Staingate Resolved

I wrote previously about my successful effort to revive an old MacBook Pro by putting Linux Mint on it, but one thing I didn't mention in that post was the fact that this machine was also a victim of the infamous 'Staingate' issue, wherein the screen's anti-glare coating delaminates and wears away.

The opportunity to get the screen replaced for free by Apple lapsed years ago, before the damage had become noticeable, and paying a hefty sum for a new screen on this very old machine made no sense from an economic perspective. So instead I decided to investigate whether the damaged coating could be removed easily. I discovered a very in-depth discussion of the issue, which recommended using a baking soda paste as a mild abrasive, so thought I would give it a try - and it worked like an absolute charm. The coating came off easily, without leaving any scratches.

So I now have a clean, blotch-free screen that is somewhat shinier than it was before. The MBP looks almost new, a fitting accompaniment to the new OS that it is running. I suppose I could get an anti-glare protective film for the screen, but I'm in two minds about that. It would be fiddly to fit, and I'm all fingers and thumbs at the best of times...