Water spilled on keyboard - what to do?
If you have spilled water on your keyboard, you should act as soon as possible. We'll show you what you can do with water damage to a PC keyboard and a laptop keyboard.
Water spilled on USB keyboard
- Immediately unplug the keyboard cable from the computer so that the keyboard no longer receives power.
- If you have spilled a lot of liquid over the entire keyboard, hold it upside down so that most of the water flows away. If you have spilled little liquid, move the keyboard as little as possible.
- Now release all keys from the keyboard. This can be done, for example, with a knife or a screwdriver. The keys only have to be lifted slightly and can then be removed.
- Clean both the interior and the individual buttons. Cotton swabs and household paper are suitable for this.
- After cleaning, leave the keyboard in a well-ventilated place for several hours. If the water has penetrated into the inside of the keyboard, you should wait at least 24 hours. You can speed up the process a little with a hair dryer, but don't hold it too close to the keyboard.
Repair water damage on a laptop
- Switch off the laptop immediately and disconnect all power connections. Then dab the water off the surface of the keyboard.
- If possible, you should remove the battery. Move the laptop as little as possible.
- If you have the option, remove the keyboard and dab the interior of the laptop. Instructions for removing the keyboard can be found in this article.
- Leave the laptop in a ventilated place for at least 3 days so that all components can really dry.
In the next practical tip, we'll show you how to deal with water damage on your smartphone.