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Yellow stains on new white MacBook?

Maxwell Smart said:
That's so lame it's not even funny.
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Aw c'mon...just having a bit of fun. This latest uproar does make me glad that between MacBook #'s 2 and 3 I opted to upgrade to the black model (yupp, I actually went through 4 before getting one without problems....argh!).

Cheers, Rich
 
'But tonight it happened. My wife walked in and saw what was happening to my MacBook and made me own up to the fact that there is indeed a problem with it. I have now scheduled an appointment for tomorrow with a "Genius" to see what they can do about the change to the wrist area and trackpad.'

Um, perhaps if you didn't let your wife graze near your mb you wouldn't have this problem.:D
 
stains

the only stain problems i have are on the rubber feet which are now green due to a reaction with something on a desk at uni and a bit on the outer shell bit it rubs off with a bit of elbow grease
 
Ok...I have an update that may be of some interest. I decided to give my WhiteBook a wipe down this morning before I headed off to uni for the day. The screen in particular was looking a bit dusty/dirty so I used my iKlear polishing system as usual...But this time, just to see how it worked, I used one of the little 2-step disposable wipes packets from iKlear (comes with the deluxe package).

I had noticed since having received this (3rd) macbook that there was an odd smudge mark in the bottom left corner of my screen, about the size of a silver dollar and, upon closer inspection, what seemed to be a fingerprint in the unknown substance. I went at it with my polishing cloth (which is white, by the way...) and when I was done polishing that area, I noticed that the cloth had turned a yellow color. :eek: :confused:

Now to the point...Could this yellow discoloration be coming from some sort of adhesive, grease, or other manufacturing substance used to assemble these things? I know for a fact this did not come from me, as I noticed the smudge almost immediately upon opening the MB for the first time...Anyone else seen this before?

It has since been cleaned from the screen, although I must say that it took a lot of spraying, wiping, spraying, wiping, spraying, wiping to get it to budge. It seemed to initially cover my entire screen with a hazy film. :( Now the screen is back to normal, shiny and perfect as can be...I haven't seen any discoloration in this one yet, but I'll keep you posted. :)

EDIT #1: Just found this while surfing the web for polycarbonate/plastic cleaners...Maybe it would work? It says "For home or industrial use, NOVUS has formulated a complete system to restore scratched, faded or discolored plastic materials." BTW, has anyone gone out on a limb and actually try any, more industrial-strength cleaning agents?

EDIT #2: After a bit more searching, it seems as if polycarbonate (if that's really what this is made of) is pretty resistant to discoloration due to chemicals/reagents; however, it still suffers from UV yellowing, as it's called. Interestingly enough, as the sustained temperature of the polycarbonate during UV exposure increases, so does the rate at which the material "yellows." MacBook w/heat issues+UV exposure = discoloration? For the people who are suffering from discoloration, what are your idle and loaded temperatures?
 
correct me if i'm wrong but apple warranty does NOT cover cosmetic problems such as this. can't remember where i read that, but i'm pretty sure this is cosmetic and therefore not covered under warranty.
 
iHeartTheApple said:
Now to the point...Could this yellow discoloration be coming from some sort of adhesive, grease, or other manufacturing substance used to assemble these things? I know for a fact this did not come from me, as I noticed the smudge almost immediately upon opening the MB for the first time...Anyone else seen this before?
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It's great mate that you're willing to try and clean it, but should you have too? I know it's a pain but complain to Apple! This is your 3rd machine? Or have I read this wrong? I had a defective iMac PPC not so long ago, complained like HELL I did - they refused to exchange it with a new one. I went on and on and on and on until they gave me an Intel iMac. Maybe you should try the same? But try and get a MacBook Pro instead...anyway, back to reality - this isn't on. Send it back!
 
MS bulldog said:
correct me if i'm wrong but apple warranty does NOT cover cosmetic problems such as this. can't remember where i read that, but i'm pretty sure this is cosmetic and therefore not covered under warranty.
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Let's say you go buy a white shirt. And after wearing it for awhile, it starts to turn purple for no reason. Would you return that shirt? After all, you bought a white shirt, not a purple one.

To me, that's beyond cosmetic; that's a manufacturing flaw/defect in the materials used. Through no fault of the user, a reaction with the user's hands is causing the case to turn a non-original color.
 
MS bulldog said:
correct me if i'm wrong but apple warranty does NOT cover cosmetic problems such as this. can't remember where i read that, but i'm pretty sure this is cosmetic and therefore not covered under warranty.
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That is correct. When I phoned AppleCare, this is exactly what they said, but at least I have a case number so that if this does become recognised by Apple as a problem, I can prove that I complained about it after only three weeks. The point is that even though this is cosmetic, it is really ugly and should not be expected to happen to *any* expensive item within only two weeks of normal use. This is not "fair wear and tear" (in the UK you could probably make a good case against this under the Sale of Goods Act). After a year, yes, but not after a fortnight. If you were a Windows lover and suffered this sort of thing from a brand new machine, any sane person would go nuts and return it, then buy a different brand. But if you rely on OS X, you just can't do that - you are locked into Apple hardware. And whilst this is "cosmetic", it is unacceptable that a company that prides itself on selling good-looking shiny white machines do not ensure that these machines do not deteriorate as soon as they are out of the shop. And it's not exactly a good advertisement for Apple, is it?
 
