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

Comment from Ellymoo on 2009-10-13

2009-10-13T22:07:55Z

Following on from the main question, I could really do with some help. I've recently bought a new Samsung notebook and spilled some water over a few of the keys on the right handside. It was a pint glass of water but most of the water went on the floor - a bit went on the notebook. The laptop was on and when the water went on it didn't affect it but I turned it off straightaway. I also put it close to a fan, used a cool hairdryer briefly (I could see little droplets of water next to the keys on the far right of the laptop) and put it keyboard-down so that any remaining water would drain out. It took me literally an hour to figure out how to remove the battery as I couldn't understand it or get any help from Samsung but it is now removed. I unscrewed all that I could (looking at the memory, hard drive, etc.) and could see no signs of water having damaged these parts. I now have the laptop close to a fan to hopefully dry it out. I am very upset by this so any further advice would be gratefully recieved. Thank you.

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Comment from qwertyuiop[] on 2009-10-03

2009-10-03T13:14:15Z

i did this and had a huge electrical shock

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Comment from Sam on 2009-08-22

2009-08-22T18:39:33Z

I hear that if you have an electronic device that has been affected by liquid you should leave it in the freezer for the night and leave it out to dry for a few hours.....I have done this with a cell phone and a pocket pc and they both are in perfect condition!

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Comment from dan on 2009-08-18

2009-08-18T13:38:37Z

I spilled some coffee on my keyboard, while my laptop was on, and, even though it still worked, some of the keys would print the letter diagonally next to them when hit...i.e. "T" would pring "T5", etc...I unplugged the laptop, and took the keyboard off, using a downloaded user mannual, and wiped the back of the keyboard with a "none lint" dish cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol....then I poured alcohol all over the back side of the keyboard, tipping it so the alcohol could run off....I wanted the alcohol to get "into" the back side of the letter "buttons". I wiped off the excess, and let it all air dry for about 5 hours. I then reassembled the keyboard back into my laptop. I am writing this reply with it now, so as you can see....it worked!...Good luck.
Thanks Leo, for such great information.

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Comment from Cheryl on 2009-08-01

2009-08-01T21:37:24Z

I spilled coffee on my laptop. The computer seems to come on fine, I hear the windows startup & the lights come on. I can see the caps lock light come on. The problem is the screen. Totally black. This happened about 5 hours ago.

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Comment from Mark on 2009-07-10

2009-07-10T13:02:28Z

Hey, my new dog dragged my cola bottle in to my room and he started to chew the top of the bottle and some of the coke got on my pc, and when i went back to my room my screen was blue ad had some writting on it. but then it shut off and when i tryed to start it it turns is self of after 15 sec and the screen is black all the time, what can i do? if u know how i can fix this with out using money please reply

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Comment from vibhor singhal on 2009-03-15

2009-03-15T22:58:06Z

There was a water leakeage in my house and my new laptop was lying on the floor.It was dipped into water and the worst part is that, it was on stand by mode at that time. What can i do for it. It is almost 2 days i havent swtiched it on. I had already taken the battery out. Please suggest me something.

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Comment from Paul Higgins on 2009-01-09

2009-01-09T18:10:04Z

How about a claim on your household insurance?
Re the rice idea, I always keep those little bags of dessicant gel you get with shoes and trainers- these wouldn't get into the machine and might be a lot more efficient.
A teqnique I have used, though not iwth a laptop is to leave it for a day or two on a radiator, a boiler or in an airing cupboard- with as many covers removed as possible to alow the water to dry out.
And if were going to be dishonest, put it on Ebay and blame the Post Office! (I hope you all realise I say this tongue-in-cheek!)

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Comment from Susan on 2009-01-08

2009-01-09T00:44:22Z

Hardware stores sell a product called DampRid. It is basically a plastic container like a tall cottage cheese container, with a strainer in it and granuales of a chemical. This is what I would do - Put the computer in a large plastic garbage bag. Set the open DampRid on top of it. Set a clothes basket over the top. Seal the bag. I would leave it about a week. The granuals in the DampRid attract moisture, it is drawn into the container, strained through the DampRid and collects in the bottom of the DampRid. You could probably open it every few days to see how it is doing.

