Ask Leo! by Leo A. Notenboom

I spilled water into my laptop, how do I get it working again?

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A few months back, I carelessly spilled an almost full glass of wine on my laptop. Immediately turned it off; turned it upside down and removed the battery. Then proceeded to blow it dry with my hair dryer. Had some success with this method with a pedometer that I had accidently left in my jeans when I washed them.
After drying it the best I could, I turned it upside down & left it to dry sort of tent style. Tried to use it every day for about a week and finally one day it miraculously started working. Needless to say, no liquids are ever allowed in the vicinity again! I have recently read Leo's rice solution someplace so I think I would be willing to try that also. After all what do you have to lose?

Posted by: Jean M. at January 6, 2009 11:53 AM

a had a laptop that got orange juice all over it...some of the electrical equip. inside got destroyed...the company who made the laptop gladly repaired it...at a cost to me of course. im also pretty sure that only salt water conducts electricity...just saying

Posted by: Ryan at January 6, 2009 1:46 PM

The only suggestion i could make in regards to Leo's post is to enclose the laptop in a soft porous material before placing in a sealed container with rice. This way you remove any chance of any small grains of rice becoming stuck anywhere in the keyboard or elsewhere. Also what kind of person leaves a glass of water near/beside their laptop when they go to bed and they own a cat. The only liquid you or anybody should have any place near a laptop or a PC should be in a bottle with a secure twist top.

Posted by: Paul Chaplin at January 6, 2009 2:02 PM

I dropped an early model PDA from my shirt pocket when I bent over into some really dirty ground water. I immediately took the battery out (did not turn it on) and flushed/dipped it into distilled water several times changing the water after each dipping. I sucked as much water as possible out with a small shop vacuum and let it dry out for 2 weeks. When I turned it on and I had to reset it and it worked fine until it was stolen from my vehicle.

Posted by: Jay Kocsis at January 6, 2009 2:18 PM

I saved a cell phone that fell into seawater - I removed the battery immediately, drove to a supermarket and bought a large bottle of methylated spirits, cut the top off the bottle and dropped the phone into the liquid.

Meths absorbs water.

I pulled the phone out and shook it dry then dunked it again, repeating the process about 3 or 4 times.

I then did the same with the battery.

Left everything out in the hot sun all day, then stored it in a warm place overnight. Next morning the phone worked.

I wouldn't hesitate to do the same thing with a laptop, the meths will go into every minute area and absorb the water, then the remaining traces of liquid will evaporate easily if placed anywhere warm with a breeze, for instance a desk fan blowing onto the laptop.

Posted by: Rob Healey at January 6, 2009 3:16 PM

I use the box that my HP laptop came in as an elevating stand for the laptop... I have an external monitor connected to it as well as a cordless mouse and a mini usb keyboard.... By using this setup, there is no way for the laptop to get wet. I also use 1 1/2 wooden blocks under each rubber pad under the laptop in order for the machine to displace the heat exhausting from the bottom of the laptop. There are preventative ways that can be taken to avoid accidents... I hope I've been of help.

Posted by: Shawn Patrick at January 6, 2009 5:29 PM

As a preventive I always teach the "15 foot rule" which is:

NO FOOD OR DRINKS WITHIN 15 FEET OF A COMPUTER (or any other electrified device)! Short (pun intended) of that, the best suggestion I saw was the methylated spirits. Acetone melts most plastics immediately on contact - not good for anything like a laptop case & keyboard. Only DISTILLED water is a poor conductor, BTW.

Laptop + water (+/- cat) = DISASTER!

Posted by: Spike at January 6, 2009 6:13 PM

SPILLED WATER INTO A LAPTOP - I had an old IBM Selectric Typewriter that sat on the shelf for several years. When I got it out and turned it on the ball wouldn't rotate. I sprayed it with WD-40 until it dripped wet and then I put it on my balcony in direct sunlight. I brought it in at night and put it out again for several days until it was dry all over. Then I plugged it in and it ran perfectly. If a Laptop doesn't work after it is dried out try spraying it with WD 40 to lubricate any joints and connections. I have heard that the WD 40 Company encourages unique and different uses of its product and will sometimes offer a prize to the best new use.

I can't recommend spraying oil, regardless of brand, into a laptop or keyboard. "No good can come of this."
- Leo
07-Jan-2009

Posted by: Fred J. Ball at January 6, 2009 7:23 PM

A refrigerator dries out your bread and probably your Laptop. The air in the fridge has very low relative humidity. Try it; can not do any more harm

Posted by: oscar gottfried at January 6, 2009 7:41 PM

Like jas been said IMMEDIATELY remove any power cells batteries etc then spray with contact cleaner WELL this will absorb water, clean corrosion. Works on almost everything.even old tv tuners and wet ignition systems on old cars. Hasn't failed me yet

Posted by: Mel Hull at January 6, 2009 8:26 PM
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