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Nail polish remover on my macbook pro

Hi there,

I have by accident spilled some nail polish remover on my MacBook Pro. Most went on the mousepad, a little bit on the keys. I cleaned it up right away, but I know that Acetone is a killer. This happened an hour ago, and my laptop still worked when I turned it off, a few minutes after the incident. The mousepad had difficulty on clicking at first, but after a few clicks it felt normal again. Now I cannot sleep or anything, I am so freaked out by reading other cases 😟 Is there a chance my sweet one will be alright? I know that most of the times these things break electronics after a few days if not right away. Any insights?

MacBook Pro, iOS 7.1.2

Posted on Jun 19, 2015 6:23 PM

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18 replies

Jun 20, 2015 3:10 PM in response to kicsigruer

"But have no tools for unplugging the battery or more."

To unplug the battery you use your fingernails and lift it up.

Here's the site and there are two for that year, early and late 2011:

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/MacBook_Pro_15%22_Unibody

Here's the battery removal for the late 2011 15" MBP:

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Unibody+Late+2011+Battery+Repla cement/7511

You just need to do steps #2 and #3. It just plugs in so you lift it straight up. Use your fingernails or a plastic stick like a swizzle stick, flattened popsicle stick or cuticle stick. No metal! Don't worry about taking the battery out, that's not necessary.

We just need to get power off the logic board. There's power running around on there even though it's off and disconnected from the power adapter.

"Would I be able to see these red dots when the bottom removed but nothing more?"

Not all of them and not the ones we're particularly interested in because they're under the battery. To take the battery out requires a "triwing" screwdriver. However I have done it with a standard flat blade screw driver that fits into the triwind slot.

"Or I would have to take something more off to see?"

Yes, mostly the battery and possibly the logic board (Much harder and fraught with danger.).

"And yes, porr Teddy 😝 But I am hoping it saved my laptop or a part of it at least."

Well Teddy was glad to sacrifice himself to save your laptop. I'm sure if he could have he would have thrown himself between the spilling nail polish remover and your beloved laptop.😁

"I had problems with video and got it fixed, because I had a special warranty through my school, even before the recall."

So before the recall those repairs could have used the same questionable parts so be on the lookout for the problems noted in the recall notice. Stressing the laptop by doing a lot of video work can also show up the video fault.

For now look carefully at the area where the battery connects on the logic board for any signs of liquid presence. With that remover that would be easy since it will dissolve all the overcoating and leave definite lines.

Jun 20, 2015 12:14 AM in response to kicsigruer

It will make it easier to help you w/ your problem to know know more information about your computer; size, exact year built, RAM installed and OS you're running.

Here's my standard blurb about a liquid incident:

"Whenever a liquid spill occurs the first thing that has to happen is the laptop should be shut down immediately. All power must be removed as soon as possible.

It is especially important that the battery be disconnected but not necessarily removed. The quicker this is done the more chance there is of saving your Mac.

No attempt should be made to start/restart the computer since this could potentially damage the logic board beyond all repair or at the very least increase the number of components that need replacement. Read that as $$$$..

All affected parts must be removed from the laptop and carefully and closely inspected. Any involved area should be marked for special treatment.

All affected parts would be washed in deionized water in an cycling ultrasonic cleaner and blown dry with compressed air.

This is especially true of the large chips on the logic board. Liquid can wick under them and cause havoc for weeks if not months and years after the incident, depends on the liquid. In the case of something sweet, sugars are hydroscopic (I.E. attract water out of the air.) so corrosion of delicate connections will continue until the substance is removed completely.

The logic board should be placed in a drying/dehumidifying oven for at least 8 hours. Longer depending on the spill.The keyboard is a separate matter."

We need to determine what was in your nail polish remover.

