This MacBook was really really really really dirty

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[@Adamant_IT]

surFACTant

[@drmr4613]

Here's a tip for removing stubborn stains, caked-on dirt, and dried up heatsink paste: Instead of paper towels, try make-up remover pads. They are made for getting into the "pores" of things, cheap, hold liquid without dripping, retain dirt without spreading it everywhere, and don't tear or disintegrate when wet.

[@MeneGR]

@@drmr4613 and you get the extra bonus of weird looks when you ask for them!

[@chrismoule7242]

Upload what you feel you would like to upload, when you would like to upload it. We aren't going anywhere.

[@chandlerbing7570]

You say that but unfortunately most platforms prioritize creators that upload frequently like daily or weekly. Creators that upload when they feel like it get pushed to the bottom and viewers don't get notified when they upload. In some cases they don't even show in the subscriptions tab that they've uploaded.

[@chrismoule7242]

@@chandlerbing7570 I must have been lucky as I have NEVER not been notified of uploads to YT by people I am subscribed to [I know this because I always get to see such vids in the end and I have always been notified of them].

[@chandlerbing7570]

@@chrismoule7242 I got notified when he uploaded this video and watched it straight away. However, his previous 2 videos i did not get notified about

[@danielayers]

@@chandlerbing7570 I manually check every day. AdamantIT is near the top of my subs list (iei. watched most often) and I check each of them every day just to make sure.

[@demiankeaough4616]

Any repair is fun to watch. Desktop is the best, but I'll watch any repair.

[@brianbauer9399]

Please, WE all love your videos, I watch anything you upload. I love what you do. And by the way opening that bottom panel was like watching a chiropractor putting some bones back in place. lol. Keep uploading everything.

[@johncundiff7075]

I enjoy any and all videos you put on youtube. Often, I will learn something even on the simplest of repairs!! Please, do them all!! When you are as good as you are, WE all need to see these!!

[@PCMediK]

"When you inevitably find that you squashed a wire underneath the logic board..." 😂😂😂 Guilty!!! 🙋🏾‍♂🤣

[@Retroornew]

Good on you Graham and you are right its not always about finding the short on a board, the odd ssd upgrade fans replacement, Laptop service internally and system is great material

[@QuentinStephens]

Good spot on the corrosion, and excellent work in explaining it to us. I was expecting you to break out the ultrasonic cleaner for that board. With regards to creating content, quality trumps quantity. If you want to take a break from content creation - be it here, your streaming, or your podcast - then do so. You'll come back renewed and reinvigorated. But if you want an idea, how about talking about the business side of running your shop? Things like asset management, stock, insurance, work-life balance, dealing with taxes, and so on. Obviously you'll want to avoid actual figures!

[@mousefad3673]

The daily stuff is very nice. I find it interesting to see what the common issues are.

[@chandlerbing7570]

I always like the waffling. i watch these videos in the background at work and the waffling is something for me to listen to

[@MetalDetectingTheUK]

Very interesting video. Never would I have realised that dust=dampness=corrosion. Shows how important maintenance is. Great, interesting video. Thanks.

[@wpm720]

From previous experience - lots of automotive cleaning products are suitable for cleaning grubby computers. Most cost effective solution for me was Bilt Hamber Surfex and I diluted it to around 8:1 with water. As for the Windex - yes that's right, not recommended as it contains ammonia and can remove the anodising on aluminium laptop bodies and the oleophobic coatings on monitors.

[@johng.]

Good one, Graham! As I was watching you getting at the final dots and spots, it seemed like there were some that just wouldn't go away. And then you moved the laptop and the dots and spots stayed where they were. Need to work on my screen ☺ I really enjoy the kind of videos you do that show how to analyze an electrical problem as much as the everyday maintenance that someone could take on. My HP laptop needs some love! Keep the good stuff coming, because they get better as you get better at your craft! Thanks, for doing this!

[@ivanburrows6832]

WD40 and let the crusty bits soak before taking off with a plastic spatula & wipe... also works great on old labels and gives metal / plastic cases a new look when its dry.

[@danielayers]

Yet another great video, Graham. Thank you. None of your videos are "mundane" from my perspective, yours are my favourite computer/board repair vids on YT. Waffle, humour, SMD soldering, no POST, etc - all great from my point of view. (BTW, if your client is working with a messy medium then they should tell the medium to wash her hands before using the laptop - FFS! 😄 )

[@techhonour3821]

Remember that this is brushed aluminium. The fine-grain surface will hold grime. I found that leaving the surface lightly damp for a minute will make the grime absorb the water and make it easer to wipe off.

[@duncaninglis3806]

I thought you'd missed a spot or two on the lid till I realized it was dirt on my own screen....

