Spilt my drink in my laptop. Advice?

  • Thread starter jaydnul
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In summary, the conversation discusses the effects of liquid spills on laptops and provides various solutions for fixing the issue. The general consensus is that if the liquid is removed quickly enough and the laptop is thoroughly dried, there is still hope for it to function properly. One suggestion is to clean the affected area with isopropyl alcohol, while another recommends rinsing the laptop with distilled water and then letting it dry. The conversation also mentions the importance of removing the battery and checking for moisture barriers in laptops. In the end, the person who spilled liquid on their laptop was able to fix it by wiping down the motherboard with alcohol and a microfiber cloth.
  • #1
jaydnul
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I before i got to turning it off right after i spilt the drink, the fan seemed to boost up to the highest speed in the laptop. Then i took out the battery and haven't done anything else. I was just wondering how exactly water ruins a laptop, considering the water will eventually evaporate, right? Is there still hope?
 
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  • #2
Provided you reemoved all power fast enough there is still hope keep all power removed dry out the laptop. Liquid damage unless it shorts a circuit does not necessarily damage a circuit board right away. if it shorted you should smell a sweet smell. If it didn't then drying it out may work
 
  • #3
Sometimes it rusts things. Its good it wasnt pool water with chlorine that how a lot of people lose cell phones.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/tips/4269047

I once dropped a soda into my terminal keyboard which is bad but worse is I picked it up to dump out the soda and the soda then got to drip down the shaft of some keys. The end result was a bunch of perpetually sticky keys rendering it unusable

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/askjack/2012/jul/05/drink-spilled-on-laptop

My spill occurred because my drink was next the the keyboard and when I went to answer the phone and standup at the same time the phone cord snapped straight, hit the drink and puff the keyboard got soaked.
 
  • #4
try a rinse with distilled water - after removing the battery.

Then dry it in a warm place overnight.

good luck.
 
  • #5
Actually I would recommend isopropynal alcohol. Most laptops have removable keys that you can pop. Temove the keys. Underneath you will see a row columm strip with graphite pads take the alcohol and pour a bit on a lint free cloth. Clean the pafs and remove any coffee film liquid.
 
  • #6
Use good hot soapy water and get the board & components warm/~hot (hot components evaporate the water faster) followed by jim hardy's distilled water rinse (don't won't to leave conductive impurities) then set aside to dry.
 
  • #7
Mordred said:
Actually I would recommend isopropynal alcohol. Most laptops have removable keys that you can pop. Temove the keys. Underneath you will see a row columm strip with graphite pads take the alcohol and pour a bit on a lint free cloth. Clean the pafs and remove any coffee film liquid.
You probably meant isopropyl alcohol, right?... :smile:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is used in keyboard, LCD and laptop cleaning, is sold commercially as a whiteboard cleaner, and is a strong but safer alternative to common household cleaning products.



OCR
 
  • #8
Yeah that's the one lol
 
  • #9
I once spilled a Pepsi on a keyboard. I immediately grabbed it and put it under the cold water tap in the bathtub. After thoroughly washing it for about 10 minutes I washed it with distilled water. A couple of days later when I thought it was totally dry, I tried it. It didn't work and it never worked again. Good luck. Maybe one of the other solutions will work.
 
  • #10
So how did the OP Lundyjp make out? Did the computer survive our advice?
 
  • #11
It's always a good idea to remove the battery from any device that gets a soaking, asap.
 
  • #12
Some keyboards have a moisture barrier that can prevent water from penetrating to the rest of the circuitry. For example, my Samsung notebook has such a barrier and it has survived splashes of salt water. Their protection against spills is not absolute, but better than no barrier.

Look for such a barrier the next time you shop for a computer.
 
  • #13
Hey sorry just looked at the thread again. My laptop is working perfectly fine now. I just pulled out the motherboard(where i expected the most liquid to be) and i wiped it down with alcohol and a microfiber cloth. I saw an area that had a little more dried soda so i gave it a little extra cleaning. Everything's perfect now. Thanks guys
 
  • #14
For those who have not had much PC experience, please understand that spilling liquids on a keyboard is not a disaster. Rinse the KB thoroughly and let it dry and it will be fine. Spilling liquids on a laptop can be a real problem, because there is a lot of circuitry under that keyboard, and you can't just flush everything with warm water and expect it all to work out.

When I was the IT guy for a large ophthalmic practice, I would scold the clerks/secretaries when they would spill coffee/soda etc on their keyboards. I could easily rinse them off and dry them, but I would punish them by giving them a replacement keyboard that they would dislike. "No beverages on the desk" predated me, but it was widely ignored.
 
  • #15
Glad everything worked out.
 

1. What should I do if I spilled a drink on my laptop?

If you spilled a drink on your laptop, the first thing you should do is turn it off and unplug it from any power source. This will help prevent any further damage to the internal components.

2. Can I use rice to dry out my laptop after a spill?

While rice is often used to dry out electronic devices, it is not recommended for laptops as it can get stuck in the ports and cause further damage. Instead, use a dry cloth to carefully wipe away any excess liquid.

3. How long should I wait before turning my laptop back on?

It is recommended to wait at least 24 hours before attempting to turn on your laptop again. This will give it enough time to fully dry out and reduce the risk of short circuits or other damage.

4. Will my laptop still work after a drink spill?

It depends on the extent of the damage. If you acted quickly and properly after the spill, there is a chance that your laptop may still work. However, if the liquid has seeped into the internal components, it may not be salvageable.

5. Should I take my laptop to a professional after a drink spill?

If you are not comfortable with opening up your laptop and assessing the damage yourself, it is best to take it to a professional for repair. They will have the necessary tools and expertise to properly clean and fix any damage caused by the spilled drink.

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