I had a scary situation where an AA battery exploded inside some fairy lights, causing battery acid to leak. Thankfully, I caught it in time and removed it from the house. However, I later discovered that some of the acid dripped onto my MacBook Pro keyboard, specifically near the enter key and a speaker on the right side. There's a small amount of white, dry residue left on the keyboard. Is this harmful? Has it caused corrosion, or can I simply wipe it off?
2 Answers
Definitely consider switching to rechargeable batteries for devices you don’t use all the time. They rarely leak and can save you from problems like this in the future!
From what you described, it sounds like the residue should just wipe off. The crusty stuff is often harmless if it's dry. Just be cautious and try to clean it gently with a dry cloth first. If it doesn’t budge, you might need to use a bit of vinegar to help dissolve it.

Yeah, great suggestion! I honestly didn’t think these batteries would leak since they were new, but I’ll keep that in mind for next time.