Help! Spilled *beer* on Macbook!

[SnowLeopard2008]

I keep my computer elevated and the drinks far away, so if the can or bottle does spill, it will just get my airport express box which i use as a stand wet and not my 1k+ computer. just let it dry, go to ifixit.com and take it apart, clean everytihng with pure water let the computer dry when it's taken apart, and then make sure every bit is dry. put it together again. next time, keep the beer within a 5 feet radius of the computer. good luck!

 

[imfrog2002]

I learned the hard way to keep drinks away. An entire glass of Sprite on the middle of the keyboard of my Macbook. Freaked out and forgot to turn it off, while I ran to grab a towel. Screen went black, everything. Opened it, and dried it with a blowdryer (on cool) for 4 days. That was over 3 months ago, and I'm typing on it right now. It should survive, especially because you turned it off fast. I didn't and it still survived. Either way, good luck!

 

[ajagor92]

Just did a quick turn on of the macbook. I just opened up her guts and there wasn't a drop of beer that actually got in the laptop. Just the "Fn", "Ctrl", and "option" keys are a tad sticky, but those are already diminishing. I'm about to turn her off and take the battery out.

Just had to check her out (curiosity killed the cat, i know)

All clear on the Western Front (for now).

 

[Chandler Adaway]

Just did a quick turn on of the macbook. I just opened up her guts and there wasn't a drop of beer that actually got in the laptop. Just the "Fn", "Ctrl", and "option" keys are a tad sticky, but those are already diminishing. I'm about to turn her off and take the battery out.

Just had to check her out (curiosity killed the cat, i know)

All clear on the Western Front (for now).

The reason why you don't turn in on, is because you don't want the damp circuits to have volts of electricity running through them, which causes a short.
So since you already turned it on and did the damage, you might as well keep it on.

I'm sure it's fine anyways.

Most of these cases are resolved with success.

 

[The Hammer]

No offense meant, but as a Canadian I would like to point out that you are wrong about American beer. Perhaps you mean the whole 5% abv .vs. 4% by weight issue? Even ignoring that, there are thousands (no exaggeration) of microbrews in the US that are world class.

Try a Surly Furious from Minneapolis for comparison

Tom

I would like to try a Surly. Is it available at the LCBO?

 

[ajagor92]

Yeah, that's true. I don't think any of the beer got inside the computer initially. I literally had a cloth sitting right next to the computer at the time and insantly got there. As I remember it (all sort of a blur), it was more foamy than just liquid spilling into the keys. I couldn't get a great look, but I felt around (especially above the RAM and under the Fn key) and nothing was sticky or had residue.

I *think* I'm going to start using it again tomorrow. Any advice?

 

[macbooker15]

i spilled a very sugary soda on my mac once, and i was freaked out, but it was only a little, and i just had to wipe off the keyboard...i was happy

 

[Chappers]

Get a silicon keyboard cover. Only yesterday it saved my MacBook from a toddler and a drink of apricot juice.

Good beer - its in Europe

 

[nanofrog]

Remove the sticky keys. Use 91% rubbing alcohol and swabs (preferably lint free) to clean the keys and switches. The alcohol will dry quickly, and can be assisted with a can of air. If you are unable to completely wipe the contacts, and alcohol gets in, it will need plenty of time to dry out.

I've had to clean a few keyboards out this way. It seems to work quite well for me, but it is time consuming.

Hopefully this helps you.
Good Luck.

 

[carve]

I agree, get a silicone keyboard cover.

 

[Abstract]

The reason why you don't turn in on, is because you don't want the damp circuits to have volts of electricity running through them, which causes a short.
So since you already turned it on and did the damage, you might as well keep it on.

I was reading this thread and was about to reply to tell him the same thing. Too bad it came only after he said this.....

So I'm fairly confident I dried it out sufficiently.

With the number of people who recommended that he leave the computer turned off, the simple fact that he turned it on after 24 hours means that he didn't really post here looking for advice. He just wanted to complain to people, and so that people would console him.

Personally, I don't care if he turned it on without issue. That was luck.

 

[The Hammer]

Mac products seem to be pretty durable by the sounds of things. A friend of mine accidentally put his iPod Nano through the washing machine and the dryer afterwards before it was discovered in his pants pocket.

 

[Bobioden]

Any advice?

Your asking for advise, but didn't use any of the advice given so far. How many said to leave it off for a few days and let it dry completely?

So why ask for advice if you are not going to use it?

 

[ajagor92]

Your asking for advise, but didn't use any of the advice given so far. How many said to leave it off for a few days and let it dry completely?

So why ask for advice if you are not going to use it?

I did take your advice, but after opening up the laptop and looking inside, I realized that nothing got inside. There were no stains nor was there any stickiness.

 

[Stuart in Oz]

Your asking for advise, but didn't use any of the advice given so far. How many said to leave it off for a few days and let it dry completely?

So why ask for advice if you are not going to use it?

Give the guy a break - when it happens to you, you'll be torn between booting it up to find out the worst or leaving it on the shelf as well.

