Whether it’s a cup of tea, a bottle of water, or a glass of wine, standing next to your laptop with a drink puts you at risk of potential liquid damage.
But if you act quickly, you can prevent the worst from happening.
Read our tips to give your laptop the best chance of avoiding a wet grave.
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What to do if liquid is spilled on a laptop
Remember that speed is of the essence. The quicker you follow these steps, the more likely it is that you can salvage your laptop.
1. Turn it off
Turn off your laptop as soon as possible. If you are working on an important document, save it (use the keyboard shortcut). control And Sor command And S If you have a Mac), press and hold the power button for about five seconds to turn off the power completely.
If your laptop is powered by a plug-in cord, be sure to turn off the power outlet before unplugging the power cord.
2. Turn it over
Turn your laptop over as quickly as possible to keep the water from getting further into the machine.
By unfolding the laptop and placing it on a flat surface in an inverted V, you can prevent further damage
3. Remove the battery
Take the battery out of your laptop. This will prevent liquid from entering the battery pack and possibly causing an electrical hazard.
Remember, if your laptop was plugged in, try unplugging it from the wall outlet before attempting to do so.
4. Remove all peripheral devices
Take out any devices that might be connected to your laptop, e.g. B. a USB dongle and micro SD cards. If you can remove the keyboard from your laptop, remove it and wipe off the water.
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Advanced steps to protect your laptop from water damage
If it’s a serious spill and not an unfortunate splash, you may need to take extra measures to protect the internal components.
5. Soak up moisture
Open the laptop and use a lint-free towel to wipe up as much liquid as possible.
6. Remove components
If you’re confident in what you’re doing, take out the hard drive and RAM before water damage permanently damages those components.
7. Dry your laptop
Leave in a cool, dry place for 48 hours to allow maximum airflow to the laptop.
After two days, put the components back into the laptop and test it. Hopefully these steps were enough to salvage your gear, but if your laptop isn’t responding all hope is not lost as a PC technician may still be able to salvage your computer.
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