Wife spilled tea on laptop keyboard. Is it toast?

[sixdogs]

Tell your wife that her ONLY Christmas present is a new computer.

Well, that's too late. I already got her a pole chain saw and some tools.

I've been thinking about some radial tractor tires too but don't want to go overboard on her.

I think she's getting me coal.

 

[Ford850]

Tea? It's not toast, but it might be crumpets.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A higher quality keyboard might survive. Generally is there is sugar involved it's garbage. Maybe not so much the contacts, but the keys will never stop sticking. Most contact type cleaners don't affect sugar either.

 

[the old grind]

I spilled Pepsi on my laptop and about 10 keys died. I bought a new keyboard part for the laptop and replaced the entire keyboard. Cost $20 and took 10 minutes. Check YouTube for a video for your specific laptop model. I found one for mine that took the person 5 minutes total.

Thanks! You said it for me, too.

 

[CADplans]

My laptop keyboard died from spilling EVERYTHING on it,,, some of the keys quit,,

My SIL ordered a replacement keyboard off of eBay,, anyone that can change brake pads on a car can install a laptop keypad,,,

It is amazing how many laptops are parted on eBay,, I think my keyboard was about $5 delivered,,

 

[YLee Kioti]

Jeweler's screw driver pop the edge of KB out pry ribbon apart.
Use a electronic spray cleaner careful here it looks like brake cleaner buuuuut....
Then reinstall in reverse order.
or e-bay for a full replacement. One can be a temp solution until new one comes in.

Course you could unplug BT connector for the mouse and slid a new Alienware laptop insert BT connector for mouse and bahdah bing your in.
ANd have your honey wrap that lump of coal, make it look purty, least she can do after all the gifts you got her.

 

[MossRoad]

....
Time for a new laptop? I want to buy one. .....

There is no hope for the laptop. Buy a new one....

There, now you have validation.

The first thing to have done would have been to immediately remove the AC cord and battery, turn it so the keyboard is vertical, and spray it down heavily with contact cleaner or anhydrous alcohol. That would flush the sugars and water out of it. Then take a large tupperware or rubbermaid tub, fill it a couple inches deep with rice, put a couple sheets of paper over the rice, and set the laptop down on the paper, seal the tupperware and let it sit for a couple days. The rice will act like a desiccant and suck the moisture out of the laptop and keyboard. The paper just keeps the rice from sticking to the damp laptop. The little silica gelpacks work better than rice, but you need a lot of them and most people have rice. You'd want to leave the laptop open so there's more surface area over the keyboard VS shutting the screen.

I've saved dozens of laptops like this over the years. Cell phone's too. Just about a month ago my wife dropped her iPhone in the toilet and I was able to save that with the rice method. But I did happen to have iPhone specific tools and was able to open it up and disconnect the battery and shake out the large drops before putting it in the rice.

 

[oosik]

Most personal use electronics are not designed to be hosed down with any type of beverage. I know that the Navy has a procedure for washing and drying circuit boards, etc, etc. But that is intentional maintenance - not accident recovery.

You now have a worthless weight on the end of a three foot electric cord and a chance to get a shiny new toy. Enjoy.........

 

[GLyford]

If you want to keep using it as a portable, replacement keyboard from ebay. I've done it once, wasn't too bad.

If you only ever use it on one spot anyway (like kitchen table or whatever) a regular old USB keyboard, $10 at walmart if you don't already have some kicking around.

 

[George2615]

Suuuuure, Blame it on the wife. I think you just wanted an excuse to buy a new one.