[@KOSMOS1701A]

interesting bit regarding liquid damage being caused by dust buildup, i'll be keeping that nugget of info in mind for my own work.

[@samjones1954]

I have also cleaned many LT. I am not sure about Apple, but, every one I have cleaned, I have found the majority of dirt and dust where the fan meets the heat tube grills. Usually cloged. This is the main reason a LT will shutdown. I noticed you did not clean that area.

[@NiccKennedy]

Daily jobs, are what keep the shop going, at least mine survives on those, and finding that next thing.

[@vesnacvetanovskaivikj8606]

Disconnect battery first before take screws off MB. In fraction of time could drop on worst possible place to make most damage

[@fredwooding599]

On my new HP laptop, I place a sheet of parchment paper on the keyboard just because I am a nerd on cleanness. lol Great video and the easy ones are fine too. We all have basic problems, and your videos are very informative to the point, you have saved me many hours of just searching for the problem. Thank you for your help.

[@f.i.b3027]

Use a keyboard cover

[@jameysummers1577]

Back to school time is slow for me this year. I havent had a lot of customers, and if I do have them they are PS5 port changes or broken hinge repairs. There's always a lull in the action every now and then.

[@techhonour3821]

17:31 "Closelier"

[@Foobar_The_Fat_Penguin]

Most laptops actually come with some form of separator between the keyboard and the screen. Usually it looks like a laptop-sized disposable wipe. I always tell people not to just throw it away. It serves a purpose, which is to prevent these imprints. Just keep using it. I've also seen some fancier 3rd party products. Like that thing called "iSaver", which - supposedly - does triple duty: Screen protection, micro-fiber cleaning cloth, and mouse pad.

[@jessicahunt6569]

burnout is no joke, nor anything to do with mental health. Dont beat yourself up, if you need a break take one. I do a lot of this type of stuff on the side, and you dont get to pick the stuff that breaks or how it breaks. I mostly watch cause your voice is nice background noise :P I do pick up an occasional nugget of knowledge but its not my main reason for being a sub ;) edit: also, be careful what you use to wash screens, i had windex take patches of the coating off my 2009 mbp, no idea why, but now i use a specialty screen cleaner.

[@Adamant_IT]

Yea, Windex seems to be the one to avoid. I've no idea what they put in it, but it seems to be the outlier.

[@henkkalter3892]

Water in its purest form is not conductive, it was even used in cooling high voltage amplifiers (tubes). Normal drinking water is conductive because it contains all sorts of substances. So if the soap is made with pure water it can be less conductive.👍

[@Retroornew]

you missed question number 3, why am i not wearing hand protection lol

[@Adamant_IT]

Ah yea, I meant to mention that... honestly I find gloves are a pain, I'll get get my hands dirty and wash them afterwards.

[@griffog2001]

To easily remove the bottom cover on these, pop a screwdriver into one of the back two screw holes and use it as a lever, similar to how you extract the logicboard on a Mac mini, repeat on other rear screw hole. Much easier than trying to slide it out!

[@Adamant_IT]

I'll give that a try... I'd be worried about mashing the threads in the hole... but I suppose the screw is stepped, so there's a gap at the top with no threads to mess up...

[@imnutrak130]

when you remove the heat sink the fans are open and then you can use air to remove dust as if anything stays it helps to “catch” future dust and accumulates faster. plus if any blob stays in the fan it should generally disturb the airflow designed for the fans to push.

[@griffog2001]

Removing that old battery tape takes 30secs using an X-Acto with a wide flat blade.

[@lemagreengreen]

Good lord. I was just working on one yesterday that gave me the shivers and it was maybe a tenth of this...

[@chrismoule7242]

2:16 - I hadn't noticed the US keyboard until you said this. 13:12 - ah, the good old fingernail technique.

[@DarrenGeyer]

At this point, I would remove the case; not only can you dunk the thing in soapy water and let it soak, but you don't know what's on the inside. I had a user once spill smoothie all over the work HP Elitebook. I spent no time just removing everything, cleaning with water and soap for the case and anything non-electrical, Let it dry for a good week in the server room. Still works to this day without any issues. Remember, kids, getting electronics wet is OK; just make sure it's dry dry dry and then let it dry some more before you pump electrons through it.

[@danielayers]

If things got that bad I think Graham's standard of service would be a few minutes each side in the ultrasonic cleaner, rather than soap & water.

[@harriscom9255]

The first time I've seen you use some kind of organizer to Keep track of where the screws go. I could never work out how anyone keeps track of so many similar but unique types of screw. Please don't burn out especially for the Saturday live stream otherwise I will have to reorganize my weekends.

