How can I properly clean an acer laptop keyboard after a spill?

Question

So it happened; I spilled juice on my laptop's keyboard.

It was only a little bit, but enough to instantly terrify me and make the necessary precautions to ensuring my laptop's safety.

So I did turn off the laptop, remove its battery, and turn it upside down, as I read from a website recommending so. It now remains upside down, and hasn't been turned on since. I cleaned between the keys as much as I could, but glancing at the keyboard, I could still see dried juice stains under some of the keys. (My laptop is an Acer 5560 series, so there is space between each key).

I'm ambivalent as to whether it's safe turn it back on. I feel like it may be a good idea to open up my laptop, and see if I can get a better look at the keyboard that way. But I'm not experienced with computer hardware, and I don't want to harm my computer in the process.

I'd like to know whether it's a good idea to try opening my laptop, and getting some of the dried liquid clean. If not, how else can I make sure the laptop won't be harmed, knowing the nature of the keyboard?

Solution

It'd definitely be a good idea to clean off the residue as much as possible - you risk corrosion and other problems if the juice residue is left in place. Unfortunately, there's a high chance that you'll need to replace some components in your laptop, including your motherboard.

In step #10, this article suggests that removing the residue is a very good idea:

Rinse off the residue. If you spilled anything besides water on the laptop, rinsing it clean will be the most dramatic part. There are several ways to rinse your machine, depending on the kind of spill, and how much risk you are willing to endure.

Solvents are later mentioned in the article as a possible solution to this sticky issue as well.

Another article offers similar suggestions.

Best of luck!

Comments

[Zolani13]

That's what I did, but I'm sure there was some liquid that got under the keys.

[Zolani13]

When you mention rinsing, do you mean I take the laptop apart and only rinse the keyboard? Also thanks.

[Daniel R Hicks]

If the keyboard can be readily removed from the laptop, and extraneous electronics removed from the keyboard (not all must be removed) then you can rinse the keyboard in clean water. Find a plastic pan large enough to allow the entire keyboard to be submerged. Start with fresh tap water, go through a couple of rinses (swish around quite vigorously), then switch to distilled water with a few drops of dishwasher rinse agent in it. Then towel dry as much as possible, leave upside-down and steeply slanted to dry for 4-7 days.