I’ve spilled acetone on my new macbook air. My macbook is in Midnight color.

Question

I’ve spilled acetone on my new macbook air. My macbook is in Midnight color.

I've spilled some acetone on the side of its keyboard. At first I didn't notice it. When I did, I realized that it was acetone and it left a light color. Think of it as when you remove nail polish on your nail and it leaves a white thing on it---it looks like that. I've tried removing it with alcohol but it wouldn't budge, I even tried using cuticle remover but it didn't work as well. I feel like the color of my macbook was damaged or whatsoever. Can I still recover the damaged area where the acetone was spilled on? Please help, my macbook air is brand new.

Edited: I searched on gemini and it taught me that I shouldn't have used alcohol nor a cuticle remover. Hahaha. Silly me.

MacBook Air 13″

Posted on Dec 29, 2025 6:12 AM

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Answer 1

lkrupp

Level 7

22,333 points

Dec 29, 2025 6:25 AM in response to charlenebbabchachi

charlenebbabchachi wrote:

Can I still recover the damaged area where the acetone was spilled on?

Sorry but no you cannot recover the damaged area. The standard warranty does not cover accidental damage. If you purchased AppleCare+ along with your MacBook Air then you may a claim.

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Answer 2

Allan Jones

Level 9

78,050 points

Dec 29, 2025 8:56 AM in response to charlenebbabchachi

The color coating on aluminum surfaces like your computer's case is called anodizing, a complicated electrochemical immersion process that must be done long before any internals can be installed. It cannot be "patched" or repaired once damaged.

If you have homeowners'/renters' insurance, many such policies cover accidental damage to your tech. However, the deductible is often steep, about US$500 in the US.

Lacking the AppleCare+ that lkrupp mentions, you may have to live with the discoloration.

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