# Minor Scratches On Your Aluminum Mac Laptop?



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

I was cleaning our motor home after a three week trip and had a tiny stain or deposit on the chrome of the kitchen sink faucet that would not come off with a household cleaner.

I dug into my cleaning supplies below the sink and came across an unopened box of Mr. Clean Original Magic Erasers. I took out a new sponge block, dampened it and cleaned it off in an instant.

My MBP was sitting on the kitchen table and I looked at the three minor scratches it had gotten some months back, I know not how. Those scratches always bugged me since I am very careful with my laptop. I then looked at that brand new sponge pad in my hand and thought, why not? What could it hurt?

So I flipped it over to the never used side, put a tiny bit of water in a space about the size of a quarter and began to gently rub those scratches. Much to my surprise and delight, the scratches disappeared almost instantly. I then wiped the area clean with a soft cloth and got quite a black residue on the cloth. The deeper scratch took a lot more pressure to remove, but remove it, it did.

I checked it again today and sure enough, it looks like brand new again. I cannot tell where I used the eraser at all. I discovered this quite by accident, but if you have a scratch on your aluminum Mac laptop, you may want to give it a try.

Just be sure to use only the "original" Magic Eraser and not the newer ones with added scrubbing ability.

It sure worked for me and I wanted to share my good fortune with you all.


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## macintosh doctor (Mar 23, 2009)

Yes i have used magic eraser on ink and other marks on walls and it worked just like advertised.
To think I used to use liquid luster on everything..  ( yes It is the same bottle from the 80s.) so I am being sparing.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Cool, another use for Magic Eraser! They work great on white shoes as well. 

I wonder if anyone's ever stripped the housing down, soaked it in oven cleaner to strip the anodize finish off, then buffed the aluminum to a glossy shine..... sure it'd be a finger print magnet, but man would it look cool.


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2011)

kloan said:


> Cool, another use for Magic Eraser! They work great on white shoes as well.
> 
> I wonder if anyone's ever stripped the housing down, soaked it in oven cleaner to strip the anodize finish off, then buffed the aluminum to a glossy shine..... sure it'd be a finger print magnet, but man would it look cool.


I did something like that with my old wallstreet powerbook -- but just in the metal bits on the lid and bottom case that were rubber coated -- they were the centre portions of both only (it had all started to scratch off anyway so I figured what the hell). It buffed up really shiny and looked pretty unique.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

mguertin said:


> I did something like that with my old wallstreet powerbook -- but just in the metal bits on the lid and bottom case that were rubber coated -- they were the centre portions of both only (it had all started to scratch off anyway so I figured what the hell). It buffed up really shiny and looked pretty unique.


Ah, yeah I remember seeing a Pismo (I think it was) that had that done as well. Looked sharp.

I'd love to do it to my 11" MBA..


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

A good hint SINC, but nothing really 'magical' as there are and have been similar products that can do the same thing for years as some already posted.

Let see now:
- The bikers faithful "Solvol Autosol", a Autosol brand metal polish
- "NEVR DULL"
- and maybe "Blue Job"

Not forgetting that apparently that the 'new & improved' "Magic Eraser" has added extra abrasives, but the old Brasso and Silvo metal polishes have had many such abilities for years and a lot cheaper as well.

PS: Brasso has more abrasive qualities than Silvo, but both are quite mild.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Ironically, using Brasso on brass pretty much ruins it if you actually want a mirror finish. Come to think of it, anything I've used Brasso on just got a bunch of swirl marks and fine scratches.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

pm-r said:


> A good hint SINC, but nothing really 'magical' as there are and have been similar products that can do the same thing for years as some already posted.
> 
> Let see now:
> - The bikers faithful "Solvol Autosol", a Autosol brand metal polish
> ...


I guess it's each to their own, but frankly, I wouldn't let any of those products you mention within 10 feet of my MBP. Any liquid based abrasive contains suspended particles, no matter how fine whereas the eraser sponge does not. the sponge itself is the substitute for that suspended abrasive. I know this from years of collecting cars and using such products on painted surfaces.


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## jeepguy (Apr 4, 2008)

kloan said:


> Cool, another use for Magic Eraser! They work great on white shoes as well.
> 
> I wonder if anyone's ever stripped the housing down, soaked it in oven cleaner to strip the anodize finish off, then buffed the aluminum to a glossy shine..... sure it'd be a finger print magnet, but man would it look cool.


oven cleaner will eat Aluminum, it says right on it not to use on Aluminum.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

jeepguy said:


> oven cleaner will eat Aluminum, it says right on it not to use on Aluminum.



I find it interesting that right under your post I get an ehMac ad for two cleaning products, and one of them is:

Aluminator Aluminum Brightener, Oxide Remover Cleans and Brightens Bare Aluminum Orison Powerful Environmental Products Home Page

Definitely NOT a product one would want to use on any aluminum Mac!!! 

Curious: do the ehMac ads follow key words in a thread??? Hmmm...???


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## jamesB (Jan 28, 2007)

pm-r said:


> I find it interesting that right under your post I get an ehMac ad for two cleaning products, and one of them is:


Even more interesting, I don't get any ads - ever.


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

jamesB said:


> Even more interesting, I don't get any ads - ever.


Probably due to your ehMac member subscription level or you're using a browser Ad Blocker.

Actually I find some of the ads quite useful and informative.


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## Guest (Jul 13, 2011)

pm-r said:


> Curious: do the ehMac ads follow key words in a thread??? Hmmm...???


Yep the google ads are all generated contextually where possible (sometimes you get other things, but lots of times they are chosen via page content).


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

pm-r said:


> Actually I find some of the ads quite useful and informative.


You're how ehMax gets paid.


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