevitable considering I have to carry it around with my bare hands.

A total contrast compared to my first month of owning it :D I treated it like a Goddess back then (it's named Sandy)
 
Try to keep your MBP as clean as possible. It looks nicer and then when you want to sell it, it will be in good condition and you can get more $.
 
I clean it daily--end of the day I check the screen and keyboard, and everything to see if there is dirty or fingerprints, clean it and then be done.
 
Is there any medication you guys recommend for an addiction to macbook pro cleaning? Sometimes I just look at it and say "damn, thats nice!" hehe, I love it.
 
I check every day for smudges, i only let people i trust touch the mouse or keyboard, but no one, no one, touches the screen, not even me. I could last 5 days without cleaning it
 
I used to clean my MBP almost everyday... But now that i have owned it for about almost 2 months, i have calmed down a bit and realize no point in waisting iKlear for nothing.

SO what i do is use my computer for about 2 weeks, then i do a real good wipe down and clean the keyboard, screen, outside and sides...

That way when i clean it, i'm really cleaning it from my carrying it from room to room. Since it's hot here around 87 degrees + i use it in the living room to show my nephew something or from my desk to my bed, etc... So it can get a quiet dirty after typing for 2 weeks and holding it..

Last night i gave it a good whipe with the IKlear travel pack wipes since my fiance has the spray and microfiber towel.

Anyway that's what i do.

My mom whipes down her iMac every week.
 
gonyr said:
Totally not worth it, in my opinion. I think too many people here lose sight of the fact that a computer is a tool. A mac is a nicely functioning, elegantly designed tool, but a tool nonetheless. Other than getting smudges off the screen, dirt doesn't affect it's function. Do you polish a hammer every time you use it? Wash your car every day?
Click to expand...
Disagree.
If you keep your tools, car, home, etc. clean and in workable condition each will serve you well. I keep my car clean, perform scheduled maintenance on it, and never park it near other cars. I keep the maintenance up on my house.
Same with my computer. I run scheduled maintenance and updates, keep it clean always, and never park it near a PC.:D
My computer, which is the staple of my business, has never failed me since I don't fail it.
 
Keeping it looking good is nice because it looks good... but you may very well go crazy trying to do it. Every accidental fingerprint, every little smudge, then a scratch, then a dent -- I think some people take it very seriously and get all flustered when something on their Apple product isn't perfect.

I was like that for a while with my MBP, but over time I thought... You know, I don't have plans to sell this thing, let alone in perfect condition. So if it needs a little cleaning now and then, sure -- but I've got a couple scratches and dents. I think of them as lovemarks :)

Same goes for my new iPhone. I carefully took it out of the box, applied a screen protector to keep it from getting scratched, but after that, I didn't even get a case. I'm going to use it like it's mine, which makes it fun and convenient. Putting gloves on and wiping it down each time I take it out is not enjoyable.
 
I believe it's important to take care of my things, but at the same time I am not afraid to use them. I know several people who don't even want to take their notebooks out of the house because they are afraid of scratching them or something like that. To me, that just seems insane, why buy something if you are too afraid to use it all the time. That being said, I like to make sure my stuff is clean and looks nice, I just don't freak out about it all the time.
 
I think a lot of it has to do with your preference of how you take care of everything you own, not just the MBP. Some are "neat freaks" (myself included), although I don't get carried away with it, like Monk! I just like keeping things in their place and put things back where I found them.

When it comes to my MBP, I use it mostly on the desk and rarely touch it, since I use an Apple Wireless Keyboard and a Logitech VX Nano. I close it to put it to sleep when I'm not using it, but the rest of the time, it's open. I dust it off about every week or so, but my hands are always clean when I touch it, and I never touch the screen. So it's not a pain to keep clean. When I travel, I have a great sleeve and case to protect it. And I never let anyone touch or use my computers, Mac or PC! I'm generous and willing to share almost everything. But there are 3 things I NEVER share: my wife, my Harley and my computer(s)! :cool:
 
gonyr said:
Totally not worth it, in my opinion. I think too many people here lose sight of the fact that a computer is a tool. A mac is a nicely functioning, elegantly designed tool, but a tool nonetheless. Other than getting smudges off the screen, dirt doesn't affect it's function. Do you polish a hammer every time you use it? Wash your car every day?
Click to expand...

Its a tool after you get version 2. All my old computers I am not so cautious with but my Brand new one keep polished and pristine ;).
 
I keep all my stuff spotless. I don't see why wouldn't you take care of the things you bought with your hard earn money. A MacBook Pro is not cheap.
 
I sometimes get angry on myself for 'wasting' my time!
My MacBook, Pro and iMac all recieve full cleaning every two weeks!
General: Use water and a soft cloth to clean the exteriors!
MB: Use a staedtler eraser to rub every nanometer of the interior (works like magic:D)
MB and iMac: Use Collins to clean the glossy screens!

MB's (which sticks with me everywhere) glossy screen is an inferno! I carry a microfiber cloth all around and wipe the screen every 6 hours if Im out for that long!
 
i use meguiar's quik detailer. I use it on about anything i own, its like my multi-purpose cleaner spray.

Yes, i love to clean my stuff, but after the initial period, my urge to clean, wears off and i start to give less of a crap about it.
 
My revision 3 Macbook Pro was out of the box for roughly 2 hours before it was outfitted with

1)inCase Frosted White Case
2)Malware Protection Pack
3)iSkin Silicon Keyboard Cover.

The two hours spent was me upgrading from 2Gb to 4Gb of ram (aftermarket) and doing required stress testing.

I do keep my hardware squeeky clean, OS , HD , and external appearance.

At the end of the day, true, its just a tool. But its my tool, and as gay as that sounds, tools work much better when they are clean (i.e. gunk buildup).

Esp. Considering macs have high resale value, a better looking machine will fetch a better looking value, without me having to say "well that dent or that scratch is just nothing it still works good..heh :D."

+, I do alot of stuff on my Machines. My day job is server admin virtualizing 2 win xp VM's and running OS X (Mac Pro + Macbook Pro), and at home (Macbook Pro) its used to manage finances, Creative Suite (Audio/Video/Graphics/Photography), hold documents (going paperless), a bit of language (Rosetta Stone), and television (Pinnacle HDTV stick + eyeTV).

A streamlined work flow with a streamlined computer, where I don't *want* to worry about something breaking down because It wasn't taken care of.

Good feeling.
 
Well if you saw the state of my MacBook all you enthusiasts would probably break down into tears... I really regret not getting a case for it and not to mention cleaning it regularly.

Nothing worse than saying "Oh and i've got a Mac" only to pull out a dirty looking and scratched mac. Then people turn around and say Windows based laptops are better cause the don't scratch as easy! They would if they've been through wot mine has in the past year!
 
gonyr said:
Totally not worth it, in my opinion. I think too many people here lose sight of the fact that a computer is a tool. A mac is a nicely functioning, elegantly designed tool, but a tool nonetheless. Other than getting smudges off the screen, dirt doesn't affect it's function. Do you polish a hammer every time you use it? Wash your car every day?
Click to expand...

I wash my car every day.
 
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