Cleaning the Keyboard of a MacBook Air

[Japester]

I spilt a small amount of coffee over a few keys on my MacBook Air keyboard. The keys are very slightly sticky and usage is not impaired, but the backlighting is dull in that area.

I didn't want to open the machine myself, so I went to the Genius in the Apple Store and asked if they could clean it for me. I am aware that it is not covered under warranty and that I would therefore expect to pay to get it fixed. I was surprised when he said that they wouldn't do it and couldn't offer a solution other than when the motherboard failed in the future as he thought was sure to happen, I would have to pay to get a new motherboard. I wanted to get it cleaned to prevent a failure. He also said that he wouldn't expect anyone else to clean it either because of me potentially going back to them and claiming that they ruined the computer.

So what do I do now? I'm after initial impressions and ideas. Is the Genius incorrect?

[Japester]

I rang NextByte Clarence Street and they will open and clean it for $150. It voids the warranty and I can't complain if the machine dies sometime after the procedure. I think it's a good investment. It will probably extend the life of the computer but may not. It's a gamble, but I think the odds are good.

[Japester]

I rang NextByte Clarence Street and they will open and clean it for $150. It voids the warranty and I can't complain if the machine dies sometime after the procedure. I think it's a good investment. It will probably extend the life of the computer but may not. It's a gamble, but I think the odds are good.

[krasivy]

Just had a look at the iFixIt web site... man, getting to the keyboard is no easy feat!

IMHO, $150 seems steep for such a procedure...