Minimizing hiss using laptop mic

[eeeelectricity]

Hi everyone, first question from a super noob here, and I know the real answer is to get better equipment but the $$ situation doesn't allow that right now. That being said, are there any tips to reducing the hiss I'm getting recording things straight to my laptop mic? I'm using Acid Xpress 7.0 now, I tried Audacity's noise removal tool but that watery sound it leaves behind is no good. A side question for anyone still reading, which free program out there would you recommend (Acid Xpress, Audacity, other?)

 

[PaddyGordon]

Try something with a built in modifiable de-esser and go from there (just search for the frequency the hiss is at)

I use waveburner on the mac, and you basically highlight the sample of the hiss (on its own) on the vocal track, set the noise print for it to reduce, then go and reduce the noise of that noise print.