How To Safely Clean Your Macbook and Case

Perhaps one of the most used items in our modern-day life is our laptop. This station is the primary tool for many things such as work, social interaction, gaming, art creation, and many more.

It has revolutionized how we relate to one another and how we relate to information and creativity. For a species as old as us humans are, it takes true innovation to change so much about our lives. 

Solely looking at how it has changed our work lives will illustrate this fact. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, some estimates are that 97% of the American workforce wants to keep working remotely. Even on top of this, an estimated 74% of Americans own a laptop for work or leisure. All of this to say: laptops are important and common. You might even be using one to read this article.

Because laptops are important, so is their upkeep. Keeping your Macbook and its case clean will help extend the life of your laptop while also keeping the beautiful, sleek design that Apple is known for in its products. Some cases are easier to clean than others, and even more, require additional care and special products. This will be a quick and simple guide to cleaning your Macbook and its case. 

Cleaning Your MacBook

Firstly, we will break down how to clean your MacBook itself. It is important to clean the case and laptop separately as they will require different methods and cleaning supplies. This first section will cover how to clean the MacBook itself. 

Step 1: Preparing Your Macbook

The first step is preparing your MacBook for cleaning. Obviously, you should take your MacBook out of its case. Next, make sure to unplug your laptop from its power source. Not doing so could cause severe harm to you or your laptop, so please make sure to keep it from a power source. In addition, any other cords, mice, or anything else should be removed from their ports to avoid damage to them or the ports. (Pro tip: see if you can keep those cords from tangling.)

Next, power the computer down. If you have accidentally drained your battery, pretend it was on purpose so you can do the best Macbook clean ever. Also, there are also some early models of MacBooks that allow you to remove the battery safely and easily. Research if you are able to do this, as it will potentially save you a lot of headaches in the future. 

Last, in the preparation section, find a soft surface to lay your MacBook on. This can be a towel on the table or a bed. Since you will be moving the laptop around a lot, it will be advantageous to have a soft surface to avoid damage. 

Step 2: Gather Your Supplies

The most important piece of your cleaning kit will be the cloth. It is highly, highly suggested to use a soft, lint-free microfiber cloth. The lint will stick to all the surfaces and can actually damage the hardware of your Macbook if it gets in there. Do not use a bath or dish towel. Small microfibres are inexpensive and easy to find. 

Secondly, a basin of water to dampen the towel is necessary for cleaning. The water is going to be your main cleaning solution as many will damage extremely delicate parts of your Macbook. Instead, try to use only water for most parts of your laptop, though later in this section, we will go over the big “do not use” items. 

Lastly, have a few cotton swabs ready at your disposal to dry out the little crevices that you should not be left wet. Places such as the ventilation area, the speakers, and any ports should never have visible moisture on them, so this is more of a precautionary measure.

For the “do not use” items, stay away from any abrasives, as the cloth will serve you fine. Also, stay away from any sprays as you cannot control the moisture entering danger zones. Though the pressurized air canister has been a staple of tech cleaning for a while, it has no place here as innovations with the lint-free cloth makes them obsolete. Plus, the little parts of the keyboard especially are unfortunately too delicate to have dust forced into them. 

Step 3: Scrub, Scrub, Scrub

After dampening your cloth, gently begin cleaning your screen. It is recommended to start here as this is perhaps one of the dirtiest parts of the laptop since it comes into most contact with the keyboard.

It also is higher up on the laptop so excess moisture will drip down, though this should not be the case if you have dampened your cloth correctly. It is okay to use a highly diluted (somewhere around a 10-1 mixture) of Windex and water to give it a proper cleaning. 

Next, make sure you pay extra attention to the keyboard. The keyboard, some studies suggest, could house more germs than your toilet! It is especially important here to keep your cloth lightly damp as moisture will wreak havoc on the keyboard itself. Imagine trying to write when your “I” and “C” keys do not work. That sounds like a nightmare, so keep it lightly damp.

The rest of the laptop is pretty easy, but make sure to be extra delicate when cleaning near the ports or ventilation unit. These are the most likely to be damaged in the process, so having the cotton swabs handy will keep you from damaging your laptop too much.

Hopefully, this small guide will help you next time you want to clean your MacBook. With regular cleanings, this task will become easier and faster to do. Try to keep up on the maintenance to keep the grime, slime, and long cleaning times away. 

Cleaning Your MacBook Case

Cleaning your MacBook case is also an important part of keeping your products good as new. For many with a case, it is easier to clean the case than the laptop itself since the case takes on a lot of the yuck that would have normally made its way onto the laptop itself.

The process is similar, but there is one extra step, and based on this step, there could be other products needed to truly clean the case as it should be. 

Assess Your Case’s Material

This is the biggest part of cleaning your MacBook case. If your case is plastic, basically nothing is going to change about the process or materials from the section above on cleaning your MacBook. However, plastic cases are *yawn* and not as effective (or stylish) at protecting your MacBook as leather cases. 

At Andar, we have a bunch of cases, including The Helm. It is lightweight and is extremely effective at keeping your laptop safe and secure while keeping the dirt and grime out. In addition, like the majority of our products, it is made from high-quality waxed full-grain leather. Full-grain leather allows for a beautiful look and durable exterior. It develops a classy and real patina that will really set your laptop apart. 

For cleaning a case like this, you will need an extra product, but it is going to be much more durable than a flimsy plastic case. We have formulated a special Leather Cream to help extend the life of your case, along with creating a few guides for leather care to keep your products looking photo perfect. 

A Tip for Extra Care

A Macbook represents a serious investment. Not only does your Macbook cost a pretty penny, but it also houses your work, your memories, your favorite tunes, and more. Keep your tech extra safe by keeping them in a supportive bag. Look for a bag with a specific laptop section and extra points if it is lined with luxurious microfiber.  

Cleaning Is Part Of Ownership

Since you have invested so much already in your MacBook, it is time to think about both protection and upkeep. We want to help you with both of these aims.Check out our beautiful line of leather cases to keep your laptop safe and review the tips and tricks to clean and care for your MacBook.

We recommend using water primarily along with a microfiber cloth to protect your laptop as you clean it for the best effect. So, grab your micro-fiber cloth and get to cleaning! 

 

Sources: 

5 Statistics Employers Need To Know About The Remote Workforce | Forbes

Computer ownership in the US 2019 | Statista. 

Your Keyboard: Dirtier Than a Toilet | ABC News