[@thelazyfishkeeper2730]

when you say you were waffling......you mean i was cussing like a sailor. and we don't need to hear that. lol.

[@Adamant_IT]

lol, naa I was talking about some extra details that weren't really that important, and the run-time of the video was way too long for the task at hand 😅

[@ikramsharyf1275]

you need a car washer gun to clean that mac hahah

[@1myfriendjohn]

I honestly learn a lot just by watching you man

[@Ed31003]

i also have found a basic window cleaner is even better than IPA - IPA really doesn't "clean" maybe just moves it around but like you did don't over soak it and all will be good

[@Perzian7]

I would watch full length cleaning videos any day. Love ASMR type content, if you could make a channel and upload those I'd think a lot of people would watch that type of content.

[@MeneGR]

1:44 Number two. Literally!

[@danielayers]

I think it is more likely to be Fat Bastard's laptop. I think I see a floater ... ?

[@SusanAmberBruce]

I really didn't expect you to make me laugh today, but when you started talking about artist 😂😉

[@skullen2286]

perhaps a 100 euro piggly-wiggly surcharge would encourage people to clean their nasty devices before bringing them in and expecting the tech to do it... xD

[@justplayinggames963]

Your videos are addictive - cause you're cute - and fun to watch and you explain things the best way that everyone like me could understand you are giving me the feeling that even I can start repairing things ... thanks for that - keep them coming

[@mhoop1]

you can hot-glue the ports after cleaning them out to lift the dirt out with the glue after it hardens.

[@josephcrocker5111]

Another thing I always like to keep in mind when cleaning laptops is what I'm picking up on the cloths I'm using, as you don't want to pick up dirt from the keyboard and then have that dirt scratch the screen when you wipe it down. To avoid this I like to use separate cloths for the screen and the rest of the laptop. Perhaps its a bit paranoid but when working on screens worth that much I don't want to risk anything >.

[@panman1964]

Problem : "difficult to see the dirt on camera" Solution : black light 👀

[@TenkaiSp]

Interesting. I had this exact model for keyboard replacement today and found corrosion at the very same spot on the other side of the board :) also cut my hand when attempting to open the damn thing lol - blood sacrifice is a must

[@daleleeman9916]

Don't burn yourself out. I'm going to stick around.

[@tg9527]

Didn't even know you could send a laptop to a cleaners

[@AC_Milan1899]

As dirty as the company that makes it.

[@f.i.b3027]

Apple is dirty? Shit may be overpriced but isn't necessarily a scam

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

I use disinfecting wipes to clean the keyboard and screen always shut off the device when doing so

[@jason-budney7624]

When I worked at an e-waste shop fixing and rebuilding PCs and laptops, we used diluted Simple Green on a cloth/paper towel for cleaning exterior surfaces (except screens) to get all/most of the grime off. With super grimy spots and internal parts it was Isopropyl alcohol and if that struggled it was Ronsonol lighter fluid.

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

The problem with some of this stuff is it could eat away some plastic or rubber coatings or possibly cause some discolouration. You have to take it easy when using aggressive chemicals/cleaning agents on plastics.

[@jason-budney7624]

@@Rose.Of.Hizaki True, the place had been using this stuff for years without issue. I’ve also been using the stuff for years since leaving the place without issue.

[@danielayers]

"Ronsonol lighter fluid" would be ideal for *flash* chips.

[@sargfowler9603]

We've all been there! rubber gloves and a good wipe down afterwards, then shower with bleach usually works for me 😆

[@Ed31003]

sometimes the mudaine for one maybe just what others need

[@Oser.]

Mr Adam if you had logic board out from body then you could remove screen and properly clean flexgate spesialy when it was so bad dirty. Anyway good job :)

[@erickvond6825]

Graham, mate, that's proper disgusting. I've only seen a keyboard that was like that before.

[@saintuk70]

Indeed - get over yourself, do the mundane, show the mundane, and you're right, it's what we are here for. You must remember, someone somewhere will always learn something from your content, and for those that "know it all" there's always going to be an "oh you do it that way"

[@jeremiefaucher-goulet3365]

I'm always confused when you show this product. Why do they call it "Window and glass"? Are the windows made of a different material in the UK? 😂

[@Adamant_IT]

The implication is that you use it on glass coffee tables and stuff... but yea, I get you 😅

[@barrywaddington3195]

Can you explain why it's fine to blow the dust out of a system but not vacuum as it causes static? The air direction is all that changes so ...

[@Adamant_IT]

I think people recommend against vacs because the end of the vac cleaner will have static build-up on it, and if you accidently touch it to the computer you get a discharge. It also tends to be a lot easier to blow dust away than to suck it up.

