ibook smell

I just had to have my keyboard replaced, it got so bad it was making me sick when using it.

Just glad to have it working again.

Take your keyboard out, and smell the back, if it smells you will probably have to replace it one way or the other.

An ibook I acquired from someone had this smell and at first I thought it was from overuse by sweaty person, but not anymore after reading this thread. Don't think I will be able to get it replaced out of applecare warranty, so my wife will have to live with the smell.
I have noticed this smell on 3-4 other ibooks as well, so it happens to many folks.

oh well...

We have three iBooks and, most fortunately, none of them smell. However, if I were having to contend with this, I think I would pop up the keyboard and take a Q-Tip and dab a tiny bit of scented oil from the Glade or Renuzit scented oil cartridges onto the bottom of the keyboard (not enough to make it wet under there, of course). It might at least cover up the problem and keep your colleagues or passersby from thinking that it's you stinking up the place.

dude, my iBooks keyboard STINKS too.... its horrible... i didnt even notice it, till i read this thread and got curious and went sniffing around! 😉
So is there away to fix it? I was thinking about getting some scented towel and placing it on the keyboard only for about an hour! what u guys think?

You might try a fabric softener sheet (the kind that goes into the dryer).

I believe i have found a solution to this Stink problem of the keyboard on the iBook's! Ok upon cleaning the keyboard itself properly, i bought a scented oil from the body shop, which is used to apply the oil to different things and it gives off a good scent. Anyways i pushed down a key on the keyboard and by doing so, it provided me with a bigger space for me to apply the oil. I added it with the plastic needle tip to the base of the keys (underneath the actual keys). Keep in mind that i didnt apply alot, let than a drop. I did this to 5 different areas acroos the keyboard, and let it air dry. It was already so little that didnt need drying, but still i wanted to be safe. I also cleaned off any oil that may have accidently gone on to the keys, which may stain the screen when the iBook is closed.

Anyways after 4 hours of air drying. I started using my iBook and i have to say, the smell is MUCH better than that B.O. smell earlier. Dont get me wrong the smell is still there, but way more bareable than before. I will most likely repeat the process in aweek or two, im sure after afew other times it will almost be gone! Just be careful what your doing, and do it at ur own risk! Good luck!

All these ideas are lovely, but only masking the problem. I replaced my keyboard with a brand new one (eBay) and I've never been happier 🙂

Well I have had this same problem also. I just didn't know that so many other people were having it too. Anyways, I called AppleCare and talked to them about it and they kept giving me the run around saying I needed to take it to an authorized reseller or whatever. I went last night to do so and when I get there, the guy for the macs is not there. I called them back today and told them that and they were still telling me to take it, so I asked to speak to someone higher up. They allowed it and the guy that I talked to was very nice about it. I finally got them to understand that the smell was coming from the keyboard only, guess they thought that I wanted a whole new computer and not just a keyboard, and he agreed to send me a new keyboard. My AppleCare is still good by the way. He also said that he would send it up to the engineers and have them take a look at it and see what they could tell what it was and what was causing it. He also said that the keyboard they are sending is made from different stuff. Odd, but ok, maybe that's why. Anyways, just wanted to let you know that MAYBE they'll be looking into it, and if you have AppleCare and you have this problem, call them and let them know about it because the guy that I had talked to had never heard about it, till I showed him this thread.

Wow... a couple of things!

1) I find it amazing that SO many people have written about this problem, and actually paid for a new keyboard. But no one ever thought of contacting Apple till now! 😉

2) When did u buy ur ibook? Has the warrenty ended? I think is has since its a 500Mhz! Anyways the reason im asking is cause they replaced it free of charge... or did they?

3) When the guy mentioned that the keyboard is made from other materials... It sounded like they knew about the problem so they manufactured a new one!

I bought my iBook 500 a little over a year and a half ago or so. My warranty is still good because I bought AppleCare, that is why they replaced it free of charge. And I don't know about the material thing. The guy said that could be why they started making the keyboard different but he didn't know for sure, but it sure is a possiblility. He also said that he would send this up to the engineers, so maybe something will get done about it for everyone else that is having this same problem.

surely the smell is designed to match the average ibook user - a student? if yours smells and you're not a student - maybe you should upgrade to a powerbook - which has a similar smell to high street banks that take your monthly mortgage payments...

james b (uk)

Hey LauraF, how do you remove the keys on the dual usb ibook? You mentioned doing it but didn't really say how. I called applecare and they said that they do NOT recommend doing so.

I've already replaced my keyboard once because of the smell issue (about a year ago) and i do not want to pay for another one due to broken keys!

Do you use a penny? screwdriver? any info would be very helpful

thanks

If you will excuse the English, there is a keyboard cleaning procedure here:

http://mij.oltrelinux.com/ibook/cleaning_keyboard/

Good luck! I still think I would try a drop of scented oil, applied with a Q-Tip, on several places on the under side of the keyboard. Lots simpler.

It May just be oil collected from your fingers over time. i dont really know what i would do about this.