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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Cleaning ibook (removing odd smell)

Cleaning ibook (removing odd smell)
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Apr 3, 2005, 06:37 PM
 
I haven't used my ibook in a long time (been using my 20inch imac instead). I just dusted it off for a trip to the bookstore and I noticed that it had a smell to it.

I've cleaned it a few times with iKlear and other cleaning stuff, and it smells like residue from that is left behind. It's not a "bad" smell, just not a pleseant smell or one you want a computer to smell like.

I was hoping to sell it soon, but I can't sell it if it has this weird smell to it. I would feel bad about it.

Any cleaning solutions that work like febreeze to make things smell better/take odors out?

Anyone notice that their cleaning solutions leave a weird scent behind?



     
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Apr 4, 2005, 01:45 AM
 
dunno about febreeze - it might leave something under the keyboard / in cracks, or it might be harsh on the screen, keys etc. have you tried just leaving it out to air for a while, maybe with a fan to get lots of circulation? if it's been in stoage for a while it might just need this to get it fresh again.

whatever you do it's gotta be better than a friend of mine who left her laptop out one day and her cat pissed on it. after it dried it worked fine which was pretty damn lucky, but when you turned it on it warmed up and quite a pungent odour started to rise. she had a window of about five minutes between switching on and the start of the stink. she got pretty good at checking her emails in a hurry.

sminch
     
Mallrat  (op)
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Apr 5, 2005, 12:39 AM
 
Originally posted by sminch:
dunno about febreeze - it might leave something under the keyboard / in cracks, or it might be harsh on the screen, keys etc. have you tried just leaving it out to air for a while, maybe with a fan to get lots of circulation? if it's been in stoage for a while it might just need this to get it fresh again.

whatever you do it's gotta be better than a friend of mine who left her laptop out one day and her cat pissed on it. after it dried it worked fine which was pretty damn lucky, but when you turned it on it warmed up and quite a pungent odour started to rise. she had a window of about five minutes between switching on and the start of the stink. she got pretty good at checking her emails in a hurry.

sminch
I'm leaving it out in the air right now. I just hope there's some lemon scented computer cleaner out there.

But yes it doesn't smell like cat piss.
     
Mallrat  (op)
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Apr 6, 2005, 11:10 PM
 
Originally posted by sminch:
dunno about febreeze - it might leave something under the keyboard / in cracks, or it might be harsh on the screen, keys etc. have you tried just leaving it out to air for a while, maybe with a fan to get lots of circulation? if it's been in stoage for a while it might just need this to get it fresh again.

whatever you do it's gotta be better than a friend of mine who left her laptop out one day and her cat pissed on it. after it dried it worked fine which was pretty damn lucky, but when you turned it on it warmed up and quite a pungent odour started to rise. she had a window of about five minutes between switching on and the start of the stink. she got pretty good at checking her emails in a hurry.

sminch
Still has that smell. I used some more iKlear, but I think that is what caused the scent in the 1st place. What do you use to clean your ibook and does it leave an odd smell behind?
     
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Apr 7, 2005, 09:58 AM
 
Strange... A couple of weeks ago I was reading a discussion in Apple's forums about the same problem. There was a weird smell coming from the keyboard area... I'll try to find that old post... You might want to look in Apple's forums
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Apr 7, 2005, 02:24 PM
 
all i use is lint-free towelettes and a drop of water, but i've never had to clean off anything worse than a bit of dust and finger greebles. as far as smell removing stuff goes i really have no idea at all i'm afraid...

sminch
     
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Apr 7, 2005, 07:09 PM
 
I have seen this many times. It smells like bad body odor. It is from the oils of your fingers getting heated up via the warmth of the system drying out the oils. I have smelled this also on the PB G4 Ti, and previous G3 Lombards/pismos. The AL does not seem to have the smelly problem..maybe something to do with the coating on the keys? Bummer about the smelly situations. Aloha.
     
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Apr 7, 2005, 10:32 PM
 
I use iKlear regularly and I haven't noticed any bad smells. I also make sure my fingers are clean and dry whenever I use it.
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