[@FrankSmit-rf4bg]

It surpirses me that you hardly see technicians use a vacuumcleaner, I use it all the time on laptops and computers without problems. Just holding it neer the place that I'm brushing of the dust makes it so it's not left around on my desk or in the air.

[@The-Weekend-Warrior]

When brushing off corrosion, why not use isopropyl alcohol? Or better, put the whole motherboard in an ultrasonic cleaner for the absolute best result?? Would that be a wild idea?

[@Dutch-linux]

did that laptop float in a dirty ditch / canal or something ????? geezzz

[@rustandmagic]

You can swipe the floor and chat a little, maybe about using milk for more effective ultrasound cleaning or something, that is fine with me ;)

[@UserUser-ww2nj]

That hinge area still looked a mess

[@KrissBartlett]

my 20yrs old son came and wanted to clean his mac book pro but my tiny screw drivers dont fit or undo it so it cant be cleaned thanks ill watch you daily stuff that is how you learn thanks yes that Windex we have in Australia its not good to use only for windows to alkaline in that

[@KAPTKipper]

OMG that's a bio-hazard

[@welshwench4217]

Cling film / Saran wrap is quite cheap these days ...

[@Roamor1]

Thank you.

[@Holycurative9610]

Just upload what ya like Graham, most of your subs are happy to see a video regardless of content.

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

2 mins into the video - I hope you charged this client a cleaning fee if it wasnt booked in for any other issue. Im a former bike mechanic. Some of the bikes that were brought in were absolutely filthy as if they had pulled the bike out of a mud bog and ridden it to the shop. We didnt turn anyone away (money is money and a job is a job) but we did make it clear that there would be a cleaning fee added on top of whatever they wanted doing if they were going to leave the bike with us.

[@Adamant_IT]

Yea. I don't mind people who just don't know how to clean their laptop - this client fully admitted so to me, he was like "can you like... clean it?" and my reply was; "yes, you can pay me to clean your laptop, no problem." What I hate is when the customer either doesn't see the dirt, or pretends they don't see it. They put a really gross laptop in front of me and act like there's no problem. That's when they lose my sympathy.

[@sarco5138]

Oh lord, this reminds me of a particularly filthy laptop that came into my work some time ago. IIRC, it was just some cheap 8th gen acer machine, nothing special, i think it was having trouble booting windows and detecting the ssd. The real concern was the brown grime which covered the keys, top lid and most of the screen. You see, the whole thing smelt like manure. Cow shit, if you will. I cleaned the keyboard and moved on with the diagnosis. Windows boots and I insert a USB with CDI to check the smart data of the drive. However, upon opening File Explorer, I was greeted with the recent files list which contained A LOT of scat pornography. I will admit that my first reaction was to laugh at the absolute absurdity of the situation, followed by the dreaded realization that I may have been touching a laptop coated in human filth. I remember dousing the entire thing in alcohol, followed by a very long and hard scrubbing of my hands and arms with a lot of soap.

[@teejmiller]

I'd watch you fix a toaster. Make the content, don't polish it, leave in the goofy stuff and get paid. We'll always click like 👍

[@mirceaalicu]

Great video 😊. Can you by any chance share the part numbers of the 3 Wera screwdrivers you have used in this video both pent alo e and torx

[@Adamant_IT]

I use Wera Kraftform, these were T3 and T5. Not sure the exact part number I'm afraid! The Pentalobe P5 (1.2mm) for the security screws is an iFixit one, I think they have a specialty set with a P2, P5, and some other oddball heads like Y-head (for nintendo switch).

[@mirceaalicu]

@@Adamant_IT gracias!

[@rolfsinkgraven]

Nice tips again thnx.

[@benefitthirteen]

Mundane gets it done.

[@brianjrichman]

Love the jump cut in the video where you said to be gentle around the screen ribbon cables and then edited out the hammer and chisel action to get that bit of solid gunk off (joke). Then we get the "Waffling" cuts in audio, where you were (justifiable) ranting about how Apple designs to "encourage" customers replacing and not repairing. You can tell us Graham, we all suffer from this. I spent two decades as a university system admin having to deal with students abusing Apple products and getting (rightfully) peed off at the way they get treated at Apple stores and then we also had to manage "Ye Old Apple Servers" in the Data Center... Thank goodness they discontinued those ages ago.

[@Dutch-linux]

yes i want the daily stuff .. i don't care for live streams and such... just some honest servicing of pc's and laptops or all kinds of electronics...

[@compuprodurban1954]

Hello I have a hp laptop that only charges when it's off what could be factors

[@jamiepaget9466]

Apple? Lying? Who would have thought it......