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Comment from Timothy R on 2009-01-07

2009-01-08T06:16:22Z

My Laptop works fine now but i think my cat is missing. Same story here, my cat tipped over not water but a full glass of "Coca-Cola" on to my opened laptop. Fortunately the laptop was not turned on or plugged in. It's been 9 months now and all is well with no problems. The fix was simple but not quick. Items needed: PC repairer tool kit - about 5 gallons of Distiled (NOT REVERSE OSMOSIS) water - about 1/2 gallon of 99% pure isopropal alcohol - assorted size and shape of small tooth brush type brushes - two clean (never used) spray bottles - desica gel (or rice--minute rice works best)and time - lots of time. Using the tool kit take apart the entire laptop (if you go on line you can find all the schematics needed to take it apart.) Using the distiled water spray one at a time every nut, bolt, screw, circuit bord, every square inch of your laptop using one of the small brushes to GENTLY scrub the soda off. NEVER REUSE THE WATER JUST LET IS DRIP AWAY. When you're satisfied it's clean use the other spray bottle with the alcohol and spray every single piece allowing it to just drip away (don't reuse the drippings). Allow all pieces to air dry for 24 hours (a fan can be used BUT NO HEAT) After air drying place all the Pisces in a sealed container with the desica gel for a minim of 72 hours. then just reassemble your laptop and your good to go. I've used this method on 5 laptops and 3 PC's since fixing my own as others have heard of my success. Only one failure of the bunch but that was because SHE turned HER laptop on before bringing it over to see if it still worked lol. Good Luck to you all.

God Bless The CPU

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Comment from Bob Davis on 2009-01-07

2009-01-08T00:45:33Z

I did a friend's phone with the rice and it worked, I wuld try the rice with cheese cloth for a laptop. Good luck.

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Comment from Bear on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T23:10:28Z

Since time has passed it will be likely that the LT will need to be physically dismantled to be salvaged as many have noted.

A point of clarification about WD-40 though, it IS a Water Displacer by design. It was Rocket Chemical Companies 40th attempt at creating a chemical for the space administration as they had a moisture and corrosion problem with rockets.

In "theory" it is safe to spray WD-40 onto a circuit board (live if necessary) to displace water. The dielectric value for WD-40 is extremely high...something like 12K per 0.100 in.
However, on a circuit with zero power, there would be no harm whatsoever to a circuit board.

Automotive mechanics, and I've done so myself many times, spray WD-40 into an automotive ignition system when the engine is running to displace moisture caused by faulting insulation on spark plug wires / distributor caps etc and remember those are running at high voltage not just 12v. It is the easiest and generally fastest way to find the source of the problem as a sputtering engine will purr as soon as you hit the right spot with the WD-40.

Kudos to you Leo for a great site and wish the original requester the best of luck. Gotta love our pets.

Fascinating. Thanks for the clarification.

- Leo
08-Jan-2009

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Comment from DENNIZ on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T18:59:13Z

SORRY FORGOT TO SAY SAND BOARD WITH THE SPONGE ON MY POST

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Comment from DENNIZ on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T18:57:27Z

MY FATHER HAD WATER SPILLED IN A VCR, WHEN I LEARNED IT DID NOT WORK, I TOOK IT APART (AS IT HAD SET FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS), PUT A NEW FUSE IN AND BLEW IT AGAIN. HERE IS WHAT SOLVED IT FOR ME. THE MOTHER BOARD ROUTING OR COPPER ETCHING OR WHATEVER HAD TURNED GREENISH, SO I WAS TOLD TO USE A DISH SPONGE WITH THE ABRASIVE SIDE AND IT QUIT SHORTING OUT AFTER THAT.

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Comment from Fred on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T17:21:48Z

Put unit in Ziploc bag fill bag with pure 99% nitrogen leave it in the filled bag and repeat again after 12 hours you should be good to go.
make sure you remove battery from unit also good to dry it out with a hair dryer (on low setting) to get as much water as possible prior to using the nitrogen tent.

