You can’t get around it: your MacBook becomes a bit dirtier with every use. Fortunately, cleaning a MacBook is a piece of cake. We show you how it works.
Guide: Cleaning MacBook
Crumbs, dust, hair and greasiness: the grime gradually accumulates between your keys, air windows, on the screen and touchpad. It is therefore not only wise to give your MacBook a thorough cleaning every now and then, but it also makes your laptop feel like new again. You can clean a MacBook in a few steps.
You need this:
- Two microfiber cloths
- Compressed air
- Cleaning alcohol (96 percent or higher)
- Cotton swabs
You use one microfiber cloth to clean dirty surfaces, your screen and keys with some alcohol. You also use the cotton buds for this, to get between keys and smaller spaces. Then wipe everything with the second microfibre cloth. You use the compressed air to blow hard-to-reach dirt under the keyboard, out of ports and air windows.
Before cleaning your MacBook, it’s important to turn it off and remove the charging cable. Also remove any USB sticks, memory cards or other cables. Also important: never apply cleaning agent directly to your MacBook, but first on a cloth. To prevent (moisture) damage, it is also important not to use too much cleaning agent.
1. Start with the keyboard
We will start with cleaning the MacBook keyboard. Grab your open laptop and tilt it so that the keyboard is facing the table. Gently pat the back a few times. This will release the worst crumbs. Then put down your MacBook and grab the can of compressed air. To prevent moisture from coming out, spray it briefly in the air the first time.
Then blow with short syringes over the keyboard and between the keys. Put some alcohol on a microfiber cloth and wipe away the dirt. Are there any keys that are still greasy, or is there some rubbish left behind? Lightly dampen a cotton swab with alcohol and brush it away. Wipe the keyboard with the dry microfiber cloth.
2. USB ports & air vents
You also spray the USB ports and air vents with compressed air. Make sure you do not force air out of the bus for too long, because otherwise your fans inside will spin too fast and moisture can form in the interior. Remove debris from entrances with a cotton swab. Again be careful. While cleaning your MacBook Pro, you better not be too rude.
3. Clean MacBook screen
Put some alcohol on the microfiber cloth and then wet it. Wring the cloth well and wipe the screen gently without force. Make circular movements. Thanks to the alcohol and microfibre, you can remove all grease and dust from the screen. After cleaning the MacBook screen, use the second (dry) microfiber cloth to wipe the display.
4. Cleaning your MacBook: the outside
To make your laptop look like new again, finish cleaning the outside. Close the notebook and use the damp microfibre cloth. Don’t apply too much pressure to avoid damaging the screen.
Cleaning other Apple devices
Cleaning a MacBook is therefore a piece of cake. Do you have more Apple devices at home? Then take a look at one of the guides below. Here we explain for each device how to completely clean it again.
- Cleaning AirPods
- Cleaning Apple Watch
- Cleaning the HomePod
- Cleaning iPad
- Cleaning iPhone
- Cleaning your MacBook
- Cleaning Pro Display XDR