The most common causes of laptop failure include spilling a drink on the keyboard. It is with this problem that many laptop owners turn to workshops. The very fact of filling is a big nuisance, but with timely and decisive action you can avoid expensive repairs and the mandatory replacement of components. We suggest considering the general rules of first aid for an electronic device in case of liquid contact.
What is the method of purging a flooded gadget with air, what are some tips for reducing the cost of possible repairs and whether it is possible to completely restore a laptop in the event of a breakdown - about everything in order.
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Turn off the power to your laptop immediately and remove the battery.
With a careless movement, you touched the glass, and the tea spilled onto the keyboard. From this moment on, a favorable outcome depends on the efficiency of your actions. Hurry up to do the following in the first seconds:
- unplug the cord from the outlet;
- remove the battery.
This must be done for two reasons. Turning off the device will help prevent the oxidation process triggered by water under the influence of electrical current. It is not enough to simply turn off the power to the laptop. It is necessary to remove the battery that powers the motherboard. This will help prevent it from being damaged.
Emergency situation: tea spilled
How can you protect your laptop?
There is a good way to protect your laptop from liquids; it involves purchasing a silicone keyboard cover. The latter will not only prevent drinks from getting inside, but will also protect the keys from dust and wear. The cover is pleasant to the touch, it is very easy to wash and will serve as additional protection for the screen during transportation. Given its relative cheapness, it is a very good option for laptop owners. The ideal solution would be to refrain from eating in the immediate vicinity of the device. It is much easier to prevent an accident than to deal with the consequences.
Wipe liquid from laptop case
The more liquid that gets on the PC, the worse the consequences. The chances of successfully saving equipment increase if no more than 200-300 ml of liquid has been spilled. Quickly turn the body over. Moisture must not be allowed to penetrate deeply. Gently shake out any drops. Wipe the body with a dry cloth.
The situation is worse when a lot of liquid has been spilled. The water needs to be removed as quickly as possible. Place the housing on its edge with the ventilation holes facing down to allow liquid to drain out. Wipe with a rag or napkin until the water is completely absorbed.
How to blow dry?
Any hair dryer will do the job. The operation of drying the keyboard is not difficult. Only one thing is important here - not to overheat the area of the keyboard under the hot jet. In modern devices, the board responsible for pressing the keys is made of thin plastic, which can melt under the influence of hot air.
Run the hairdryer over the entire surface of the keyboard several times, staying in one area for about 4-5 seconds. After drying, connect the device to the computer and check its functionality. If that doesn't work, try drying again.
Currently, on the computer market you can purchase a special device that is used for cleaning and drying keyboards. They are called vacuum cleaners. Here is one of them:
It is recommended to purchase such a device for users who like to drink a cup of tea or coffee while working at the computer.
What not to do
Wait until the device is completely dry before doing anything. This usually takes two to three days. Some people try to speed up the blow drying process. Under no circumstances should you do this! The hot air will turn the water into steam, which will settle as condensation inside the housing.
Important! You can't turn on your laptop! This can cause a short circuit, which can cause expensive parts to break.
The average cost of PC repair in a service ranges from 1,500 to 4,500 rubles.
Remove the battery
Computer keyboard
It is easier to correct the consequences of a flooded keyboard for a desktop computer, since it is a separate device. The first thing you should do is turn it off immediately, and not try to end the session in a hurry - without prompt action there is a huge chance that you will not be able to maintain its functionality and even damage the connector to which it is connected. Remove the battery from the wireless device. Turn the keyboard over with the keys facing down to allow as much fluid as possible to flow out. Further, the sequence of actions differs for the two types of keyboards.
Membrane
Depending on what exactly was spilled, you can do it in two ways. If it was water and in large quantities, it will simply need to be removed from the inside; therefore, it is not necessary to remove the keys. But if you get something sweet or sticky, you will need to disassemble the entire device to wash the keys too.
- After waiting until all the liquid has drained from the keyboard, turn it back over and take a photo of the location of the keys if you decide to completely disassemble it.
- The quickest way to clean removed keys is to put them in a plastic bag with warm water and a cleaning liquid such as dishwashing detergent or laundry gel. Tie the bag and shake thoroughly. Additionally, you can leave them in this solution for 20-40 minutes, so that all excess is removed from the caps.
- Disassembly begins from the back side, where all the screws are located. Use a suitable screwdriver and remove 6 screws: one from each edge and two from the center. Some keyboards, especially older ones, have a different location and quantity; in more expensive and modern models they are hidden by rubber feet that prevent the device from sliding on the surface. Carefully pry up each leg and remove it. Don't throw them away - the legs can be glued back to the same places in the future.
- After making sure that nothing else is holding the lid, carefully pick it up with something thin and not very sharp, for example, an unnecessary card. Removing the back cover of the keyboard, you will see a film with conductors, possibly protected by a special layer (or two). It, together with the protection, is screwed on around the perimeter.
- They also need to be unscrewed and the layer removed.
- Underneath there is an elastic membrane layer, secured with cables and screws - disconnect and unscrew them.
- Next, it remains to remove the membrane itself.