This is from Wiki:

"A less harsh nail polish removal is ethyl acetate, the active ingredient in non-acetone nail polish removers, which also often contain isopropyl alcohol. Ethyl acetate is generally the solvent in nail polish itself. Acetonitrile has been used as a nail polish remover, but it is toxic and potentially carcinogenic."

So do not attempt to run your MBP and tell me what was in your remover. I have some salvage keyboards here that I will test on.

Jun 20, 2015 12:39 AM in response to kicsigruer

In general I would expect acetone and probably ethyl acetate to dissolve the membranes of the keyboard. It shouldn't damage the logic board and should eventually dry out if you don't run the MBP. The danger would be what was left over after the volatiles evaporate and the residue remains on the delicate traces and components of the logic board. Damage will probably occur if your attempt to run it. It will take some fairly adept to unplug the battery and examine the damage..

Perhaps if you can't figure out what was in it. Drip a small amount on a glass or porcelain plate and see what's left after evaporation.

It's possible that alcohol could wash out the residual but Apple won't do that for you.

The keyboard would probably need replacing.

How much was spilled?

Jun 20, 2015 3:19 AM in response to spudnuty

Ingredients: Acetone, water, isopropyl, palmitate, panthenol, benzophenone-1, citric acid alcohol, denat, ethyl Esther of hydrolized silk, parfum, butylphenyl, methylpropional, hexyl cinnamal, benzyl salicylate, linalool, hydroxy-citronellal, limonene, hydroxyisohexyl, 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, alpha-isomethyl ionone, citronellol, benzyl alcohol, geraniol, denatonium benzoate, benzyl cinnamate, benzyl benzoate, d&c red no. 33.

The amount spilled is a tea spoon on the mousepad and a half teaspoon on the keyboard. Silly thing I used my teddy bear to drink it up because that was closest and looked absorbent. 😟

Is there any chance that it will be working?

I cannot afford taking it anywhere and I cannot take it apart myself. 😟

Jun 20, 2015 6:42 AM in response to kicsigruer

Oh it should have been turned upside down. open and laying on a towel w/ the screen dangling over the edge.

"Acetone, water, isopropyl, palmitate, panthenol, benzophenone-1, citric acid alcohol, denat, ethyl Esther of hydrolized silk, parfum, butylphenyl, methylpropional, hexyl cinnamal, benzyl salicylate, linalool, hydroxy-citronellal, limonene, hydroxyisohexyl, 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, alpha-isomethyl ionone, citronellol, benzyl alcohol, geraniol, denatonium benzoate, benzyl cinnamate, benzyl benzoate, d&c red no. 33."
Yikes!

So, It will make it easier to help you w/ your problem to know know more information about your computer; size, exact year built

The reason I need to know that is that is so I can determine the exact layout of your MBP.

The water would be the most damaging ingredient to the electronics so again don't run it for a while.

The most damaging to the keyboard would be the Acetone!

I'll do some tests but I'm pretty sure it will dissolve the membranes of the keyboard.

I'm in Oregon and it's 6:30 AM here now. You must be West of me?

"The amount spilled is a tea spoon on the mousepad"

That's actually good. There are less critical components underneath. Usually only the battery.

" and a half teaspoon on the keyboard."

That would be the most worrisome area.

Hit me back with at least the model, size and year. We'll need to let it dry out for a while before we can do any tests, so do the towel thing.

Here's the battery disconnect on the late 2011 13":

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Late+2011+Battery+Repla cement/7649

getting the bottom off will help dry it out. Take the bottom off (That's actually very easy if you have or can buy a small screwdriver) and you can smell the inside and get an idea of how much got in there.

So more info and we'll go from there.

Jun 20, 2015 7:35 AM in response to kicsigruer

So good news is that acetone won't damage the actual membrane of the keyboard:

User uploaded file

I put a drop of acetone on the plastic near the middle which is actually the area around the space bar and it didn't damage the plastic.

