Here’s what to do if you’ve spilled liquid on your laptop

That day has finally come; you’ve spilled your drink all over your laptop. Whether you grabbed your cup of coffee too quickly or your cat knocked over your glass of water, time is of the essence and you need to act quickly!

Here are four ways to take emergency action and save pretty much your entire life…

1. Unplug everything immediately

Unplug your laptop first as this will reduce the risk of electrical damage. Remove all components that are easily detachable, like your mouse, any cables, flash drives and DVDs. If you have a laptop where it is easy to remove your battery, do that too. If not, simply shut your machine down.

2. Turn your laptop upside down

Open your laptop as far as it goes and flip it upside down, by doing this you’ll hopefully avoid any liquid seeping into the motherboard. By turning your laptop upside down, the liquid will drain out and not in.

3. Grab a towel and start blotting

Dry any wet surfaces that you see with a towel or handkerchief. Yes, paper towels will work, but they could leave behind residue and lint. Once you carefully start blotting the liquid, make sure to shake your laptop gently to remove any more water.

NOTE: The type of liquid that you’ve spilled matters. Water is less corrosive, while sugary and alcoholic liquids are the most harmful. But either way the goal is to dry up as much as possible!

4. Give it some time to air dry

Never use a hair dryer to try save your laptop. It will stir up dust and dirt and send it into the now-sticky environment. Instead, you’ll have to wait one or two full days to make sure your laptop is 100% dry before you power it on.

After these steps, your laptop should be good to go. If not, quickly take your laptop in, before it’s too late. Good luck transforming your soggy laptop back into a dry and full functional machine.

Do you need some help with your laptop? Contact The Computer Guyz in Cape Town or Centurion and we can provide you with anything from repairs to simply some friendly advice.