It is recommended not to use toilet roll as it can tear apart and leave bits of toilet roll behind on the touchpad which can also fall in between the cracks and cause more trouble in the future. This can easily be done with a paper towel or dry cloth. Since there are thin gaps around most touchpads that dirt can get wedged in, you can use a cotton swab to pick up any bits that are unreachable with a cloth.īefore you turn the laptop on again, take caution in drying the touchpad. If you are not sure if the cleaning product you have is appropriate for the touchpad then you can try using an alcoholic wipe instead. This step should remove most if not all of the grime on the touchpad as well as be disinfected. After the cloth has the isopropyl or cleaning product on it, repeat the earlier process of gently wiping the touchpad. If you do not have any isopropyl, it is feasible to use window cleaner instead.
If you do decide to move on to stronger chemicals to help rid of stubborn marks and stains, then you can get the cloth moist with isopropyl. It is important to be gentle due to the fact that if you apply too much pressure it can cause damage. Once the water is wrung out, you can gently wipe the touchpad. Then, get the cloth soaked in water but before applying it to the touchpad, wring it out to get all extra water removed as you don’t want liquid dripping down into the hardware underneath.
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Once you have all or any of the components needed for cleaning the touchpad, now is the time to get into how to clean it.Īs mentioned earlier, make sure to turn off the laptop before you start any cleaning and preferably unplug it from the power source as well. However, an option even better than this is using cotton swabs, especially when tackling grease and grime. If you don’t have a cloth available, paper towels can be used instead. In addition to this, a 50 – 70% isopropyl alcohol solution is an effective way to disinfect the touchpad. If your touchpad is not too dirty, then water may be all that you need but if there are still marks then a glass or window cleaner can also be used to budge any stubborn dirt.
It’s preferable to use a soft, dry cloth when cleaning the touchpad as there’s no risk of it leaving scratches behind. To clean the surface of the touchpad, make sure you turn off the laptop first as you will be using liquids such as water, isopropanol, and toilet bowl cleaner.
It can be a common occurrence especially if you like to eat your toast over your laptop, but if you clean it often you can prevent any potential damage from happening. They were introduced in 1994 for the Powerbook laptops, since then it’s hard to find a laptop without one.ĭespite their popularity and usability, they can be hindered by dirt or water damage that can fall down the cracks and leave your touchpad jumpy or unresponsive altogether. Laptop touchpads are usually a strong component of a modern laptop.