bad crayon/body odor smell coming from keyboard

I bought a second hand Mid 2012 MacBook Pro a few months ago. I realized it smelled like a sweaty shirt as soon as I received it. I cleaned it up pretty well on the outside, but it still smelled bad. I read a few comments about this same issue, with apparently no solution, so I kind of assumed I just had to get used to it. But honestly, I couldn’t tolerate it. So when I opened it to replace the HDD for an SSD and upgraded RAM from 4 to 16gb, unfortunately I realized the smell inside was even worst. So I gently cleaned it up with a soft brush. I also removed all the dust from the fan and cleaned the back cover (which was VERY stinky) with a cotton soaked in alcohol gel. Then I left the thing open for a while. It still smelled bad once I closed it, but A LOT less than before. A few weeks later, I opened it up again and cleaned it once more… this time, it remained open for like an hour.

To help this stinky one a little more, I put incense boxes inside the bag I keep it in, so now it smells exactly as I want it to smell. Seriously, I haven’t felt the bad smell again. Now it really feels like it’s a brand new MacBook, and I’m so happy that I finally got rid of the bad smell that I had to share it. Of course, I always make sure to keep the keyboard, the trackpad and every single part of it very clean.

Sounds like you have something burning inside. Have you opened the system yet? I would start there looking for plastic parts that appear melted. Also look at the components not just on the visible side you’ll really need to take the logic board out. You might as well clean the old thermal paste off and apply a fresh coat.

Follow this guide MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2012 Logic Board Replacement

Dear Gwen and readers.

I agree with the person who solved her problem with bad smell from the notebook keyboard by adding a different smell.

My theory is that, we ourselves add these body odors by touching and breathing/coughing on the keyboard while we work, and the only thing known to be able to kill off these bachteria is ethanol or alcohol.

Even the vapors from normal household alcohol -if kept so that they get in touch with the living organisms, that produce this smell- will kill them.

The foam pads will obtain any odor from whatever come in contact with them, and it is almost impossible to remove the stink again- just think of your silicone or plastic containers that you kept some stew or paté in; It will smell that way forever- no matter what you do. This has nothing to do with bachteria. It is just one of the charateristics of foam and plastic materials.

Only time and other smells will make the odor go away - Or removing the foam pads like some find useful; but this not my first choice.

My case: yesterday, by accident I poured some liquid on my laptop keyboard and when I was cleaning and drying it, I noticed the awfull smell.

My sollution:

I used a soft brush of the kind artists use for painting, and with alcohol I brushed all the keys one by one under and on the sides.

Then I placed a piece of paper, soaked in alcohol, on the keyboard with only a napkin between, but a god insolation on top.

A magazine or paper would suffice. Then closed the lid.

This morning still a little bad smell. But it had gone away about 70 %.

I treated my keyboard again a couple of times during the day today, and now the smell has gone 100 %

Only be carefull. Alcohol will make foam dissolve over time, The foam pads will crumble and dry out, and may become a problem inside the computer.

Mine is an old notebook that I don't want to spent a lot of time or money, having repaired.

I am grateful that YOU ALL helped me solve this problem. Smiles to my unknown friends, sisters and brothers.