Dry MacBook Air keyboard

I've had this MacBook Air for 5 years and have always cleaned it with a pampers sensitive wipe then with black polishing cloth.

two nights ago I did this and after the keyboard wouldn't work it's typing strange mathematical symbols and the M key doesn't work at all. I've plugged in a USB keyboard which works fine. Left laptop in the airing cupboard the first night. Then yesterday I screwed off back panel and dryed keyboard with hair dryer on cold. Then left on windowsill with radiator on and window open.

this morning it still doesn't work. Any suggestions as I'm quite confident this should work again

buy new keyboard I would say

Keyboard is part of uppercase, it's not replaceable. Would have to buy full palm rest.

yea will try the rice and going to keep it above radiator for a few days.

I would suggest the same as stokiepoe. Stick it in a bag of rice and leave for a good number of days and don't use it! The problem you have now is that it most certainly sounds like it has had moisture inside it from the wipes used and that no doubt will have damaged the MacBook in some way. Wether this damage will be noticeable after it has dried out though is another question entirely.


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Drying it will achieve nothing, it needs cleaning. Over the last 5 years you have been using wipes that contain citrus acid along with a few other chemicals. The heat from the macbook can dry this and leave powdery deposits which build up over and between the key contacts.
Ideally it would need a dip in a fair sized ultrasonic bath. Alternatively, the keys would need to be lifted and cleaned by hand, tedious and laborious.

The strange mathematical symbols are probably Greek letters and in your case would be associated to a problem with the option key. Could try lifting this key and the M key and see if there is some gunk there. Googling your model number should give you the info on how to remove them.

Yea that's what's happening. The option key is depressed causing the Greek mathematical symbols. My model is a1369which is mid 2011. Ifixit is great for repair guides but they don't give details on keyboard replacement which means the full uppercase needs replaced. I think some people have removed keyboard but is a tedious process

MacBook Air 13" Mid 2011 Upper Case Replacement - iFixit

can you recommend a good alcohol cleaner that I could apply over the keyboard and hopefully clean the deposits and evaporate leaving no residue

the MacBook has had plenty of time above radiator, in front of stove., hairdryer etc.

The keys are easily lifted with a plastic spudger, the only problem being that it will then reveal the plastic scissor lift underneath which may prevent you from doing a proper clean. The best way as previously mentioned is if you have access to an ultrasonic bath, perhaps a local electronics company would do it for you.

IPA is the alcohol cleaner to use but will not clear away the detritus/gunk without being excited. Perhaps if you have a shallow container large enough to take the keyboard, you could cover it with IPA and leave to soak and occasionally shake it vigorously.

I have ordered some IPA and have removed both option keys and the plastic scissor, have give it a little scrape and clean and tried prying up just ever so slightly in the hope of releasing the depression but no joy.

i think when the alcohol comes I will swab some on the option buttons and see if it can remove the dirt.

if that doesn't work then I will remove the upper case and clean it more throughly and if still no good I've found an upper case for £60

so just put the IPA on neat with a cotton swab..??