My computer has a drinking problem...

N.J.THer · Jan 13, 2011

Last week was my wife's birthday so she broke out her Happy Birthday wine glass and filled it with Pinot Grigio then sat down to look at her Facebook account. Entering the room my seven year old makes a bee line over to mom to see what she is doing. Wine meet computer...full glass right into the keyboard.

They both turn to me with a shocked expression as the screen goes competely white and starts to flash. I told them to unplug it, pull the battery out then but it in a plastic bag and cover it with uncooked rice.

Left it that way for a day then turned it on. The only ill effects are that some of the letters stick but with use they seem to becoming easier to use. I knew that this method worked for cell phones that have taken a bath so I figured it should work on other electronics.

Has anyone else had an experience like this? What were your results?

NJ

ThTx · Jan 13, 2011

Never would have have thought of it, but it makes sense. Good thing to know. Thanks.

kgt12 · Jan 13, 2011

When a laptop meets liquid it is likely done for unless it was only a couple drops and cleaned up immediately and nothing seeped down to the systemboard. Most of them fry right away, but have seen one go a couple weeks longer after drying out and then cook. Sorry to bear bad news.Good Luck.
I am a laptop technician.

NGE · Jan 13, 2011

Nope, sure glad we don't do alcohol :laughing7:

savant365 · Jan 13, 2011

I've used a hair dryer to save a cell phone a couple of times but never heard of the rice in a bag treatment. Sounds completely plausible though.

Charlie

p.s. for a joke you could get your wife a sippy cup for her birthday to use while at the computer :laughing9:

boogeyman · Jan 13, 2011

If the keys are still sticking, unplug it remove a battery if it has one. Turn it over remove the screws open it up spray the board & keys with electronic contact cleaner, Really spray it till it runs out. Work the keys a couple times spray again. Reassemble. make sure you let it dry completely. Saved a lot of them this way. 1/2 can of contact cleaner costs way less than a keyboard. Plus elevates you to genius / hero status in the wiffys eyes

shaun7 · Jan 13, 2011

My missus did the same thing the other day with a cup of tea...all over my brand new lap top

Started working the next day, but then the keys started playing up.

I've left it upside down, but I'm not too hopeful :'(

boogeyman · Jan 13, 2011

Almost forgot! thanks for the memory prod. :sign13:

Spills in a lap top. Immediately pull the battery. Don't wait for shut down pull the battery. Open the case all the way flat turn it upside down. lay it face down. Blow it out with canned air. You have a can of canned air for emergencies right :icon_scratch:

A compressor will work, but you should have a filter on the line to remove oil & moisture. Wha la! You saved yourself from having Geek Squad charge you an arm & a leg to do the same thing! :icon_thumright:

DigginThePast · Jan 13, 2011

Haven't had that problem with a computer........yet.

Have dropped several cell phones in puddles. Most of the time what works for me is to pull the battery immediately, don't press any buttons. Then I blow in out with canned air and then set upside on my dashboard, if warm and sunny, for a day or so.

As I said, this usually works for me, I'd presume it would carry over to other electronics. The key is to remove the battery before it performs a process, that will cause it to short out unless it already has shorted.

flip flop · Jan 13, 2011

My daughter has dropped her cell phone into the toilet......twice!
Both times her phone was saved by using the bag of rice method.

Good luck with your computer.

N.J.THer · Jan 13, 2011

Thanks everyone for the additional suggestions...everything so far seems okay so I'm not going to mess with it. I hope KGT is not correct...it has been a week since it took the swim. The computer has been on 24/7 and seems to be okay. I think the real key was getting the battery out right away. I did use a hair dryer on it the second day but I was using it more to get the rice out of the keys then to dry it out. I think the rice absorbed all the moisture already.

When I was younger one time the rice thing did not work with a cell phone was when we had a shore house. One of the girls that was crashing there lost her phone at the beginning of the week. We looked everywhere and could not find it. At the end of the week we were cleaning out all the coolers and there under the icey water was the phone. After a week submerged and people calling it to see if we could hear it ringing it was fried...no rice needed..lol.

NJ

curbdiggercarl57 · Jan 13, 2011

Just tried it with a nice Cabernet,a nice 2002 Louis Martini Winery, aged and dulcified with time, and containing the right amount of sugar. Excellent with light and delicate meals.Checking the keyboard as I writeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Crap.
Carlllllllll