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Comment from Doug McIver on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T12:57:46Z

You may not like this suggestion as it is a little dishonest, but try returning it for warranty since it is new. Don't tell them what happened, just say it stopped working.
I'm a PC Tech and admit I have done this a couple of times for clients when they have dropped laptops or spilled water on them and got warranty replacements with no questions asked.
Can't hurt to try, right?

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Comment from Max Caddis on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T12:45:11Z

As an electrician in a previous career and then later an Intensive Care Paramedic, I can assure you that water of any kind is a very good conductor of electricty so please be very careful.

My advice to the person concerned would be to drain dry in the sun then use a hair dryer on low heat setting which should blow and dry up any moisture insitue. If that fails take it to a service technician. Good Luck.

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Comment from Mel Henzler on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T12:10:17Z

First of all pure water does not conduct electricity. It is the inpurities in the water that do that. Other than the moving parts "Fans, drives, Etc" a PC board is pretty much a sealed unit. Water on it should not hurt it at all. Providing the power was not on or was not turned on after the fact. You can use a toothbrush and rubbing alcohol to scrub a board using care not to dislodge wiring and other connections. Alcohol does indeed absorb water. Several dunkings and or spraying it well several times should remove the water no matter where it went. Mild dish soap and a brush will remove the sugar and other gunk left behind before the final cleaning with Alcohol to remove any last traces of water. Leaving the unit setting near a heat source will help speed the
drying up a bit. I have removed the worst of all contaminants and that is soot from a house fire and it goes every where. Soot is carbon and it does conduct quite well. Good Luck

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Comment from O.A. Orcan on 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T08:19:13Z

I have lost the count of number of laptops and keyboards I cleaned with success. I only failed in a few cases because of circuitry already damaged.
In some cases equipment was damaged as soon as some liquid spilled inside or before the power was turned off. But the worst cases (hopeless)I've seen were these, when people dumped their equipment in water, tried random chemicals,etc. and then turned on the power. Instant destruction!
So, what should be done ?
First thing to do is turn off the power, take out the batteries and disconnect any type of cords. In case of small amount of clean liquids (free of sugar, salt, etc.) spilt into the equipment waiting for some time to allow drying might be enough. If not successful, batteries should be immediately taken out and cords should be disconnected. Never try anything with power available in some way, most of the cleaners are combustible and/or explosive when in spray form.
Remember not to use improper solvents like benzene, acetone, xylene, methyl alcohol as these are harmful unless you have a fume hood and will also damage PVC, plexiglass and similar materials, especially your laptop display surface in many cases. Even harmless solvents will make plastics brittle under prolonged contact. Also, do not use conductive contact sprays like some WD-XX types unless you intend to clean them with some other cleaner.
In case of sugar, you have to use deionized pure water. Don't allow water to stay too long inside your equipment.
Use ethyl alcohol or better, isopropyl alcohol to wash your laptop thoroughly (preferably, keep the screen dry), especially if you used water before. Water is absorbed by these alcohols and the only health hazard is temporary dizziness if you breathe too much of the vapor. Also, protect your eyes. Usually a couple of hours' wait will be enough until your laptop is completely dry, clean of any water, grime, sugar, etc. 24 hours wait under a warm, well ventilated place would be better.
For excessive cases, a proper cleaning spray intended for delicate instruments such as 3M's Novec product is the ultimate remedy. I keep a couple of cans and do not use anything else. Unless you first carry out the steps above, you'd need to use at least half a can and wait for half a day before trying your laptop.

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Comment from Mel Hull on 2009-01-06

2009-01-07T04:26:58Z

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

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Comment from oscar gottfried on 2009-01-06

2009-01-07T03:41:02Z

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

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Comment from Fred J. Ball on 2009-01-06

2009-01-07T03:23:28Z

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

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Comment from Spike on 2009-01-06

2009-01-07T02:13:58Z

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!

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Comment from Shawn Patrick on 2009-01-06

2009-01-07T01:29:17Z

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.

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Comment from Rob Healey on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T23:16:53Z

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.

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Comment from Jay Kocsis on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T22:18:59Z

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.

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Comment from Paul Chaplin on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T22:02:31Z

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.

