How to Clean a Laptop Keyboard Spill

Clean spills on your keyboard as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage.

Spilling food or drinks onto a laptop can be a terrible experience. If liquid seeps into the hard drive or electrical components, the laptop can fail. Clean the laptop quickly after a spill to prevent severe damage to the laptop. Removing excess liquid is the most important aspect of cleaning a spill. The laptop can then be cleaned using isopropyl alcohol to remove sticky residue.

Things You'll Need

• Towel
• Hair dryer
• Cloth
• Isopropyl alcohol

Instructions

1. Turn off and unplug the laptop as soon as possible after the spill.

2. Turn the laptop to the side and drain out any excess liquid from inside the computer.

3. Soak up any liquid on the laptop surface with a towel.

4. Remove any hardware such as external drives, cards, cables, mice, batteries and discs.

5. Pick up the laptop and hold it upside down. Slowly turn the laptop, allowing any pooled liquid to flow out through the side.

6. Dry the laptop and removable parts with a hair dryer on the coolest setting. Allow 24 hours for the parts and laptop to dry.

7. Dampen a cloth with isopropyl alcohol. Wipe the keyboard with the cloth to remove any sticky residue from the keys.

References

• Vanree: How to Clean Up Laptop Spills
• PC World: Step-By-Step: Keep a Clean Keyboard