Hemingray said:
Let's say you go buy a white shirt. And after wearing it for awhile, it starts to turn purple for no reason. Would you return that shirt? After all, you bought a white shirt, not a purple one.

To me, that's beyond cosmetic; that's a manufacturing flaw/defect in the materials used. Through no fault of the user, a reaction with the user's hands is causing the case to turn a non-original color.
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Bang on mate. Apple pride themselves in exciting and innovative products that are stylish. Since it's such an important part of their product, they should bloody cover it!
 
harveypooka said:
It's great mate that you're willing to try and clean it, but should you have too? I know it's a pain but complain to Apple! This is your 3rd machine? Or have I read this wrong? I had a defective iMac PPC not so long ago, complained like HELL I did - they refused to exchange it with a new one. I went on and on and on and on until they gave me an Intel iMac. Maybe you should try the same? But try and get a MacBook Pro instead...anyway, back to reality - this isn't on. Send it back!
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Harvey: I agree with you. :) My local Apple Store has been very cooperative with me bringing the last two back. First one had a huge scuff across the power button and a weird plastic tape sticking about 2cm out from in between the screen bezel and the hinge. The second one turned blue when cleaned it with iKlear. This one seems to be fine...Yes, you're right I shouldn't have to clean up their mistake (the grease or whatever it is) and should just take it back; however, my position is different.

Chime in if you would like to people, but those of us who have had to deal or are still dealing with multiple returns aren't doing this because it's fun. I know this sounds rediculous, but it takes a lot out of me having to deal with all this BS...driving back and forth, complaining, having to be fed a load of bull from the salesmen and managers, not knowing whether the next one will be better, etc, etc, etc... :eek: :( :mad:

As I'm writing this even, I'm wondering how I've made it to MB#3. Nevertheless, your point is a valid one...take it back again. But the thing is, the one I have now seems not to have any issues (aside from the mysterious smudge on the screen that has since been cleaned)...no whining, mooing, crackling, popping, warping, hinge noises, discoloration (not yet, at least) or any of the other countless problems plaguing this computer.

I just want to be happy with my computer and move on...that's all. Is that too much to ask, Apple? :confused: :(
 
iHeartTheApple said:
I know this sounds rediculous, but it takes a lot out of me having to deal with all this BS...driving back and forth, complaining, having to be fed a load of bull from the salesmen and managers, not knowing whether the next one will be better, etc, etc, etc... :eek: :( :mad:

I just want to be happy with my computer and move on...that's all. Is that too much to ask, Apple? :confused: :(
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Not ridiculous at all mate! It's a right faff on getting pick ups, deliveries, not being in when it arrives etc etc - it takes weeks! Apple didn't collect my PPC iMac until four months after my Intel iMac arrived!

You have to be happy with what you've bought - it should be near perfection I think. I'd write a letter to Apple (keep it short though) explaining your problems. I wrote a letter to Apple after my iBook was defective AND my iMac bought a couple months later, the main point of my letter was 'Why should I buy a Mac when I get such crap service and machines?'. Happy as larry now I've got the Intel one though.
Stick in there - hopefully you'll get some sort of closure. It took me 10 advisors to get through to someone who cared and made sense!
 
DAMN YOU WHEAT THINS!!!!! *fist shake*

My G4 powerbook is always dirty, no matter what I do. These machines look nice on the shelf but after a bit of use they're not so pretty anymore. My girlfriend has an iBook in perfect condition. It doesn't suffer from constant smudging, black dots on the hand-rests, &c. I was hoping the new MacBooks would be decent enough machines to switch over to, but perhaps it's best to wait for them to get the flaws out of this design.
 
MacBook and MBP Paint issues

As long as Apple is doing painted surfaces (whether on plastic or metal), there are going to be problems.
My Titanium PowerBook and Aluminum 12" both had issues. On the Titanium model, the paint flaked/peeled off.
I prevented the same thing happening on the Aluminum by using TiArmor from www.vixinc.com
I would buy it before I bought any more PowerBooks. It works pretty well!
 
I have owned 17 powerbooks and ibooks and tibooks over the past 13 years.

pb 100, 145b 190, ibook g3 600, g4 1.0, 1.2 12" 1.2 14" 1.33 12" 1.33 14" 1.42 14"; Tibook 400, 500, 500, 550, 667, 1ghz; PB G4 12" 1.5ghz combo, 1.5ghz super

I have NEVER had a trackpad/palmrest problem generated by hand or chemical discoloration -- even on the Tibooks, which were known to have paint issues with the palmrests. Or on the Albooks which have pitting problems if you really sweat it up.

So I'm wondering if there is a sweaty palm issue here?

Some people do have this condition.... so maybe it is related?

