topic Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard in Electronics

Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

occasionalrain — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 06:56:20 GMT

Last night I spilled coffee on my Mac wireless keyboard, not a lot. Anyway, I wiped it off and the keyboard still worked then but tonight some of the keys don't. Is it DOA or is there a fix?

Thanks

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

Lynnj — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 07:17:55 GMT

Thats not good. It's just the keyboard, that you would connect wirelessly to a desktop or other display, correct? Or are you taking about the keyboard part of the laptop? That will make a big difference.

If just the keyboard, alcohol using a cotton swap in the areas where the coffee landed might help.

If your talking about a larger spill, where the coffee might have gotten under the keys and into the inner parts of the keyboard, well then I would turn the keyboard off. The wires are probably wet, and could short out.

If keyboard of a laptop, turn the laptop off and take to computer repair. If Apple, go to Apple Store. Do not use the computer. Do you have Apple Care for the keyboard?

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

Breamy — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 07:23:45 GMT

if its' a keyboard to a desktop...put the keyboard into the dishwasher. When it's been cleaned, leave it on the counter for at least 24 hours giving all the connection time to dry out. Voila! Your keyboard will work perfectly. Our ITS department does this on a regular basis at work, however, we don't use Apple's at work.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

glb613 — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 12:54:45 GMT

On 12/19/2014 occasional rain said:
Last night I spilled coffee on my Mac wireless keyboard, not a lot. Anyway, I wiped it off and the keyboard still worked then but tonight some of the keys don't. Is it DOA or is there a fix?

Thanks

If you didn't remove the batteries and let it dry out, it's DOA.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

Ms X — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 15:06:03 GMT

I've had keyboards (not wireless) that did that but with time went back to normal. Give it a week. Even if you get a new one, keep it around for a month or so and see if it dries out fully. When I spill something on a keyboard, I immediately turn it keys side down while I get a towel in order to minimize the damage.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

mima — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:22:59 GMT

On 12/19/2014 Breea said:
if its' a keyboard to a desktop...put the keyboard into the dishwasher. When it's been cleaned, leave it on the counter for at least 24 hours giving all the connection time to dry out. Voila! Your keyboard will work perfectly. Our ITS department does this on a regular basis at work, however, we don't use Apple's at work.

You have to be kidding. No way!

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

mima — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:24:13 GMT

What about putting it in a bag of dry uncooked rice upside down? Rice dries out cell phones. You could use a small trash bag.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

ValuSkr — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:58:18 GMT

On 12/20/2014 mima said:
On 12/19/2014 Breea said:
if its' a keyboard to a desktop...put the keyboard into the dishwasher. When it's been cleaned, leave it on the counter for at least 24 hours giving all the connection time to dry out. Voila! Your keyboard will work perfectly. Our ITS department does this on a regular basis at work, however, we don't use Apple's at work.

You have to be kidding. No way!

Wouldn't the wiring / electronics inside the keyboard be ruined by washing in the dishwasher?

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

Lynnj — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 04:17:50 GMT

On 12/20/2014 ValuSkr said:
On 12/20/2014 mima said:
On 12/19/2014 Breea said:
if its' a keyboard to a desktop...put the keyboard into the dishwasher. When it's been cleaned, leave it on the counter for at least 24 hours giving all the connection time to dry out. Voila! Your keyboard will work perfectly. Our ITS department does this on a regular basis at work, however, we don't use Apple's at work.

You have to be kidding. No way!

Wouldn't the wiring / electronics inside the keyboard be ruined by washing in the dishwasher?

I would think so. I would never do as that poster suggested.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

HonnyBrown — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 05:03:30 GMT

DOA

Coffee is acidic.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

Breamy — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 05:08:38 GMT

No the wiring in the keyboard is not ruined in the dishwasher. You just have to dry the keyboard out which can take up to 2 days sitting on the counter. I work at a major medical facility and they do this to our keyboards on a weekly basis for cleaning purposes.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

ValuSkr — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 05:15:44 GMT

On 12/20/2014 Breea said:
No the wiring in the keyboard is not ruined in the dishwasher. You just have to dry the keyboard out which can take up to 2 days sitting on the counter. I work at a major medical facility and they do this to our keyboards on a weekly basis for cleaning purposes.

Maybe the medical facility uses a special kind of washable keyboard (for proper sanitation)?

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

Rabid1 — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 06:45:11 GMT

On some computer keyboards the motherboard is waterproof so most damage from spills is from it getting sticky or contact shorting so the tap on the key isn't being registered. These can be cleaned in a dishwasher, but you have to turn off the dry cycle and if it has a low water temp setting use it.

In the case of a wireless keyboard if it is the only way, you should not use the washer but run the keyboard, batteries out of course, under hot water. Then let it dry, in a bag of rice as suggested above is best, for at least 48 hours.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

occasionalrain — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 06:56:31 GMT

Thanks for the suggestions. It's for an I Mac, not a laptop. I'm going to try alcohol and if that doesn't work, I'll try the hot water and rice. Fortunity, I have another keyboard to use but it isn't wireless.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

glb613 — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 12:12:09 GMT

On 12/20/2014 occasional rain said: Thanks for the suggestions. It's for an I Mac, not a laptop. I'm going to try alcohol and if that doesn't work, I'll try the hot water and rice. Fortunity, I have another keyboard to use but it isn't wireless.

Wireless keyboards are different from ones that connects using a cable. If you put it in water or the dishwasher, you will ruin it. Like I posted, if you didn't remove the batteries and let it dry out, the changes of it being permanently damaged are very high. You can try the rice and alcohol because at this point, it can't hurt.

Re: Solution for Coffee Spilled on Keyboard

mima — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 03:46:39 GMT

On 12/20/2014 occasional rain said: Thanks for the suggestions. It's for an I Mac, not a laptop. I'm going to try alcohol and if that doesn't work, I'll try the hot water and rice. Fortunity, I have another keyboard to use but it isn't wireless.

Do not try hot water. Just dry rice uncooked. Put it in a bag with dry rice. Rice absorbs the moisture.