- If ordinary water has been spilled, you can leave the keyboard in this state for several hours, waiting for all elements to dry completely. When something has been poured that leaves traces - carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee, tea or even mineral water - you will need alcohol and a cotton pad to remove all traces. Do not bypass the electronic board either - if it is dirty, carefully wipe it with alcohol. You should not wash the printed circuit board with soap or simply place it under running water, but you can wash the plastic (keys, cover) and membrane. If you need an input device for work urgently, it makes sense to use a hairdryer with a cool air setting, drying the keys in the same way.
- After making sure that everything is perfectly dry, put the device back together and check its functionality.
Mechanical
Owners of mechanical keyboards will need to perform a different algorithm, and the process will depend on the type of assembly of the specific model. For example, in classical mechanics the screws are also located at the back, but in the “skeleton” format the front cover is removed, and the fasteners are located in different areas under the keys, and not always symmetrically to each other (that is, not always strictly on the sides and in the center). As a result of this analysis, inside you will find a plate with switches, and on its back side - a control board. We have already talked in more detail about the analysis of mechanics in the article at the link below.
Read more: Complete disassembly of a mechanical keyboard
All tips regarding drying and washing keys are fully applicable to those described in the section on membrane keyboards. The only difference is the absence of some components of the keyboard, namely a film with tracks and a membrane. Accordingly, just skip these recommendations.
Do not forget to wash the inside of the keyboard cover if there are also traces of liquid on it.
Take it to a service center or save it yourself
You need to make a choice: try to fix the device yourself or take it to a service center? A decision has to be made on what to do next. For people who are poorly versed in technology, the second option is preferable.
The sooner you contact the service, the better. Even after thorough drying, water remains inside the case. It starts the corrosion process. Every hour, corrosion invades new areas, destroying the insides of a personal PC. In a couple of months, it will be impossible to restore a corroded gadget.
Trying to revive a PC yourself is not without sense. Not everyone is inclined to trust service centers. In addition, the money saved on repairs will not be superfluous.
Carefully remove the laptop keys
What not to do
It is forbidden to dry a laptop:
- hairdryer;
- compressed air;
- vacuum cleaner;
- power units;
- rice.
Note! After drying, there is no need to rush to turn on the computer. It is better to have it checked by specialists.
High temperatures
Using a hair dryer or battery to dry it can cause high humidity, causing liquid to condense throughout the board. In this case, moisture will spread throughout all parts.
Compressed air
Using compressed air will increase the amount of dust that can adhere to chemical residues.
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner can ruin the properties of board parts due to its high power. Plus, it won't help clear acid residue from carbonated drinks.
Forceful removal of liquid
Using construction tools will damage the motherboard chips, causing complete failure.
Rice
Rice is also not able to dry the parts completely, because some of the moisture remains. This can lead to even more fluid leakage and faster parts failure.
Ultrasonic bath
Ultrasonic removal agents are unable to remove corrosive substances. The moisture will potentially disappear, but sediments and stains cannot be removed with ultrasound.
Laptop turns on too quickly
If after repair the laptop does not turn on, then you need to wait until the device is completely dry. This may take an hour or more.
How to save a laptop yourself
Take the laptop and keyboard apart. This is not easy to do. It is not enough to unscrew the screws under the bottom of the housing. Some of them are located under panels secured with special latches. They must be removed with caution.
Important! To work, you will need a set of screwdrivers, a blotter, brushes with hard bristles, cotton swabs, a can of compressed air, and distilled water.
The easiest way is to follow the instructions. Go to the manufacturer's website and download the repair manual. Following the instructions, you can sequentially dismantle the equipment. It doesn't matter if you couldn't find the clue. If you have confidence in your own abilities, try to fix the problem yourself.
First actions
As soon as tea has been spilled on the keyboard, you need to immediately turn off the power to the laptop and remove the battery, then turn the laptop upside down. Some models include a protective film for the keyboard, which minimizes the negative consequences. But in most cases it is absent. Tea is a more dangerous liquid than ordinary water, but less aggressive than carbonated drinks with dyes. Depending on the spilled liquid and its amount, the steps to fix the problem may vary. This is described in more detail at https://anout.ru/zalil-klaviaturu-noutbuka-chto-delat/.
Degrees of aggressiveness of liquids
Based on the degree of impact on equipment, liquids are conventionally divided into aggressive (drinks containing sugar and salt) and non-aggressive (pure water). Sweet tea spilled on the keyboard has an aggressive effect. A spilled drink can cause more serious damage than regular water. Tea starts the corrosion process and shorts the conductive paths. As a result, the motherboard receives severe damage. If tea gets on your keyboard, you need to act immediately.
Carefully bend the key latches
Disassemble the laptop and keyboard
Disassemble the laptop into its structural parts. We need to check where the tea managed to get to. If you don’t have instructions at hand, follow the following procedure:
- Unscrew the screws with a screwdriver.
- Unfasten the cables by lifting the latches.
- Remove the cover of the device.
- Remove the keyboard by releasing the latches.
Blot any drops of moisture with a napkin, if any. Apply compressed air from a can to hard-to-reach areas to remove any remaining moisture.
