# Laptop and keyboard cover... Any thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 26, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603 "2011-09-26T00:42:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/1 "2011-09-26T00:42:50Z")
So I’ve been using a plastic keyboard cover over my laptop; it keeps the hair and other random dust from getting in. But just now, I lifted it up, and discovered _moisture_ condensed on some of the keys. I have no idea how this happened, but it’s obviously concerning, as a pretty clear possible source of damage. Anyone know how to keep this from happening? ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/2 "2011-09-26T02:11:53Z")
Dunno if it’s how you want to solve it, but I do it because I hate laptop/non-full-size keyboards: I use a USB keyboard. Then I drape a thin cloth (hanky material) over the entirety of the laptop keyboard. I don’t even take it off to close my screen. Seems to work pretty well at keeping the dust out. Then you can either change the cloth or give it a shake every week or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/3 "2011-09-26T04:02:12Z")
picks my keyboard up, knocks it upside against my desk. wipes the mess up with pledge. 8 year old keyboard, all is good. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/4 "2011-09-26T07:08:23Z")
Laptop. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/5 "2011-09-26T14:29:39Z")
Isn’t the keyboard a major source of airflow for a laptop? If the exhaust fan is on the bottom, it needs to draw air in from the top. I’m not much of a laptop user but I would never cover up one of the major points of airflow in one of my desktops. I think you should ditch the cover and get yourself a can of air, and just dust that baby out once a week. IMHO next to virus protection, proper airflow is the most important thing you can do to keep your computer running right. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/6 "2011-09-27T04:26:12Z")
But wouldn’t a can of air blow the dust into the underneath of the keyboard? And IS the keyboard a major airflow source for a laptop? Anyone know? Because if so, the condensation would make sense, considering the warmth of the past few days. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/7 "2011-09-27T04:45:20Z")
(Oh, and in case it matters, I have a Macbook Pro… DOES that make a difference for this question? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/8 "2011-09-27T14:11:52Z")
From [this forum post](http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-notebooks/225865-how-does-air-flow-through-macbook.html): > [@](#): > > …How does air flow through a Macbook? How does it keep cool enough to run? > > The vast majority of air coming in comes through the keyboard opening, and exits out of the hinge opening between the keyboard and screen. > > To add to what idrinorbarsaku said I cringe everytime I see a keyboard cover on a MB knowing that it has to limit airflow. From [this blog post](http://osxdaily.com/2010/04/15/how-to-use-a-macbook-or-macbook-pro-with-the-lid-closed-and-hooked-to-an-external-monitor/): > [@](#): > > Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro use the keyboard as a way to aid in the dissipation of heat, keeping the machine in clamshell mode reduces the cooling efficiency so be sure that the MacBook/Pro has adequate ventilation otherwise. You’re cooking the insides of your laptop. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/9 "2011-09-28T04:06:14Z")
Geez, I never thought of that… How/why do they keep selling them, then? 😛 I hope I didn’t do any permanent damage… ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-and-keyboard-cover-any-thoughts/597603/10 "2011-09-28T04:23:45Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > So I’ve been using a plastic keyboard cover over my laptop; it keeps the hair and other random dust from getting in. > > But just now, I lifted it up, and discovered _moisture_ condensed on some of the keys. I have no idea how this happened, but it’s obviously concerning, as a pretty clear possible source of damage. > > Anyone know how to keep this from happening? I have exactly the same situation. 15" MBP, silicone keyboard cover (now on my third one), “condensation”. I noticed it happens near the top left of the keyboard (WASD). I don’t think it’s water though. Thought it might be something oozing out of the cover. Washing didn’t help much, that’s why I changed covers. I don’t think the keyboard is used for ventilation, there’s no way for air to flow. I think the air in/out is all along the hinge. I like this design, it’s the first laptop that doesn’t vacuum dust from your table through the bottom of the laptop.