- Remove the keycaps, if possible.
- Pour 99 percent isopropyl alcohol into a small bowl. Have lint-free cloths and lint-free swabs available.
- Dip the cloth into the alcohol. Make sure it isn’t wet enough to start dripping. Run it over all surfaces of the keyboard.
- Dip a swab in the alcohol. Use it to scrub the places where the keyboard is particularly messy or that have resistant residue. ...
- Use the swabs and cloth to clean the removed keycaps. Make sure to get the tops and bottoms.
- Dry the keyboard with a lint-free cloth. Let it sit for 24 to 48 hours before reassembling it.
What to do if your keyboard is wet?
The first thing you need to do is move your keyboard to a dry surface by unplugging it and flip it upside down so that the liquid starts seeping out of the keys. Shake the keyboard hard a few times to get the water out of the keyboard’s internals.
What happens if I spilled water on my keyboard?
If the water seeps farther into the keyboard, it might damage the electronic components. Liquids other than water can also create issues because of what’s in them. For example, salt and sugar might interact negatively with your keyboard. How to Dry Out My Keyboard If I Spilled Water on It?
How to prevent liquid from seeping down into the keyboard?
Prevent additional liquid from seeping down into the keyboard by flipping it over until the liquid stops dripping from it. Ideally, leave it flipped over for 24 hours to dry.
What to do when your keyboard spills?
A spill doesn't necessarily mean keyboard death, but resuscitation can take some elbow grease. Unplug the keyboard (or for wireless models, remove the batteries), break out the screwdriver, and take that baby apart.
What to do when you've Spilt water on your keyboard?
What should you do if you spill water on your keyboard?Step 1: Unplug Your Keyboard. First things first, power off your keyboard. ... Step 2: Remove the Keys. ... Step 3: Wipe Up Excess Water. ... Step 4: Flip The Keyboard Over. ... Step 5: Wait for 48 Hours. ... Step 6: Plug In And Test.
How do you dry out a laptop keyboard?
Pay special attention to the keyboard and the parts you removed. Keep the blow dryer or compressed air moving. The minimum recommended drying time is one hour, but leaving the laptop to dry for 24 hours is preferred. Once your laptop has had time to dry, reattach the removable components and start up the laptop.
Can you fix a wet keyboard?
The good news, unlike other aspects of water damage on computer components, your water damaged keyboard can be fixed.
How long does it take for a keyboard to dry out?
Dry the keyboard using a towel or cloth. Avoid using paper towels or tissues because they contain a lot of lint. Be sure to dry between the keys as best you can. Let the keyboard dry upside down for at least 24 hours.
How long does it take for a keyboard to dry?
Ideally, leave it flipped over for 24 hours to dry.
How to get sticky keys out of keys?
DO: Carefully disassemble the keys. If your keys are sticky or sticking after they're dry, carefully remove the membrane or mechanical keycaps in and around the affected area. Use a keycap puller if you have one. Rinse any sticky keycaps with warm water or an alcohol swab.
Can you put wet rice in rice?
DON'T: Put it in rice. A common belief has been to put wet technology into rice to get rid of the moisture – but you actually should not do that, as it just introduces moist starch particles to the mess.
Step 2
Turn the keyboard upside down. This will make the liquids flow out the cracks in the keyboard.
Step 3
One of the most popular yet misleading pieces of advice to help your keyboard dry faster is to put it into some rice to remove moisture. Don’t do that. Instead, when the keyboard stops dripping, you can turn it over and dry it using a towel or a lint-free cloth. Avoid using toilet paper as it can leave behind a lot of lint.
Step 4
Turn the keyboard upside down again and let it dry for at least 24 hours.
Step 5
Next up, you will need to remove your keys to get rid of any moisture. Take a picture of the keyboard so you know what it looks like and disassemble it piece by piece. A small lever might be needed to pull the keys out.
Step 6
Now, turn the keyboard upside down one more time and remove the screws one by one. Eventually, you will be able to separate the top layer from the underlying layer. If it’s a membrane keyboard, you will find one or 2 thin membrane layers as well. When you’re able to separate all the components, dry them with a towel.
Step 8
Once this time has passed and everything is dry, you can re-assemble the keyboard by following the steps used to disassemble. If this didn’t work, consider replacing your keyboard with a water-resistant one.
Step by Step guide
If water or any sort of liquid has spilled on your mechanical keyboard, we suggest you to follow these steps in the same order, and we have categorized them as follows:
Immediate Actions to take
This is very necessary that you come into action immediately to prevent and/or minimize the damage to your valuable keyboard by the spilled water. If water reaches the circuit that too in an active state might blow away the circuit of your keyboard, making it permanently inactive.
Effective methods to dry the switches and keycaps
There are various ways to completely and effectively dry the keycaps and switches when you dismantle them. Here are some of them.
How to fix and recover the mechanical keyboard after the water spill
Once you reconnect your mechanical keyboard you might observe that some keys are not working or they are sticking at the bottom while pressing, or they are not smooth as before. In such a case, you will definitely want to recover the affected keys to make the keyboard fully functional again.
What damage can water do to the keyboard?
A few drops of water will not damage your keyboard until the water seeps through it from the holes under the switches to the circuit. For a short circuit to happen your keyboard should be connected or switched on, i.e. in an active state where current passes through it.
Can I completely soak my mechanical keyboard in water to clean it or wash it?
Yes, you can definitely wash it and soak it in water when the keyboard is unplugged, and just make sure that you dry it perfectly before re-assembling and plugging it in. Instead, it is advisable to wash it using an alcohol-based solution (99 percent isopropyl alcohol), like thinner to wash it.
Should I place the keyboard, keycaps, or switches between rice after the water spill?
There are a few things that you should never do, or they are popular but of no use, and one of them is keeping the keyboard in rice to absorb moisture, as usually done with a mobile phone. On the contrary, this will further damage the keyboard, as small starch particles can stick to your switches or keycaps.
Off with the Power
The first thing you need to do if you ever find yourself in such a predicament is switching your laptop off. Then, force shut your laptop by pressing down on the power button. I know that people advise you against it, but this will save you in the log.
Strip it, then Flip it
This step greatly depends on your laptop’s ability to be unscrewed and the warranty. If your laptop cannot be taken apart, run to the repair shop at the speed of light. If it can check the warranty policy first. Many companies’ warranties are rendered useless once you take the laptop apart. So make sure to check that with the manufacturers.
Now for the Keys
The keys are the first surface of contact, so they’re sure to get drenched. If you spilled water, dapping them with a towel should be enough. If you spilled something other than water like a soda, beer, juice, etc., now, that’s a different story. You’re in luck that keys on keyboards are removable.
Precaution is Better than Cure
Whether you’ve gone through this and want to avoid it, or just don’t want to experience this at all! Use a keyboard cover for your laptop. I personally find them a bit weird, but Hey! They’re saving your laptop from severe damage, so why not. What’s more, they even come in cute colors and designs, a bonus for aesthetics.
To Sum it Up
Spilling something on your laptop is a complete nightmare! We all know that electronics and liquids don’t mix well together but don’t lose hope. All is not lost yet. Turn off your laptop ASAP and follow these tricks so you can save your drenched laptop and have it working like before in no time.
