Have you spilled water on your laptop or desktop keyboard and need help fixing it? In this article, we will look at the best solution to get out of such an unpleasant situation.
It is common knowledge that water and electronics do not mix well together. In many cases, water can completely fry electronic equipment and shut it down completely. Fortunately, the keyboard can be fixed by removing moisture.
It is also possible, albeit more difficult, to repair a laptop keyboard after it has been damaged by water.
How to fix a water-damaged keyboard for desktop computers
Fixing a water-damaged keyboard is usually fairly easy if you take the necessary steps and be careful during the repair.
First, unplug the keyboard from the computer so that it no longer receives power. On most keyboards, especially the cheaper membrane ones, a little water will not necessarily damage the keyboard.
– /
For more complex mechanical and gaming keyboards, which often have additional circuitry, there is the potential for long-term damage and the repair process is a little more complicated, but the general concept is this. same.
For this tutorial, we will use a standard office membrane keyboard as an example. You can follow the same steps with your own keyboard, but if you get stuck somewhere, you may need to search the Internet for a step-by-step disassembly guide for your particular keyboard.
The overall goal is to disassemble the keyboard piece by piece to remove moisture.
First take a screenshot of the keyboard – you’ll need it for reference later.
Then start by stretching out all the keys. Almost every keyboard has keys that can be extended and extended without any damage. You may need a small lever to remove the keys. Consider using a screwdriver or a penny. Be sure to put your keys in a safe place so they don’t get lost.
With all keys off, the next step is to go to the back.
Flip the keyboard over and unscrew the screws one by one. Eventually, you will be able to remove the top keyboard layer to get to the underlying layer. If it’s a membrane keyboard, you will find one or two thin membrane layers that cover the entire keyboard.
The next goal is to remove the membrane layers – they should just slide out. Sometimes there will also be a metal frame that can also be unscrewed or pulled out.
After that, all your components will be stripped. Your next goal is to thoroughly dry all the components with a dry towel. Make sure all moisture is absorbed.
If you spill juice or soda and your keyboard is sticky now, you may need to buy alcohol swabs to wipe off the leftovers.
After all the moisture has been removed, you can reassemble the keyboard. Just follow the instructions for disassembling the keyboard, but in reverse order. It is also recommended to leave the keyboard unassembled for 12-24 hours so that latent moisture can evaporate.
Refer to the original photo you took to return the keys to their original position.
In almost all cases, this will fix your desktop keyboard. Keep in mind that more complex keyboards with LEDs or additional functionality may require additional disassembly, and there is also the possibility that your keyboard will break and cannot be repaired.
In this case, you should contact the manufacturer to see if they offer repair or replacement.
How to fix a water damaged laptop keyboard
Fixing a laptop keyboard is more difficult because there is a possibility that moisture can enter other important circuits in the laptop and cause further damage.
First shut down your laptop and remove the battery immediately. Then hold down the power button to make sure there is no charge left in the laptop components. The sooner you turn off your laptop, the less chance of damage.
The next step is to disassemble the laptop and wipe it down. Disassembly process will depend on your laptop model.
Fortunately, there are disassembly guides for nearly every laptop model on the planet (search YouTube), and most laptops are built specifically for easy disassembly.
However, some notebooks are more difficult to disassemble than others. Some can get by with just a screwdriver. Others may need special tools that are usually included with laptop repair kits.
Another great online DIY repair resource is iFixit. They have a whole section on repairing different types of keyboards with step-by-step instructions, screenshots and sometimes even videos.
The end goal once again is to remove all moisture from the inside of the laptop. The process can be lengthy and will require patience and care, but with the right guidance, you should be fine.
If your laptop was working before you turned it off for repair, it will most likely work again after you have removed all the moisture.
summary
So, if your keyboard is still working after being damaged by water but is unstable, usually cleaning the keyboard and removing moisture will fix it and return it to normal use.
However, if your laptop or desktop keyboard stops working completely, chances are that it will break and cannot be repaired.
Either way, the only potential fix is ??to carefully disassemble your desktop or laptop keyboard and remove any moisture.
Was this tutorial helpful? Let us know your thoughts. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us for advice.
–