can we clean keyboard and touch pad with Fantastik?

Question

can we clean keyboard and touch pad with Fantastik?

the strangest thing happened. I had it on "sleep mode" so when I went to wake it up, I touched the touch pad and the pointer arrow was frozen!! It wouldn't move. I couldnt' even move it to cilck "shut down" so I just hit the power button. Then while it was off I cleaned it with a spray cleaner (Fantastik) - so when I turned it back on, the pointer finally moved but it was moving soooooooo slllllooooowwwww. Finally I got to click "shut down" and waited 5 minutes. I restarted and all is fine now, but that was weird. How are we supposed to clean the touchpad and what do we do when the pointer freezes? Thank you in advance!

Posted on Jan 22, 2012 1:33 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 22, 2012 1:37 PM in response to Christine Altieri

Don't use Fantastik!! If you have to clean it by yourself can use Isopropyl alcohol and Q-Tips but your best bet is to get it to a certified technician (Apple) or Genius Bar to have it done without the chance of destroying something!

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Answer 2

Jan 22, 2012 2:04 PM in response to kennethfromtoronto

oh wow!! ok. Well it is working fine now. I was multi-tasking and eating while online to save time

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Answer 3

Jan 22, 2012 2:11 PM in response to Christine Altieri

It wouldn't hurt to get it to an Apple Genius Bar to have it looked at just to be certain that nothing was harmed. (The advantage is that the service is provided free of charge; any work might require a fee but the initial check for damage will be done gratis.)

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Answer 4

steve359

Level 6

17,169 points

Jan 22, 2012 2:15 PM in response to Christine Altieri

At risk of appearing mean, enter "spilled liquid" into the "Search communities" box in the upper right hand portion of the screen.

*Far too many* discussions will be returned.

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Answer 5

Jan 22, 2012 5:06 PM in response to steve359

ok, thanks. FYI: I didn't spray the Fantastik directly on the Macbook. I sprayed it on a paper towel first and it wasn't even a lot. Nothing spilled on my keyboard either. I was peeling the skin off an orange and eating it while online, the touch pad just got sticky. No liquid seeped inside anywhere 🙂

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Answer 6

steve359

Level 6

17,169 points

Jan 22, 2012 5:09 PM in response to Christine Altieri

Foods/liquids + laptops are a bad mix.

Greasy foods contaminate the touchpad and keys.

Any liquid can contaminate either the internals or gum up the keys if it only gets that far.

If you use an external keyboard and mouse then you only sacrifce those cheaper devices.

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Answer 7

Jan 22, 2012 6:28 PM in response to steve359

I see, thanks. Good idea, however, if you go back and re-read my post, the pointer froze BEFORE I cleaned it. Is is normal for a pointer to freeze when the computer is just woken up from "sleeping"?

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Answer 8

Jan 22, 2012 6:47 PM in response to Christine Altieri

How to clean Apple products. And no, when I wake my mac up from sleep the cursor is immediately useable.

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Answer 9

steve359

Level 6

17,169 points

Jan 22, 2012 7:20 PM in response to Christine Altieri

How are you when you first wake up in the morning? Sometimes the trackpad on mine gets very occasionally laggy. But then whatever kept the system busy is done and all is back to normal.

Yet ... based on the common-ness of foods aound your keyboard, there may be a greasy/sticky film even now on the trackpad which disrupts its responsiveness... not trying to be mean, just factual.

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Answer 10

Jan 29, 2012 10:23 AM in response to Christine Altieri

Here is another link about cleaning your keyboard. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3988#

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