tea splashed on screen, left stain - how to clean

Question

Level 1

23 points

tea splashed on screen, left stain - how to clean

In the middle of an urgent call from a client, I splashed some tea (cream & sugar) on part of the screen - a few drops fell on a key or two (no I am not minimizing) the tea left a stain on part of the screen - it looks as if it is behind the screen but that could be an issue of transparency and illumination. I am in big trouble as I share this with my sister in law - and frankly I am very distressed. As I said it was a splash not a spill - that is there was not extra liquid dripping. I did not notice it immediately as I was going back and forth between the lap top and other places, picking up papers from the printer, etc, and it was dried - I wiped off some of it effectively but the rest - the surface feels completely clean.

HELP!

Work: MackBook Pro intel 17", Quicksilver 733 MHz 10.4.11,, Mac OS X (10.5.6), MacBook Pro 15" intel 10.4.11, iMac G3, iPod nano, Canon S60

Posted on Dec 16, 2010 5:32 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Dec 16, 2010 5:38 PM in response to annexit

http://www.google.com/search?q=cleanmac+prodisplay

I just looked that up. I don't have a MBP. I do know, however, that you should not use anything ammonia based or it will permanently ruin a monitor (recall reading a topic here yesterday on that).

Reply

Answer 2

annexit Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 16, 2010 6:18 PM in response to Limnos

Thanks, Limnos, but I didn't see anything I hadn't already - it is the staining that i wonder about - it looks as if it is on the inside of the screen but I can't figure out how that could be. People were talking about a magic eraser which is a superfine abrasive so I would never use that - as well as the usual - maybe I'll email you another time about my quicksilver which I love as a fine old workhorse but is having a few issues . . . .;-)

I don't know if the tea was hot or not, as it all happened under the radar in the midst of the crisis . . .

Reply

Answer 3

S.U.

Level 6

9,601 points

Dec 16, 2010 7:38 PM in response to annexit

Tea does contain tannic acid--possibly it could have left a stain by etching the screen a bit. Even though the tea itself was cleaned off, it sounds like it was still on the display for a while. Unfortunately, it may not be possible to remove it completely.

Reply

Answer 4

annexit Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 16, 2010 8:37 PM in response to S.U.

That would explain the fact that it feels smooth and not sticky. That's when one is tempted to use the Mr Clean Magic eraser which some Mac users recommend - think I better call Apple? Tannic acid is, yes a dye as well as a mordant. It may have been on the screen for 30 minutes - is the screen sealed? I have read about people seeing bugs under their screen (I always thought that was a cyber rather than real bug).

Any more ideas?

Thanks for your response

Reply

Answer 5

S.U.

Level 6

9,601 points

Dec 16, 2010 8:47 PM in response to annexit

The display is some sort of coated plastic, and unfortunately not impervious to stains. I don't know if there are any cleaners that could do anything for you, but it wouldn't hurt to make an appointment at the Apple Store and see if a genius would know of something else to try. You need to be careful not to cause further damage trying to remove the stain. I don't know if there is any type of plastic cleaner that would work, but would check with Apple first.

Sometimes stuff does get under the display during the manufacturing process, but that's not the case here.

Good luck!

Reply

Answer 6

annexit Author

Level 1

23 points

Dec 17, 2010 5:33 PM in response to S.U.

I will do that - yes the Magic eraser is not a good idea - I was shocked to see it being described by some mac users as an appropriate product. Thanks for your support

Reply