Getting rid of new laptop smell?
June 26, 2011 1:30 PM Subscribe
How do I get rid of toxic new laptop smell?
I have a new HP Elitebook laptop which gives off that nasty sweet-sour smell of new electronics when it's running. I'd like to use it in a large but not well ventilated room (it's winter here and cold outside) where a newborn baby will also be hanging around, but I assume the smell indicates that it's pretty toxic in that nasty, endocrine disrupting way that organic chemicals can be.
I've tried leaving it outside running on battery for several days and the smell has reduced a bit but not gone away. Is there any way I can speed up this process?
It's a work laptop, so I can't take it apart or do anything that might damage it.
I have a new HP Elitebook laptop which gives off that nasty sweet-sour smell of new electronics when it's running. I'd like to use it in a large but not well ventilated room (it's winter here and cold outside) where a newborn baby will also be hanging around, but I assume the smell indicates that it's pretty toxic in that nasty, endocrine disrupting way that organic chemicals can be.
I've tried leaving it outside running on battery for several days and the smell has reduced a bit but not gone away. Is there any way I can speed up this process?
It's a work laptop, so I can't take it apart or do anything that might damage it.
Is this smell similar to older electronics when in use? none the less try burning incense near it, the intake smoke should alter the smell.
posted by clavdivs at 2:00 PM on June 26, 2011
posted by clavdivs at 2:00 PM on June 26, 2011
Response by poster: Is this smell similar to older electronics when in use?
No, it's the same smell that comes with almost any new electronic device. My vacuum cleaner had it too but I left it outside for a day and it went away. The laptop's smell hasn't gone away.
Also, I should have been a bit clearer in my question: it's not the smell as such that bothers me, it's the toxic chemicals in the smell.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 2:48 PM on June 26, 2011
No, it's the same smell that comes with almost any new electronic device. My vacuum cleaner had it too but I left it outside for a day and it went away. The laptop's smell hasn't gone away.
Also, I should have been a bit clearer in my question: it's not the smell as such that bothers me, it's the toxic chemicals in the smell.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 2:48 PM on June 26, 2011
What evidence do you have that there are "toxic chemicals" in the scent? You don't mind the smell but what you think is in the smell?
posted by futz at 3:01 PM on June 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by futz at 3:01 PM on June 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
You're right, there are a lot of not-so-nice chemicals in a new computer. I would guess that time and ventilation are your two main factors, although temperature could be a factor. Is there a way to get it running warm outside or at work so the internal fan gets running more?
posted by ldthomps at 3:31 PM on June 26, 2011
posted by ldthomps at 3:31 PM on June 26, 2011
Response by poster: What evidence do you have that there are "toxic chemicals" in the scent? You don't mind the smell but what you think is in the smell?
Well, with a 17-day-old here I'm taking the general approach that nasty-smelling chemicals are dangerous until shown safe, especially as I've read in various credible places that new electronics are full of toxic chemicals - flame retardants, glues, solvents etc. If there's convincing evidence that these are safe for babies I'd be interested but I doubt it exists.
Is there a way to get it running warm outside or at work so the internal fan gets running more?
Yeah, that's what I'm trying (watching 720p Youtube videos gets my older laptop to turn its fan on so I've been doing a bit of that) although it's so cold outdoors that I'm not sure that this does anything. I'm not going to work at the moment.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:20 PM on June 26, 2011
Well, with a 17-day-old here I'm taking the general approach that nasty-smelling chemicals are dangerous until shown safe, especially as I've read in various credible places that new electronics are full of toxic chemicals - flame retardants, glues, solvents etc. If there's convincing evidence that these are safe for babies I'd be interested but I doubt it exists.
Is there a way to get it running warm outside or at work so the internal fan gets running more?
Yeah, that's what I'm trying (watching 720p Youtube videos gets my older laptop to turn its fan on so I've been doing a bit of that) although it's so cold outdoors that I'm not sure that this does anything. I'm not going to work at the moment.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:20 PM on June 26, 2011
I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that many kinds of electronic components outgas. Just working from basic principles, the outgassing rate almost certainly increases with increasing temperature, and overall, the rate is probably exponentially decreasing over time (because the number of molecules left, of whatever stuff is outgassing, is itself decreasing).
Since there's no way to change the nature of the air-to-components interaction without opening up the device, what you've been doing is probably all that can be done: keep the overall temperature high (to keep the reaction rate as high as possible), and keep air circulating across the the computer components until the odor becomes negligible.
One thought: can you put the computer in a (ventilated) bathroom, close the door and let the computer run for a few more days?
posted by StrawberryPie at 7:22 AM on June 27, 2011
Since there's no way to change the nature of the air-to-components interaction without opening up the device, what you've been doing is probably all that can be done: keep the overall temperature high (to keep the reaction rate as high as possible), and keep air circulating across the the computer components until the odor becomes negligible.
One thought: can you put the computer in a (ventilated) bathroom, close the door and let the computer run for a few more days?
posted by StrawberryPie at 7:22 AM on June 27, 2011
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posted by futz at 1:42 PM on June 26, 2011