[@danielayers]

I won a small ($700) court judgement against Apple here in NZ a few years ago. They had engaged in some dodgy practices, shall we say. The judgement imposed a deadline for payment, and Apple (for some reason) just could not manage to pay the money by the deadline. So I filled out the forms necessary for the court baliffs to seize Apple assets here in NZ to satisfy the judgement. I think Apple's lawyers in Australia saw that, contacted Apple's lawyers in London to ask "WTF is this?" which resulted in Apple London initiating payment ASAP and pleading with the NZ court not to seize assets in the interim until the funds arrived .... Hilarious! Apple are complete pricks.

[@berbum4530]

i like this kind of videos

[@larryfoster423]

Is putting a keyboard cover over the unit not obvious????? Also, you can only polish a turd for so long!

[@muhkuh5804]

Is IPA (isopropanol) not safe on the keyboard / case? Also i though its the best for cleaning liquid damage on the board

[@Adamant_IT]

IPA is pretty safe to use on most places on a computer, but it's not a very good cleaning agent because it doesn't have surfactants (the part of soap that traps dirt and moves it away) It's good when you have some oily marks though, like marker pens or something, which water isn't thin enough to lift. It's also effective on corrosion.

[@muhkuh5804]

@@Adamant_IT thanks for the detailed explanation

[@eggnogg8086]

I thought it was white bio clay

[@PAB-Elektronik]

Strange why did you not clean the fans?

[@MrPnew1]

21:00 He did clean the fans with a toothbrush, you weren't paying attention were you ??? 😂

[@JustInspiredKent]

Eeewww! I use gloves when working on laptops like this.

[@flamingkillermc2806]

Bro how do people use a laptop that dirty?

[@barrymoore9443]

Can anyone tell me where I can buy 4ct filter from for xbox one s please

[@kerbalette156]

Does it still boot? 😀

[@techtipsuk]

How can you not know how to clean a laptop? Damp cloth.

[@ryanduffy2152]

This is what I expect when someone says something is dirty. Far too much in videos I’m watching lately people are buy consoles/laptops. Doing a x4 zoom on a smudge and having a meltdown the entire video claiming it’s disgusting and dirty. 😅

[@Adamant_IT]

There's often comments on my videos from people saying "omg so dirty thats gross" and I read them thinking "my guy if you think this is dirty, you haven't seen dirty..." Everything has a little grime on it because humans are gross and ooze dirt just by existing.

[@sleepwalker6825]

Artist ? What Piss Artist .. I'd be ashamed to take a machine to a Shop in that State ( If fact I would have second Thoughts even excepting that kind Job ) Cheers Graham

[@steveaustin4118]

Jobs have their mundane parts to show your work you should video some of those mundane jobs

[@MeitsMSX]

Please don't let youtube rule your life. If your business can pay for your life, see youtube as a bonus. it's not worth your happiness.

[@MrPnew1]

Grossburger Macbook

[@jrodolfolopez56]

New subscriber

[@The-Weekend-Warrior]

Oh My God that machine was DISGUSTING. I would be so ashamed if I let my MBP become this dirty. Proper filthy :( Is the owner a dude or a chick? And for your own sake, USE A MASK!!!

[@zentechnician]

That is NOT what is happening to the screen my friend. You are just skipping cleaning the dirtiest part of every laptop. That is what is living between the keys and the sheet under the keys. Oh yes, you gave been missing out on done of the gnarliest crap you gave ever seen. So what you do is clean that screen then close the laptop, turn it over a d now to tap or slap or whatever all along the bottom of the laptop and you will be shaking out all that crap under the keys. You may do this 20x sometimes before you are done. So tap it out then open the laptop with screen where the keyboard normally is. Now you will see the source of your outline if a dead keyboard on the screen. Seriously like 20x or more sometimes before you get a clean screen. That black screen really highlights all the light colored detritus that will be revealed to you. I had a guy that must have eaten his body weight in crumb cake. I'm pretty sure if I ate all those crumbs they would have qualified as sustenance. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my.

[@drgalvanimd]

Is this the start of a long hair phase? Braid the beard with it. Looking good!

[@Adamant_IT]

ha, no I did long hair in my 20s, very much done with that! The beard is at a cross roads... I kinda want to braid it or tie it, but then it looks like I'm actually making an effort, and I lose the defence of "no i don't style it, it just grows that way."

[@drgalvanimd]

@@Adamant_IT lol. Looking forward to the braid. Just say it's for a cosplay project you are working on. 😅

[@darattaqwa]

As much as I wanted to I just couldn’t watch this video, the title put me off 🤢