Water accumulates in the keyboard, speakers, and under the hard drive. Blow air thoroughly through each key. Unfasten the optical drive and spray the area with compressed air.
To avoid short circuit, remove the motherboard CMOS battery. It's easy to find. Similar to a coin, it has a flat shape.
The CMOS battery is round in shape
Disassemble the keyboard into its components. Remove the keys using a flathead screwdriver. To avoid damaging the keys, they need to be pryed off from below. Be careful not to break the fasteners. The keyboard is protected on the bottom side by several layers of protective film. One separating film is dielectric and two are conductive. Usually they are glued together at several points. If there is no moisture in this area, you can stop at this stage. The process of putting up films is labor-intensive and requires certain skills.
Important! If water gets into your hard drive, do not try to repair it yourself. You need to dismantle the disk and take it to a service center for data recovery.
Clean and rinse
Carefully inspect the system board. There should be no plaque or stains on it. Clean contaminated areas with a hard brush. All excess must be removed with an alcohol solution and rinsed with distilled water.
Important! Tap water is not suitable for washing PC microchips. It contains metal salts. Impurities are not completely washed off. They remain on the board, which can lead to a short circuit.
It is necessary to gradually disassemble and wash the components of the PC. Rinse dry stains thoroughly. Wipe them with a blotter or soft cloth. Blot local areas where the napkin does not penetrate with a cotton swab.
There may be moisture under the film
Dry your laptop
After thorough washing, you need to dry the device elements thoroughly. Do not use a hairdryer for drying. It will blow hot dust inside and contaminate the microcircuits. Hot air can overheat the working parts of a PC.
Place the laptop in a disassembled state in a warm and dry place out of direct sunlight. It is best to lay out the case, keyboard parts and motherboard over some kind of grid. This will help ensure air circulation on all sides. For proper drying, at least 24 hours are required.
Assemble and test the device
When the structural parts of the PC are dry, you can begin assembly. Reassemble the laptop in reverse order. After assembly is complete, connect the power supply and try to turn on the device. It's great if the laptop works. Test the device to make sure it is working properly. The easiest way to do this is in any text editor.
If the PC does not turn on, you will have to contact a service center.
Brush off stains and deposits
What to do if the device is flooded with water
If the user has flooded the laptop, immediately after this it must be disconnected from the power supply and the battery removed - do not click on “Shut down” and do not wait for the laptop to turn off by itself. However, a film is glued to the keyboard, which protects the motherboard if moisture spills on the device. Therefore, when liquid gets in in small quantities, if it is pure water and not beer or tea, coffee, then you need to do the following:
- remove remaining water with a soft cloth;
- After that, remove the device and dry it properly.
If the last point is not performed efficiently, then moisture will remain between the films of the polyethylene printed circuit board flooded with beer or water, which over time will lead to corrosive damage to the conductive paths and failure of the input device.
To dry a keyboard that has had clean water spilled on it, it is not necessary to disassemble it. In a ventilated area or under a radiator, it will dry completely in about a day.
Assemble and test the device
Do the keys crunch after spilling water? If a button on your laptop is stuck, carefully clean the keys with an old toothbrush and some regular nail polish remover. Spill of corrosive liquid
By water
If the keyboard was flooded with liquid that contained sugar, honey and similar substances, then additional prevention will be required. If water tends to evaporate without a trace, then all sorts of tea and coffee drinks leave behind sticky substances. And here drying alone will not do. In most cases it will be necessary to disassemble and clean the device.
If the keyboard is not detected by the system at all when connected, then it is worth checking the wire contacts, as well as the controller to which they are connected. Perhaps a rupture occurred during disassembly. In the worst case, the connection connector in the system unit may burn out. You can check its functionality by connecting a known working keyboard.
Importance of the type of spilled substance
It should be mentioned that the previously listed liquids can be divided into 2 types - aggressive and slightly aggressive. The extent of the device problem directly depends on this factor. In this case, you need to pay attention to 2 statements.
- A high degree of concentration of salt or sugar in a liquid makes it more aggressive.
We can conclude that mildly aggressive drinks include water and unsweetened tea. Brief contact of these liquids with a laptop causes minimal damage to the motherboard. This element of the device is considered the most vulnerable and is most often subject to breakdowns. This rule is relevant only in the case of prompt repair work by service center specialists.
Tea and coffee are especially dangerous. Repairing a flooded laptop may become impossible if cola or mineral water is spilled on its keyboard.
- The larger the volume of liquid spilled, the more serious the damage to the motherboard.
This factor plays an equally important role in the likelihood of laptop resuscitation. The degree of success of measures of this nature directly depends on the volume of fluid.
Spill of corrosive liquid
Such liquids include soda, tea, beer and other drinks that leave stickiness after drying. To fix your computer, you can use the following instructions:
- Turn off the power and dry the laptop.
- Often the liquid first gets on the keys, after which it gradually gets inside the case and damages the hardware parts. The sticky surface should be treated with an alcohol-based solution.
- If the device itself is filled with aggressive liquid, then you first need to turn it over and remove the keyboard. The dismantled input device can be washed with ordinary water.