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Comment from Ryan on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T21:46:07Z

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

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Comment from Jean M. on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T19:53:58Z

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?

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Comment from D Sexton on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T18:46:01Z

There has been a lot of bad advice posted here, which is typical for a public message board. (There has also been some halfway decent advice).
Firstly, DO NOT apply heat to an electronic device unless you have a way of precisely controlling the temperature and you know the tolerances of the material you are working with. A home oven is not a suitable heat source because its heat output at a given thermostat setting is not constant (there will be drops and spikes). All in all, using any type of heat in an uncontrolled way at best may do nothing for you, and at worst will damage by scorching or melting the plastics making up most modern electronics.

The way you would attack water (or other common liquid)contact with an electronic device (ED) depends on the amount and length of contact (ie whether something spilled on the ED or whether it was completely submerged in water). Most of the preferred methods, usually involving the dismantling of the ED in question, are beyond the scope of this post.

In the above question to Leo it's stated that water was pooling beneath the ED and pouring out when tipped over. Being that the computer was on--and even though water is a poor conductor of electricity--it's possible there was some arcing and consequently shorts in the circuitry, as Leo stated. This would be mean that there is permanent damage to the printed circuit boards (PCB's). It's also stated that "the laptop was left to dry after a few weeks". Most PCB's WILL corrode in the presence of water, sometimes in as short as a few hours time. Weeks later there is likely to be advanced corrosion. So in the case above, there is likely to be NO favorable resolution to the problem.

In almost all cases of water contact with something like a laptop the preferred method of dealing with this would be to act quickly, and first take apart the major parts of the computer to facilitate careful cleaning (case, keyboard, etc).

Barring dismantlement, you can try:

1) Immediately remove all sources of power (if safe to do so) such as transformers, battery, etc.

2) Isopropyl alcohol, as mentioned above, could work as a dryer in a pinch, but its water content (even at 94% volume) can make it a slow dryer in an enclosed space like the interior of a laptop or cell phone. A preferred solution (using things available from a hardware store like Home Depot) would be a mixture of Turpentine and Acetone in an 80:20 ratio. It is a high evaporation, no residue formula which makes it suitable for drying water (or other liquids). Pour this into the contaminated compartments and let gravity drain it out. Do several washes. In the case of let's say, a cell phone dropped in a toilet, you could submerge the entire cell phone in this solution (NO BATTERY!) but you run the risk of damaging some sensitive plastics.

3) After the chemical washes place the ED in an enclosed container (like a plastic storage container with a lid) along with a dessicant like "Damp-Rid" (also sold at Home Depot). Epsom Salt is very hygroscopic and will also work in a pinch. Keep in mind that the more surface area of the drying material is exposed (and the more of it), the faster it will work. So put it in a tray, if possible. If possible, let the ED sit and dry for at least several days.

Finally, take out your ED, examine for any continuing signs of water contamination (like pooling or dampness). If none is visible, attach battery or other power source, cross fingers, and turn it on. If the gods are smiling on you that day, it will work.

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A comment on: I spilled water into my laptop, how do I get it working again?

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Comment from Ricky Meade on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T18:09:12Z

I spilled some lemon-lime soda on my laptop once and did the rubbing alcohol thing to it. I then proceeded to use a can of compressed air to aid in the drying process. Afterward, everything worked like new. I also tried to power-up my laptop beforehand and after the "treatment", all was OK !!

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Comment from Dave on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T18:01:12Z

As this has not be mentioned so far - my first question would be if there was any data that was not backed up. If there was important data I would remove the hard disk drive and work on it as a separate problem before trying to recover the laptop.

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Comment from R Grahn on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T17:18:33Z

One trick used by photographers that get their camera equipment wet is to place it in a frost proof freezer for a few days, then give it time to return to room temperature before using. The frost free/proof freezer freeze drys the unit and sucks all moisture out of the unit. The only issue with a computer would be the minerals in the tap water.

