Laptop liquid damage: immediate steps to take?

conorh91 · 24-07-2015 9:23pm #1

I've just now spilled a glass of wine onto my macbook, mostly on the right-hand side of the keyboard.

The screen flashed on and off a couple of times, before I unplugged it and switched it off. I've done all the obvious things like turned it face-down, flat in a warm room (the boiler in the hot press is off).

Is there anything else I should do? This is probably fatal, right?

prettyrestless · 24-07-2015 9:29pm

I spilled a glass of wine into mine a year ago and it lives to this day! I unplugged mine straight away, tipped out as much wine as I could, then put it upside down but not flat - like a capital A so that the air can circulate around it. I left it for 3/4 days to dry out completely and thankfully it still worked!

My laptop seems pretty tough though. It has also survived attack by ice cream, melted candle wax and nail polish remover. Really must take better care of it.

salamanca22 · 24-07-2015 9:30pm

There could be permanent damage done alright, however there is every chance it will be fine once it dries out.

I would place it in a large bag of rice in a warm room for at least 24 hours, 48 to be safe.

If you are confident enough to open it up and clean off the liquid then you should. You should use an alcohol based cleaner (Not more wine

) on the affected areas and again leave it to dry for a day or so.

Old Perry · 24-07-2015 9:31pm

Disassemable (thats just wat id do though, im no expert). not sure how feasible that is with a mac though.

also i know nothing about macs but some laptops come with a 'sealed' keyboard so in such a situation is less likely for liquid to reach sensitive areas.

conorh91 · 24-07-2015 9:33pm

Thanks lads/ lassies. I wouldn't be able to disassemble it even if that were possible , my hardware knowledge extends to connecting a usb drive and switching it on. The rice is a good idea, I'hh head to the shop for some.

prettyrestless wrote: »

My laptop seems pretty tough though. It has also survived attack by ice cream, melted candle wax and nail polish remover. Really must take better care of it.

What kind of laptop is it?

I need to buy a tough-ass laptop because if this one dies, it will be the second one to succumb to drowning in as many years

Anyone know how long I should wait before turning it on again, just to have a look? I don't want to short-circuit it.

salamanca22 · 24-07-2015 9:35pm

conorh91 wrote: »

Thanks lads/ lassies. I wouldn't be able to disassemble it even if that were possible , my hardware knowledge extends to connecting a usb drive and switching it on. The rice is a good idea, I'hh head to the shop for some.

What kind of laptop is it?

I need to buy a tough-ass laptop because if this one dies, it will be the second one to succumb to drowning in as many years

Anyone know how long I should wait before turning it on again, just to have a look?

I wouldn't be turning it on tonight anyway that is for sure, you want to make sure the liquid has completely dried so as not to cause shorts in the circuitry. Give it at least 24 hours. I would be leaving it for at least a couple of days though.

Old Perry · 24-07-2015 9:39pm

conorh91 wrote: »

Thanks lads/ lassies. I wouldn't be able to disassemble it even if that were possible , my hardware knowledge extends to connecting a usb drive and switching it on. The rice is a good idea, I'hh head to the shop for some.

What kind of laptop is it?

I need to buy a tough-ass laptop because if this one dies, it will be the second one to succumb to drowning in as many years

Anyone know how long I should wait before turning it on again, just to have a look? I don't want to short-circuit it.

dont be so sure, you tube make/model and disassembly and usually one of the first things to come out is key board. its just a matter of taking stuff out one by one and putting em back in in reverse.

bmm · 24-07-2015 11:31pm

Yip, disconnect and dry out asap.

FortySeven · 24-07-2015 11:36pm

I hope you have pulled the battery?

Edit. Just realised you said you're not up for taking it apart.

Take it to someone who can before switching it on.

beauf · 26-07-2015 12:30am

I split something on my laptop a few years back. Just dried it out and away it went. But what I didn't realise was it left a sticky mess, that over time the dust sticks to and built up blocking up all the fans, vents and making the laptop overheat. I noticed it getting hotter and discovered all this when I dismantled it. When its dried out. After a few days. I would check its working. Then bring it somewhere to get it cleaned out. Just make sure you confirm with them that you are leaving it in as working. (that is if it works).

conorh91 · 26-07-2015 2:45am

Just an update on this, I did everything advised in this thread including, with great hesitation, removing the battery. I don't know what Apple are playing at, they have glued the battery to the inside of the computer, I had to remove it extremely carefully and slowly with rubbing-alcohol.

Before that, the laptop had spent last night drying-out in a sack of rice, and for the past few hours I sat the keyboard face-down on an air vent. I've just reassembled the whole thing, switched it back on, and it works perfectly! So a big thanks for all your help, you've just helped me save a thousand quid!

From now on, I will definitely think again before accepting a glass of wine whilst online… lesson learned.

FortySeven · 26-07-2015 10:34am

Well done. Agree apple are mental with their battery placement. Glad it all worked out for you.

honeybear · 01-08-2015 10:08am

I spilt a mug (large) of tea on my beautiful Apple MacBook on Tuesday. Brought it in to local reliable computer repair. They said that there is no hope for itðŸ˜“. I have ordered a new oneðŸ˜“ but am wondering would I get anything for "parts"? The screen is in perfect condition. Thanks

Old Perry · 01-08-2015 10:14am

I wouldnt know about mac but check it out on ebay or other websites, theres more than likely a market for the screen, ram, battery etc...

beauf · 01-08-2015 11:04am

The parts would be worth a good amount. But it might take some effort to sell them.

Probably the only part that's gone is the motherboard.

Keplar240B · 01-08-2015 2:10pm

You can remove and clean a sticky keyboard using a damp cloth or soft toothbrush and distilled water before drying it thoroughly, and in extreme cases, people try methylated spirits (ethanol) or solvents (isopropyl alcohol). However, given the low cost of replacement keyboards, it may not be worth the effort. With today's one-piece keyboard assemblies, fixed with only two screws, it's much easier to replace a keyboard than to clean it. It's a five-minute job you can do yourself.

Laptop liquid damage: immediate steps to take?

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