The bad news is that it can completely erase the traces (electrical pathways that carry the signals in the keyboard):

User uploaded file

See that area near the top where the 5 traces are running? I dropped one drop of acetone there and just touched it. The traces came away on my fingers.

So short term acetone bad for traces.

Long term water (2nd greatest component of your nail polish remover) bad for the electronics. Water + Electronics + Electricity = Corrosion.

So my best advice is:

Upside down on a towel

Take off the bottom

Unplug the battery and let sit for at least a day.

That won't get the water out of the keyboard but will help the logic board dry out.

Jun 20, 2015 8:37 AM in response to kicsigruer

"Silly thing I used my teddy bear to drink it up"

Poor Teddy!

" I cannot take it apart myself."

" I took of the bottom."

So you can do something about your problem.

"No smell at all."

That's an encouraging sign!

Were you able to unplug the battery?

" MacBook Pro from 2011 15 inch"

First are you aware of this?

Apple Recall

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

If your MBP is exhibiting any of these symptoms you can take it to Apple for a free evaluation and possible free repair if it's found to have this defect.

The only possible problem would be if any of the Liquid Contact Indicators turned red:

http://appleinsider.com/articles/08/10/15/inside_the_new_macbooks_lsi_battery_hd _and_ram.html

I'd be worried about the 2 near the trackpad in the yellow illustration. Did you see any red dots inside?


Jun 20, 2015 12:50 PM in response to spudnuty

Yes, I could take it off. But have no tools for unplugging the battery or more. Would I be able to see these red dots when the bottom removed but nothing more? Or I would have to take something more off to see? And yes, porr Teddy 😝 But I am hoping it saved my laptop or a part of it at least. I had problems with video and got it fixed, because I had a special warranty through my school, even before the recall.

Jun 20, 2015 3:11 PM in response to kicsigruer

kicsigruer wrote:


Hi there,

I have by accident spilled some nail polish remover on my MacBook Pro. Most went on the mousepad, a little bit on the keys. I cleaned it up right away, but I know that Acetone is a killer. This happened an hour ago, and my laptop still worked when I turned it off, a few minutes after the incident. The mousepad had difficulty on clicking at first, but after a few clicks it felt normal again. Now I cannot sleep or anything, I am so freaked out by reading other cases 😟 Is there a chance my sweet one will be alright? I know that most of the times these things break electronics after a few days if not right away. Any insights?

It is likely that your Mac will not improve and may get worse. Take it to an Apple store now.

Jun 21, 2015 4:05 AM in response to spudnuty

I have unplugged it, All parts look unharmed, no sign of liquid. I have an exam tomorrow and need my laptop, there is nothing open here on weekends, so cannot do anything more (to buy a screwdriver for instance) so if I saw no sign of damage, would it be okay to turn it on again after these two days? Or not at all?

Also, thank you so much for your help so far, I cannot even express, how cool it is that you help in so much details 🙂

Jun 21, 2015 8:47 AM in response to kicsigruer

" if I saw no sign of damage,"

What you can't see is the top of the logic board, which is actually underneath since you have it upside down. To take out the logic board would require a computer geek type.

"would it be okay to turn it on again after these two days? Or not at all?"

At this point you have nothing to lose given it's out of warranty anyway except:

" I had problems with video and got it fixed, because I had a special warranty through my school"

Did you pay any money to have this done? Under the terms of the recall that would be reimbursable.

How long ago? There would be a warranty on the board repair.

"The amount spilled is a tea spoon on the mousepad and a half teaspoon on the keyboard."

If none of the liquid sensors have turned red (Which would prove to Apple that there was a liquid incident.) then the evidence that none of the remover got completely inside would get stronger.

If it seems dry, especially around the logic board then you could try turning it on.

Report back:

MagSafe light status

Battery level LED bar state

Once you get it back together and the MagSafe light looks normal (Green when first plugged in, changing to amber indicating charging.) then push the power button and report back here.

Good luck.


Nail polish remover on my macbook pro

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