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SafeBytes Software

What to do when liquid spills on your

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Page 1: What to do when liquid spills on your

SafeBytes Software

Page 2: What to do when liquid spills on your

It is a common mistake that can happen to the best of us. You can be working when coffee, tea, wine or plain water can threaten your laptop. The key is reacting quickly and preventing the fluids from entering into the system. You also need to watch out for electric shocks so you should disconnect the device completely before even attempting anything.1 – Switch off: Make sure that you turn off the laptop immediately. That does not mean leaving it in the socket. It must be unplugged by removing the AC adapter and even the battery because they can carry residual electricity. Remember that any time the liquid reaches the circuit, you will have a short-out situation.2 - Peripherals: You should then unplug all the peripherals. This includes the mouse and any wireless cards. The process ensures that they are not exposed to the liquid and that you actually have the space to do the remedial work that is required.

Page 3: What to do when liquid spills on your

3 – Cleaning Up: Using a dry cloth or a piece of tissue, remove the liquid that was spilled. The best option is lint-free paper towel. Make sure that you examine the keyboard to keep the spillages out. You can tilt it gently to allow the droplets to come to the surface.

There are certain laptops that are designed to be spill-resistant anyway and this will help your cause. Clean the keyboard thoroughly so that you are not left with sticky stuff that eventually reduces performance.

4 – Static Discharge: At all times you should insulate your body from static discharge. Research has shown that static currents are capable of damaging virtually any computerized device. This may involve “grounding” yourself in order to reduce the damage to the computer. Electrostatic dischargers can normally do the trick.

Page 4: What to do when liquid spills on your

5 – Disassembling the case: You may need to take the case apart. This is done in order to allow you more room to clean the laptop more thoroughly. If you are not comfortable doing what must surely appear to be a technical job, you may call in a technician to assist although that will cost you money that you could have used elsewhere.

6 – Dry Residue: Get rid of any dry residue that has been left behind. Your lint-free cloth will be able to take on this role as well. It is an important step in getting rid of non-water stains which can be damaging to the system as well. You can use a vacuum cleaner or any other form of compressed air in order to blow out the last remainders of the debris.

7 – Rinsing: Some people like to rinse the laptop afterwards and there is nothing wrong with that as long as you use the right materials and equipment. Deionized water will work on soluble stains such as coca cola. You may also use some alcohol followed by plain water. Tap water is not really the right solution.

Finally make sure that you reassemble everything after the laptop is dry. You can then cautiously test it until you are certain that everything is fine.