Shut it off! Immediately remove the battery, the A/C adapter, and unplug the device after the spill. The biggest danger at first is the device shorting out. The electrolytic activity of combining electricity and liquids will begin as soon as the liquid contacts the powered circuits so removing the power and battery immediately is essential.
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Disconnect and remove any and all external devices.
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Turn it upside down immediately to stop the liquid from traveling deeper into the machine.
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Clean up any part of the spill you can get to. Use paper towels or any absorbent material that is lint-free.
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Inspect the keyboard. Some keyboards are designed to protect the internals from liquids:
Pour out any liquid contained in a keyboard enclosure.
Remove and clean an easily removable keyboard.
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Wipe up anything sticky. This may include the screen, the keys on the keyboard, and any buttons. Use a clean, slightly dampened, lint-free cloth.
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Insulate yourself from static discharge. Static electricity can be very high voltage. Static discharge from your hands and body can destroy even a dry computer. Learn how to Avoid Destroying a Computer With Electrostatic Discharge.
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Disassemble the case. If you cannot get to the whole spill, then it may be necessary to remove the laptop's case. Some spills can contain chemicals that can corrode internal circuit boards:
Laptop Water Damage
If you aren't comfortable taking your device apart, then get it to someone who is, as soon as possible.
Pull the hard drive to protect your data.
Remove as many cards or drives as you can.
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Remove dry residue. Use a toothbrush or lint-free cloth to gently remove any dried residue from non-water stains such as cola or coffee. Blow the residue away with compressed air, or use a vacuum cleaner with an adjustable power setting or bypass valve to ensure a gentle attempt is made at removing the residue when it has dried to a powder.
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Rinse off the residue. If you spilled anything besides water on the laptop, rinsing it clean will be the most dramatic part. There are several ways to rinse your machine, depending on the kind of spill, and how much risk you are willing to endure:
Think about what has been spilled on/in your computer, and determine whether it is water soluble or petro-chemical based. In the case of the former, deionized water will work fine. If it is oily, etc., then rinse with denatured alcohol, and then rinse with deionized water.
Laptop Water Damage Rinse with water. Take any components that have residue (a fresh spill or an old spill of cola) and rinse them under the tap. Most circuit boards and similar non-moving components handle water well, as long as they are not powered. Some internal components with moving parts may not handle water well, for example, fans and CD/DVD drives.
Rinse with deionized or distilled water. Many people prefer to rinse with deionized water over tap water. Regular water will leave deposits that can cause electrical shorts, but deionized water will rinse clean, dry, and leave nothing behind.
Don't get too carried away rinsing your machine. Water and laptops do not mix, either. Rinse as much as you need to, and not more. Carefully blot up excess water, if any.
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Let it dry. Be completely sure that the parts are dry before you proceed. As with rinsing, there are different theories on drying:
Dry naturally. Prop the machine up, away from surfaces, so that air can circulate in and around the entire unit. Leave the machine to dry for 24 to 48 hours. While it is drying, place the laptop battery in a bowl of uncooked rice.
Laptop Water Damage Dry with light heat. Place your deck on a warm radiator or on top of a warm sill or shelf - out of direct sunlight - or near other source of warmth. Do not use high levels of heat, just moderately warm sources of heat. Let it dry for 12 hours, or so. A nearby dehumidifier may improve drying time. High heat will drive moisture and humidity further into the device and will ensure ongoing problems as that moisture causes oxidation and corrosion.
Never use a hair dryer, as this will cause static problems and fill your machine with more contaminants and dust. A hair dryer at a high setting could also melt some of the plastic components. In extreme cases the hair dryer will drive moisture deeper into the circuits and components and that moisture will oxidize and create capacitive load connections under and inside of integrated circuits and connectors, eventually causing failure of the device. The best way to remove all residual moisture is to patiently draw it away with a vacuum cleaner held over the affected areas for up to 20 minutes in each accessible area, having already removed the majority of liquids and moisture manually and dried all visible moisture by hand, so that none enters the vacuum cleaner. This method is preferable to leaving it to dry naturally as it halts any oxidation from occurring deep inside small surface mount components and connections, that can result in issues later on.
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Clean with a solvent. A second rinse with a solvent-based cleaner is recommended by some, and abhorred by others. It is recommended if the unit has been sitting long enough to be subject to corrosion and oxidation before repair and cleaning is attempted. Always use gloves and ensure good room ventilation when handling any solvent or alcohol based cleaners as some are known carcinogens.
If you suspect that your first rinse did not remove all of the residue, a chemical rinse of this kind may be worth the risk. The advantages of such a rinse are: there is only one substance to apply and remove; that substance, typically, evaporates; long drying times are not required. The disadvantage is that, if you use the wrong solvents, you can literally dissolve your computer.
Buy and use 99% (not 90%) isopropyl alcohol. Never, ever use gasoline or acetone to clean computer parts.
Using a cotton swab and/or soft toothbrush, carefully rub or wipe each component of the board, until it is clean.
Try flux remover, a spray-on can available in electronics stores, rather than isopropyl alcohol.
The damage does not happen when the laptop gets wet, the damage occurs when the current from the battery short circuits due to the water which can really put you out a couple hundred dollars. Make sure the laptop is absolutely dry before turning it back on.
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Put the laptop back together, and test it to see if it is working.
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If the laptop doesn't turn on, take it to a customer service center.
Laptop Water Damage