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Comment from Dennis on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T17:00:48Z

My cell phone fell out of my shirt pocket into water. 1st thing is to pull the battery! Next I took the phone apart down to the last screw. Spread the circuit board and other stuff out on top of the kitchen stove pilot light (old stove) 4 hours later the LCD lit up. I've done process twice. Now I have a wrist strap attached to the phone, I had to drill a hole in the case for it. Now the phone is always secured to me in some fashion.
This process probably won't work for a extended soaking of a laptop. Best solution, purchase no fault insurance for repairs, I did/do at Best Buy.
Happy New Year.
Den

No.
Seriously, there's no way I would ever put electonic equipment into a stove, the risks are simply too high that you'll accidently come back to a melted puddle of plastic and parts.

- Leo
07-Jan-2009

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Comment from Dennis on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:52:49Z

I work in an environment where people do just what you have done, spill stuff into their electronics. Now, IF(!) you did not turn the unit on, you are ahead of the problem. Pull out and remove all of the components that you can. Unplug the ribbon cables as well, gently. Laptops come apart quite nicely. You do this so that you can remove any condensation that is lurking in the crevices of the plastic housing as well as on the electronics themselves. Next, get a spray bottle/mister and fill it with denatured alcohol. Spray the entire assembly, electroics, case and connectors. Let it dry throughly. The alcohol will absorbe the water and dry the board at the same time. Be in absolutely no hurry here! Let it dry! Recheck for moisture, recheck the connectors as well. Redo if necessary, you should be good to go from there. Use canned air to help remove any moisture that you are able to see as well as clean the rest of the board. However,if you turned the unit on, you most likely blew up the switch mode power supply that is in the unit. This may/maynot be part of the main printed circuit/mother board. If this is the case, you most likely did damage to other parts of the unit as well and now all you have is a nice looking paper weight. Spilling soda, coffee w/cream and other goodies requires a different approach and technique to restore your electronics. I hope this was of some help in answering your problem.

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Comment from mike on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:46:36Z

i have used a hair dryer in the past , it worked for me.. mike

I would be terrified of over-heating and further damaging the components. I do not recommend this.

- Leo
07-Jan-2009

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Comment from Rochelle on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:46:23Z

The rubbing isopropyl alcohol, the 93% (rubbing) kind you get from the drug / grocery store is the one that worked on other electronics in our home.

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Comment from lee hatch on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:36:53Z

desiccantcity sells a whole line of desiccants. perhaps they have something.

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Comment from Jeff Lentz on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:34:18Z

Rinse it in isopropyl alcohol, the 93% (rubbing) kind you get from the grocery store, but BE SURE YOU HAVE THE BATTERY REMOVED, as any internal power source could conceivably pose a fire hazard while you're working on it. The alcohol will flow where the water would, but because it evaporates readily, it's much easier to dry it out, and it's electrically non-conductive. Once you've rinsed it thoroughly, put it somewhere warm (on a floor vent, for example) to dry out, for a few days to be safe. I've seen this technique resurrect flooded radio equipment, and I used it to get my UPS working again after a cup of milk was dumped in it. The more you can open the computer up to rinse with the alcohol, the better off you are.

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Comment from Joeff Brown on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:27:19Z

Remove the battery and bake the laptop in a baking oven at 50C (120F) for a few hours.
I have done it many times.
If you live in a hot sunny area, you can bake it outside under direct sun.

Baking in an oven? No way. I would be terrified of over-heating and further damaging the components. I do not recommend this.

- Leo
07-Jan-2009

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Comment from Tue Doan on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:25:32Z

You can put the laptop next to the home radiator in the next several days and let the heat dries out the laptop.
Good luck.

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Comment from Chris on 2009-01-05

2009-01-06T01:41:56Z

During fabrication, they wash the components in distilled water.. As long as it's off when its wet and completely dry before turning it back on, everything should be fine.

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Comment from bparkerd on 2009-01-05

2009-01-05T14:58:51Z

I just wanted to add that if you elect to rinse any electronics with "water", that you should use distilled water. Most tap water contains some level of contaminants that could leave a residue and cause problems beyond the moisture. If rinsing is going to work at all, using distilled water gives you a better chance than tap water.