I did take your advice, but after opening up the laptop and looking inside, I realized that nothing got inside. There were no stains nor was there any stickiness.

ajagor92, I feel for you. I did the exact same thing in 2001 with my 3 day old Titanium Powerbook. My dad had bought it for me for university and I spilt a bourbon and dry ginger ale right over the keyboard. I know exactly what you've been feeling.

I got mine dried out within a few hours by a friendly tech at my local Apple dealer who took the covers off and used a hair dryer. The central Apple service centre (how they did service back then) said drying it off saved it - it's leaving the moisture in there for a few days that causes major corrosion damage.

I had to pay a couple hundred for a new keyboard and DVD drive (both gummed up by the sugar in the ginger ale) but Apple told me they left everything else alone as it was already dry when they got it, and it just worked. I was worried about later problems as well, however it's still going strong today - never had another problem in the 7 1/2 years since. I used it to go to college every day for four years and then gave it to my dad as his desktop and he runs it 24/7 the last three years.

Hope this helps you feel a bit better, and I'm glad your machine is working for you again.

 

[jjahshik32]

I think there is some kind of pure alcohol that you can dip your whole macbook into that would clean it. I forgot what its called but I remember one time, someone took apart the powerbook g4 with a similar but much worse incident and took apart the powerbook and dipped the logic board in the alcohol and after you let it dry it should clean the board/circuitry.

 

[Applepwns]

leave it off and let the moisture evaporate.

 

[gre9del]

Coke spilled in and on macbook, result? :http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=190246828527

lol, good thing my insurance agent is a thinker and had placed a scheduled item simply titled "Laptop" on my insurance policy. Scheduled item=replacement funds with no deductible=new MBP!:]

 

[nanofrog]

Coke spilled in and on macbook, result? :http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=190246828527

lol, good thing my insurance agent is a thinker and had placed a scheduled item simply titled "Laptop" on my insurance policy. Scheduled item=replacement funds with no deductible=new MBP!:]

You should remove the link. It could be considered an advertisement, and as a newbie don't yet have the ability to post in the Marketplace section.

 

[*Sandy*]

Hope it all works out, now go have a beer.

 

[mademan118]

Virtually the same thing happened to me just now, very little beer touched the laptop and I had it upside down with the battery out immediately. Wiped of down pretty quickly and now have it sitting in the V position. Don't think anything actuallly got in the laptop besides foam (I knocked the beer over, picked it up again, then knocked it over again and then the foam hit the laptop). I'm shittimg bricks right now. Any updates so far? How is it working?

My problem is I need the laptop ASAP for school! I think I'll turn it on tomorrow morning to see if it works. Should I keep it upside down this whole time?

 

[p1x3l]

@mademan118, LOL, the exact same thing just happened to me, I spilled beer on my gf's macbook, picked it up and then for some reason knocked it over again! I guess panicking will make you extra careless.

 

[swindmill]

My brother spilled about 4 oz of beer on my MacBook a few weeks ago. The screen went almost completely black before I could shut it down. I left it open and upside down with the battery out until the next night. It has been fine ever since. I'm still somewhat concerned that it will have problems in the future, but it's fine right now. It surprised me considering the screen went black with white flickering, and I didn't let it dry as long as I've since seen suggested.

 

[l.a.rossmann]

That's not enough. Clean it or you have a 50/50 chance of funky behavior down the line.

I will post this ad nauseum, in the hopes of people following the advice so they do not feel sour about their $1K doormat down the line. Take it from me, as I have already been through the headache of figuring out a way to closely approximate what can be done with professional tools using general household items. I tell people if what I do doesn't get them a working machine for at least three months to run back and demand their money returned, so I'll be damned if I'm not sure it's an effective process.

a) Rubbing alcohol already puts you behind the curve. Use 99% or don't bother. Search eBay. I like ultrasonic cleaners like the ones for jewelry, howeverm if you are patient, 99% alcohol works great, with a fresh, hard toothbrush. Do not brush back and forth, brush from the center of a particular location outwards.

b) Stop plugging it in. Each time you do you potentially screw up something else.

c) Do not just clean. It is not the cleaning that is important, but rather, the drying. You can keep the board next to the window or let it dry for weeks and it can still be screwed up. However, half an hour next to a drying tool that does not apply heat to the board will get the job done. It was once I realized this that I had a 100% success rate on the water damage stuff.

If you do not have access to professional tools for part C, a household dehumidifier will work in a pinch. After you're done going through the board with a fine but strong brush & 99% alcohol, hang the board in front of the dehumidifier's intake. Change the side facing the intake once an hour. Do this for about six hours. If you feel the air moving into the dehumidifier from outside the dehumidifier - if you can drop a paper in front of it and watch it get sucked onto the dehumidifier, it will most likely work.

Do the drying right after you have done the brushing, with the board still a bit damp from the alcohol.

Each step is important, the more you deviate from this the lesser the chance it'll work again.

Lastly, let this be a lesson that buying broken under the impression of fixing it and having a cheap macbook is a bad, bad idea!

 

[p1x3l]

Does anyone know if you can remove / pop off a key from the keyboard on a Macbook Pro Unibody (the newest version)? I've seen this done on the previous non-unibody version, is it still doable? Need to clean stuff underneath the key.