MBP vs. liquid detergent!

[thisisarcadia]

Last night I helped a friend take about his 13 MBP to clean it. He had spilt laundry detergent on it and it seeped through the entire back. Everything was wet with detergent. His battery, his super drive, his hard drive, his logic board and anything else you can think of was soaked. It had also seeped through the keyboard. We cleaned it out and made sure it was completely dry. I then asked him if he had tried to turn it on and he said yes. Apparently he hooked it up to the charger tried to turn it on about 4 times and heard a tiny crackling sound and when he first opened it up he saw bubbles on the logic board. Now I am thinking that even though we took it apart and cleaned it he did all the damage when he tried to turn it on and it is fried. He says he's gonna try and turn it on friday but I honestly think he broke it and there is no hope. What are your thoughts?

 

[mulo]

Now I am thinking that even though we took it apart and cleaned it he did all the damage when he tried to turn it on and it is fried.

exactly, any liquid damage and you should let it dry for a week minimum.

 

[thisisarcadia]

I kept telling him that and I definitely knew that was the last thing he wanted to hear.

 

[greytmom]

OMG. That thing is toast. No way will they take it back, nor should they.

 

[diamond.g]

Why was there laundry detergent near an open computer?

 

[thisisarcadia]

Why was there laundry detergent near an open computer?

He was moving back to school after spring break and he had his MBP on the backseat and some clothes and laundry detergent by it. He didn't realized the detergent was open and when he made a turn I guess it spilt on it.

 

[thisisarcadia]

OMG. That thing is toast. No way will they take it back, nor should they.

Ha yea theres no way he could take it back plus his apple care expired. But i feel bad for him because it was all an accident!

 

[iZero]

Ha yea theres no way he could take it back plus his apple care expired. But i feel bad for him because it was all an accident!

Man, that really does suck But hopefully he learned from it. Usually just takes one accident like that, to learn to keep your computers locked down in bags or some kind of protection, and to learn that liquids don't belong within 100 feet of them

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

It's Apple's fault for not providing liquid detergent guards to it's customers.

 

[brentsg]

It's Apple's fault for not providing liquid detergent guards to it's customers.

I think a big sticker on the palm rest would have prevented this.

 

[/user/me]

I think a big sticker on the palm rest would have prevented this.

Either that or some pre installed software could have warned him of the dangers.

 

[548827]

Oh no. Thats terrible... I can only imagine how he felt when he discovered that scene on his car seat.

 

[diamond.g]

He was moving back to school after spring break and he had his MBP on the backseat and some clothes and laundry detergent by it. He didn't realized the detergent was open and when he made a turn I guess it spilt on it.

Dang, that stinks... At this point maybe he can find a replacement logic board on eBay or Craigslist... That is an expensive lesson to learn though.

 

[thisisarcadia]

yea we looked up logic boards and they are extremely expensive, I think it would just be better to buy a whole new one.

 

[sdneidich]

This is why you have laptop insurance. Apple recommends this, and I recommend this.

Contact your homeowners/renter's insurance provider if you have one, and tell them you want to schedule an item. It will cost you about an extra $20 a year for 0 deductible.

Or, go to a website like Safeware ($120/year) or NSSI ($60/year) and get it, expect a 0-100 deductible.

 

[thisisarcadia]

This is why you have laptop insurance. Apple recommends this, and I recommend this.

Contact your homeowners/renter's insurance provider if you have one, and tell them you want to schedule an item. It will cost you about an extra $20 a year for 0 deductible.

Or, go to a website like Safeware ($120/year) or NSSI ($60/year) and get it, expect a 0-100 deductible.

Yea he definitely needs to do that.

 

[dime21]

He was moving back to school after spring break and he had his MBP on the backseat and some clothes and laundry detergent by it. He didn't realized the detergent was open and when he made a turn I guess it spilt on it.

He hasn't heard of a laptop bag or case? A brand new two $thousand dollar machine and he tosses it on the back seat of the car with the laundry detergent?? Hopefully he's learned his lesson now. Sigh, kids these days are so careless.

Here's what he should have done as soon as he identified the spill.
1. fully disassemble the entire laptop according the ifixit guide.
2. remove the battery, wipe it clean with a damp rag, and set it aside.
3. Remove all other components, logic board, etc. wipe each of them clean with a damp rag.
4. Let everything dry for at least 24 hours.
5. reassemble and power on.

 

[vincenz]

Ouch, water damage is one thing, but I can't imagine laundry detergent. That thing sounds like a goner..

 

[djpuma]

Never turn your machine on after a spill.

I spilled coffee on mine 2 weeks ago (17" i7 2010)
I immediately shut it down and pulled the power cord, turned it upside down so the coffee will stay in the keyboard and not hit the logic board.

I disassembled it and dried it out and reassembled it and fired it up.

It worked fine for a day but then the 3 and e keys went out and so did the backlight.

I bought a top case off of ebay and replaced the thing this weekend and it works beautifully now.

Never again will I drink coffee near my machine or any liquid.

I think your friends' laptop is toast if the water hit the logic board and apple will definitely see the white stickers that will turn red from water damage, they are all over the top case

 

[JudeMac]

I can't help but notice the complete lack of suggestions to make sure your HDD is backed up! As tragic as it is to have your laptop die (believe me, I know) it's even more tragic to lose everything on it. I don't care how your do it, but Back Up your Macs! Especially you laptop!!

 

[Miss Terri]

Bummer

It's so hard to resist just trying to turn it on, but you really have to for the best chance at saving it. 'course that's beside the point now.

Speaking of insurance: Any chance his (or parents - not sure of age here) homeowner's insurance might cover it? Might not hurt to check.

For some potentially dangerous situations, I've found that a 2-gallon Zip-Loc heavy-duty freezer bag fits over the computer nicely (i.e. it's in my backpack but it's raining outside, etc.)

MT

 

[Miss Terri]

I can't help but notice the complete lack of suggestions to make sure your HDD is backed up!

Well true, but the OP was asking about whether there was any chance the computer might still be able to function after a liquid incident. He didn't mention or ask about any data loss or I bet people would have addressed that.

 

[TheFarmer]

Yikes.