Spilled Water or Coffee on Your Laptop? Do This First

A glass of water, a coffee, a bit of juice from the kids — spills happen. If you've just knocked a drink over your laptop, don't panic, but do act quickly. What you do in the first few minutes can affect whether the laptop can be repaired.

Do this straight away

• Switch it off. Hold the power button until it shuts down. Don't wait to save your work.
• Unplug the charger and disconnect anything plugged in — USB drives, mice, cables.
• Turn it upside down with the lid open in a tent shape, so liquid can drain out rather than further in.
• Gently blot what you can see with a soft, lint-free cloth or paper towel. Don't rub liquid into the keyboard.
• Leave it off. Don't turn it back on to check whether it still works.

Why you shouldn't turn it back on

Liquid on its own often isn't what does the damage — it's electricity flowing through the liquid that causes short circuits. A laptop that's switched off and left alone has a better chance than one that's been switched back on to "test" it. Even if it seems to work, liquid inside can cause corrosion that leads to problems later.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using a hair dryer. Heat can damage parts, and blowing air can push liquid further inside.
• Putting it in rice. It doesn't draw liquid out of a laptop, and rice dust can get inside.
• Shaking it. This spreads liquid around rather than getting it out.
• Charging it "just to check". Keep the charger unplugged.
• Waiting to see what happens. Corrosion can keep developing, so earlier is better.

Does the type of liquid matter?

Yes. Water is usually the least harmful. Drinks with sugar, milk or acid — coffee, tea, juice, soft drink, wine — leave sticky residue behind as they dry, which can cause keys to stick and corrosion on the board. Let us know what was spilled and roughly how much; it helps with the assessment.

What about my files?

If your files aren't backed up, mention it when you bring the laptop in. In many cases the storage drive survives a spill even when other parts don't, and data recovery may be possible. Don't try to turn the laptop on to copy files off it — that risks more damage.

What happens when you bring it in

We'll open the laptop, check where the liquid has reached and look for damage to the board, keyboard and other parts. Some laptops recover well after a spill; others have damage that isn't worth repairing. We'll explain what we find in plain English and give you a quote before any work starts. If the repair doesn't make sense, we'll tell you and talk through other options.

Preventing the next spill

• Keep drinks on a separate surface, away from the laptop
• Use cups with lids when working at the laptop
• Keep important files backed up, so a spill is an inconvenience rather than a disaster

When to bring it in

As soon as you can after any spill — even if the laptop seems fine. Bring it in switched off, along with your charger. The sooner it's looked at, the better the chance of a successful repair.

Read more about laptop repairs and liquid damage laptop repairs. If the spill has stopped the laptop turning on, our laptop board repairs page explains how we check the board. If you mainly need your files back, see data recovery. If your hard drive has started clicking, see hard drive clicking — what to do first.