My Kid Barfed On My Laptop!

[LateNightLurker]

This is a good one. I was holding my little boy while walking past my laptop, and POW! He projectile vomited some milk all over my laptop, thoroughly soaking my keyboard. I quickly powered it off, removed the keyboard, and let it dry for a few days. I then cleaned it out with condensed air, trying to remove some of the milk residue, and succeeded for the most part.

To make a long story short, my laptop works, but a few keys still won't function correctly. I think it may be need to be cleaned further, and want some suggestions of what I can use to clean it? Or, is it posssible that this keyboard needs to be replaced?

[ArPaNET]

http://www.computing.net/howto/simple/keyboard/

funny story.

[nihil]

Hi LNL,

I would use Trike, but you probably won't be able to get that, or any of the other solvents that I have. You get cancer from just reading the labels

So you need Electonic Cleaning Solvent. I use Ambersil's "Ambertron". I also use AF (Automation Facilities) "Platenclene" and "Safeclene", but I am not sure if you can get them these days (1,1,1-Trichloroethane). You will have to find local equivalents

Get an old newspaper and put it on a flat worksurface like a kitchen worktop. Spray the solvent liberally in and around the defective keys. quickly invert the PC and place it keyboard down on the newspaper with the screen hanging over the edge of the worktop.

GET A HEAVY BOOK or whatever to hold it safely in place!

PLEASE EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN USING SOLVENTS!

1. No Naked Flames
2. No incandescent materials (hotplates in the kitchen?)
3. No Smoking
4. Don't breathe in the fumes
5. Keep the container out of the reach of children

USE ONLY IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA

For future reference, it is best to flush out spillages whilst they are still wet

It may take a couple of applications because you have let it dry, give it five minutes to soften up, then repeat the process.

Don't forget the book! (weight) or you may well need a new laptop

[kurt_der_koenig]

I personally use the "el cheapo methodo" of off the shelf Isopropyl - aka rubbing alcohol. Make sure the computers off, you have very decent ventilation, and NO close flames. Dabb excess liquid off, flip keyboard over on its face and let it air dry.

Depending on what kind of substance is on the keyboard you might have to repeat again.

My wife spilled kool-aid on my old laptop keyboard and this worked perfect for me.

Just my two cents!

-kurt

[Darksnake]

I normally get a tool chest or any container large enough to hold rubbing alcohol and the keyboard and give it a bath. Again doing it several times.
Not sure how good the solvents nihil uses are but from my experience the keyboard will have to be replaced. They are around $55 from the manufacturer.

[LateNightLurker]

Thank you for the responses. Rubbing alcohol seems to do wonders. I removed the keyboard and left it drying upside after a thorough bath in it. I suppose flipping the pc over with a book on it should only be done if I didn't know how to remove the keyboard? Either way, I appreciate the responses, and will look for solvents too in case this happens again.

[zallison]

Or if you got milky chunks inside the main component housing. Yum.

[nihil]

I suppose flipping the pc over with a book on it should only be done if I didn't know how to remove the keyboard?

Or if it happens to be a PITA................ ever changed the battery in an Apple?

Ethyl will do the job, so will methyl, but the purple dye isn't too clever for electrical contacts.

Basically, if you spill stuff on a keyboard you should clean it immediately, rather than let it dry out...............

And we don't believe it was milk either............ JD more like