Fixing Your Outdated Machine

Spilling a sticky drink on your laptop keyboard is a nightmare scenario for any laptop owner. When this happens, knowing what to do is important if you hope to save your computer.

Turn Your Laptop Off

Your first course of action will be to turn off your laptop. Don't waste time closing out of programs and allowing your laptop to shut itself down. Pushing buttons and using the mouse could push the liquid farther down into the keyboard and the internal parts of the laptop.

Turn your laptop off by holding down the power button until the unit is completely shut down. Next, unplug it. Detach anything plugged into the ports (flash drive, mouse, etc.). Open the unit as far as you can, then flip it over and remove the battery. Have a friend hold onto the laptop while you take the battery out so as to not press the screen into the table.

Wipe Down the Laptop

Use a clean microfiber cloth to dry off the exterior of your laptop. Have a friend hold it by the sides while you dry the keys.

Blot the laptop instead of wiping it. Doing this will allow the cloth to suck up the liquid, whereas wiping it off will spread the liquid around. You may need to fold the cloth in different directions several times while you're doing this, to ensure that you're always using the dry portion of the cloth.

Do this until the unit is completely dry. Check the underside of the laptop as well as the screen and keyboard. When you're done blotting the liquid, sit it upside down, like a tent, on your table. As the computer sits, more liquid may dribble out from beneath the keys. Keep wiping up the extra liquid. Don't use a hair dryer or another type of air blower to blow the laptop dry, as this will spread around the sugary drink and may blow dust onto the computer.

Leave the Laptop to Dry

Allow the laptop to sit, upside down, for a day or two. This will give all the liquid that might be inside the computer a chance to work its way out of the unit. Next, take your laptop to the computer repair shop. Since it was a sticky drink, your device will need to be professionally cleaned and assessed for permanent damage. For more information, contact a trusted computer repair company.