I hear radio ads for "sweaty palm" medical conditions all the time and I know a couple of people who had the problem.

Just asking so as to better understand/diagnose this problem.
 
California said:
So I'm wondering if there is a sweaty palm issue here?

Some people do have this condition.... so maybe it is related?
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Well, honestly I don't think my palms get any sweatier than any other "normal" person. But it definitely seems to be related to sweat/oils in the hand reacting somehow with the plastic. Maybe it's something specific that only some people have or have more of in their sweat/oils?
 
Maybe the yellow stuff is "cutting coolant" (sorry, I don't really know the English word for it) that is used in CNC-cutters, lathes, drills and other machinery like that. The coolant might react with various body fluids :)p) to make it appear as yellow on the case.

But to me it sounds wierd they would use those kinds of machines to make the cases, when they could just cast(?) them.

I might be talking out of my ass. I'm also sorry if someone already wrote this "theory" of sorts.
 
Any cover sheet for palm rest?

I have same white macbook, even though I don't have the issue yet,
I'm really concerning that frustrating discoloration.
The official release or selling of palm rest protection film (or pad)
can not be found yet, and it will be a lot expensive (~$20-30) any way.
(I really don't understand why they are selling that tiny piece of
film that pricy.)
I'm hoping to get some similar but inexpensive alternative,
such as self-adhesive-clear-vinyl-contact film, but have no idea
where I can get it.
Do you have any suggestion or recommendation about this?
Thanks.
 
storage said:
Maybe the yellow stuff is "cutting coolant" (sorry, I don't really know the English word for it) that is used in CNC-cutters, lathes, drills and other machinery like that. The coolant might react with various body fluids :)p) to make it appear as yellow on the case.

But to me it sounds wierd they would use those kinds of machines to make the cases, when they could just cast(?) them.

I might be talking out of my ass. I'm also sorry if someone already wrote this "theory" of sorts.
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No, you may be on the right track, Storage. :) This is what I was trying to hint at in one of my previous posts. The yellow substance that seemed to rub off of my screen onto the cleaning pad appeared to be something having to do with the assembly of the computer. Unfortunately, I know next to nothing regarding the materials/methods used to build these things. Does anyone have any experience with this?

I don't imagine that it would be an adhesive, just based on the fact that it came off of my screen relatively easily. Could it be a lubricant or grease? Perhaps used to insulate the wiring or something having to do with the screen?

Honestly, I think we may be on to something with this stuff...let's keep thinking. :)
 
iHeartTheApple said:
No, you may be on the right track, Storage. :) This is what I was trying to hint at in one of my previous posts. The yellow substance that seemed to rub off of my screen onto the cleaning pad appeared to be something having to do with the assembly of the computer. Unfortunately, I know next to nothing regarding the materials/methods used to build these things. Does anyone have any experience with this?

I don't imagine that it would be an adhesive, just based on the fact that it came off of my screen relatively easily. Could it be a lubricant or grease? Perhaps used to insulate the wiring or something having to do with the screen?

Honestly, I think we may be on to something with this stuff...let's keep thinking. :)
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I do something like this in school and at work, and there are millions of different coolants with different properties. The ones we use in school look kind of blue-ish, and turns yellow-ish when it dries on our white floor, while the stuff we used at a pump factory would literally peel the skin off of your hands (the good people over there gave us protective latex gloves after three days of work :().

End of school is tomorrow though so I can't do any testing :p.

But as I said earlier, I don't think they manufacture the cases using this kind of machinery. It would be really inefficient comparing to just casting them. But if they do use some type of coolant, it could (it doesn't seem like an impossibility to me at least) cause a reaction with the sweat from your palms which might color the plastic yellow.

Sorry for my English, it's not my native language, and also sorry for any possible incoherence, 02:01 AM over here.

EDIT: On a second thought, we used some yellow-ish vaseline-like grease when we put together the pumps, to make the wires enter and exit various holes easier (sound naughty), maybe it's the same thing?
 
Well, I finally called Apple Support about this issue and they are sending me a box to ship it back to Apple. The phone rep made it sound like they would replace the MacBook's case. I personally, think they would just replace the whole unit before they go to the time and expense of changing the case. I guess we'll see.
 
If they're replacing cases maybe they know what went wrong, fixed it, and your new case won't just turn yellow again. Then again I'm totally being an optimist here.
 
wronski said:
If they're replacing cases maybe they know what went wrong, fixed it, and your new case won't just turn yellow again. Then again I'm totally being an optimist here.
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We can only hope that is true, otherwise the case has to be replaced every few weeks :eek:
 
Possible Fix

I've been keeping up with the Apple Discussion boards and someone has posted this: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=516645&tstart=0

"I found that Non-acetone nail polish remover cleans it up nicely. Only problem, my fingers feel like sand paper after using it.

You should use clear, or blue colored Non-acetone nail polish remover. If you use another color it will slightly tint your MacBook that color. Do not use acetone based, or isopropyl alcohol, those may damage the plastic."

People followed up and said it worked.
 
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