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Comment from Ian on 2009-01-04

2009-01-04T22:03:01Z

I managed to knock over a glass of wine on my laptop and, like a fool, put it in standby instead of switching off. When I tried to pump it up again it was dead. I eventually managed to take it to bits (with the help of irisvista.com) and found a dried sticky patch of plonk on the motherboard, presumably shorting contacts. I cleaned it well with a soapy cotton bud and am using it now to type this...

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Comment from Just J on 2009-01-04

2009-01-04T19:10:08Z

I recently took in a non-switching-on laptop, which it transpired had had a glass of cola spilled over it.

It was dried out by leaving it in the airing cupboard for a few days.

The laptop now works....somewhat. The right-hand side of the keyboard no longer works. This has been overcome with a USB keyboard though. Important thing is that the laptop now/still works.

An airing cupboard or somewhere else warm & dry for a few days would be my advice. (Never heard of the 'rice trick' though, might be worth a go!)

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Comment from Velocity Wave on 2009-01-04

2009-01-04T14:03:52Z

I actually experimented with old electronics, by dunking them driectly into water, to see what happened to them.

(I experimented with a calculator, an older sony-walkman, and a remote control for a 13 inch tube television that I didn't want anymore).

In my experiment, I took out the batteries, and dropped the electronics in a sink full of water, and left them soaking in the water for 30 minutes.

I then removed them, and waited a couple of days for them to completely dry, and put the batteries back in, and they worked absolutely perfectly. No problems whatsoever despite the fact that I completely saturated them.

A couple of years ago my girlfriend spilled coke on our cable-remote, so I immediately removed the batteries, washed it with water, and then let it dry completely. The remote still works fine to this day.

Thus, when electronics get wet, the best thing to do is immediately cut the power (remove the batteries, etc...

Next, if the liquid was sticky or sugary then I would recommend rinsing the device completely with water to wash away the residue.

Finally, let the device dry COMPLETELY before running power through the circuits.

Doing this, you might just get lucky.

However, in this particular case, the damage seems to have been done. The electronic device -- the laptop -- was turned on, and power was running through it for a while, while it was still wet. Thus the electric current probably had more than ample time to jump across circuits it wasn't supposed to.

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Comment from KPTECH on 2009-01-03

2009-01-04T00:25:49Z

I just had another thought...

I also have a brand new laptop. When I ordered it, I purchased an upgraded warranty which covers everything for 3 years, even if it's my fault. For example, I'm covered even if I drop it.

You might want to check to see if your manufacturer offers such a warranty. Some will let you upgrade your warranty only at the time of purchase and some will let you upgrade for some period of time after purchase.

Might be worth looking into...

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Comment from KPTECH on 2009-01-03

2009-01-03T21:32:03Z

I worked in the I/T department of a large corporation (3 "Big Blue" letters) for 29 years. We would occasionally have an employee come in with a similar complaint. We would disassemble the laptop so air could circulate to dry out the internal components. Once completely dry, we would reassemble and check to see if we got lucky. If not, we would usually end up replacing parts. Unless you’re experienced, I would not recommend opening up your system. You’ll probably end up having it serviced anyway and you could cause more damage.

I like Leo’s idea of placing the laptop in a container with a desiccant, although I never heard of using rice before. Hey, whatever works. Instead of putting the rice into a bag, how about putting the laptop into a pillowcase? That way you could surround the laptop with rice and more of the system would be in close contact with it to aid in absorbing moisture.

If this doesn’t work and you need to have the system serviced, most places will perform problem determination and provide an estimate for a nominal fee. Then, you can decide whether it’s worth fixing.

Good luck!

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Comment from Seeker on 2009-01-03

2009-01-03T20:51:19Z

Ok, here are some questions to help us help:

a. What's your experience with dismantling and assembling your laptop? Can you break it up to basic parts? Have you done it before? If the answer's no, then the solutions that can be recommended at least by me are limited.

b. Did you smell anything weird? Can you smell anything weird when you put your nose near the laptop?

c. How about the power supply in your house? Is there a safety switch that comes down when there's a surge? Did it come down?

d. Is there anything else you think is noteworthy?
Since we can't see the laptop, the more you say, the clearer the situation will be.

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