Worst Place to Spill Water on Laptop: 5 Areas Must Protect

We’ve all been there – that heart-stopping moment when a glass of water tips over, and before you know it, there goes your laptop. It’s a hallucinatory experience, but there’s no need to panic! In this guide, we will take you through the entire process starting from exploring the possibilities of water damage to the unfriendly part which is, the most likely area I mean edge to spill water on the laptop and its consequences, and ways to avoid it or manage it.

The most unfortunate incident that could sometimes ruin your electronics for good is water spilling on the keyboard, as the keyboard is the first point of contact for water if it decides to drip down. Depending on how much water drips, it can cause damage to parts such as the circuit board, the satiable parts of the electronics widely present in a laptop, from the motherboard to so many other related components.

If the case is that you spilled some water on the laptop and fell on its keyboard then and there it will most likely end up spiraling into laptop water damage, and that won’t be the end of it, the laptop may start working or won’t even work at all. And, if a situation arises where water goes inside, then, you gotta act fast to avoid such an outcome — further damage occurring.

The Important Things to Know First

There’s no question that electronics and water don’t really mix well. So let’s start from the basics, how can one wind up in a position where he/she has to use water or liquid of any form on a laptop? The answer is simple, the laptop is not waterproof and once water enters the boundaries of the laptop, the chaos is unleashed. Ever seen a river flooding? That’s what it’s like. Of course, not every part of a laptop is susceptible to damage but most importantly certain segments don’t stand a chance and drive the entire compartments wide open.

The Top 5 Worst Places to Spill Water on Laptop

The answer is the laptop keyboard owing all the laptop components is the worst-case scenario when it comes to accidental water spilling while working on it. It is because most of the time it leads to a variety of complications that arise which in reality are quite troublesome to deal with. Let’s face it without being harsh, if while are in Canada or any country owe a laptop regardless of how expensive or inexpensive it is, you wouldn’t want it to break in half after working for a couple of days on it. So where were we? Yes, turn off the laptop, remove its battery, plug it out,, and lastly pray to Allah that everything miraculously gets fixed.

According to sources an easy way to dry out a laptop after it has been exposed to water is to turn it upside down for 48 hours and wash the surface area that is wet while gently spoiling water on it, that way the chances of retaining that the laptop works at least one more time increases. Now doesn’t that phrasing make more sense at assuring your laptop works one more time rather than stating “restoring hopes” the laptop works once a better time?

1. Keyboard

Consider your laptop as a castle and the keyboard as the main entrance to this castle. This is where the most chance for a spill occurs because it is right there in the very middle and can absorb any liquid that is thrown toward it. Be it a droplet from the coffee you have in the morning, or a whole ocean of drink that someone poured on it. Looking at it this way, a keyboard is always a good candidate for water damage.

2. Trackpad

The area just below the keyboard is yet another vulnerable area – the trackpad. It is much like the castle’s courtyard which is left exposed and thus it gets liquid in it very easily. In case someone has a drink or has a wet hand and touches it, this particular region can turn into a water-covered mess in no time.

3. Ports and Connectors

Here, consider the laptop as a busy city with multiple entrances as USB ports, jacks for headphones, and other connectors. There are water heaters present on one side of the city allowing water to breach and slowly destroy the inner parts of the laptop. This leads to destruction throughout the circuits and all the connections, causing further loss of meaningful communication involving the laptop.

4. Ventilation Grilles

The ventilation grilles have got to be one of the most underrated features of any laptop, let’s admit it! Without these grilles opening up the machine so to speak allowing free airflow in and out, their usage would have had to be restricted to weight lifting. But them being ‘easy’ access points for water to filter into your laptop, especially when placed on wet surfaces, gives most of us mixed feelings. Hence put your laptop in a dry area, coz reading some articles on the internet is not so important as getting it wet outside.

5. Display

The screen one has installed on the laptop is basically the eye of the machine, without a properly functioning screen, it would feel like you spending money to purchase a pretty box with no other function. While every inch of the laptop is prone to be damaged if submerged under the water, damage caused to the screen would cause the most inconvenience. It is proper logic, why would somebody want to purchase a laptop that doesn’t have a proper display functioning? According to me, it is borderline idiotic. Observe the world and look around.

What to Do When Disaster Strikes:

1. Act Quickly: Once there is evidence that water has been splashed on my laptop anywhere, which was my fault, the first instinct is to panic. And the first thing that I do is, power off my laptop and stopping it from practically exploding in between my fingers. Rinse it off and give it time to rest. Do remember every second is important to prevent it from getting damaged. Be like a dog saving its favorite toy from being taken away by its owner. Fasten your plan, now stand out because everybody is a leader in their story from a point of view.
2. Remove Excess Liquid: The next step is to drain any excess fluid that may still be within the laptop: tilt it given that it is possible and dab any remaining moisture infusing a cloth, making sure to be rather gentle. Drying spilled drinks for example is a good way to showcase a proper technique….However, if you shake or tilt it too much, you will just cause the fluid to go even deeper into the device.
3. Disassemble if Possible: If the thought of removing the battery and other removable parts is bearable, go ahead and do it, as it will make the dry out process easier. After a storm people will go check the bridges to see if there is any damage and that is why sometimes people will have to take certain things apart to see how much damage has been done.
4. Dry Thoroughly: Now that you have stripped the laptop to believe that it is in parts, put it in a warm and dry setting that can help the laptop get dry without rushing. Some sensitive components be it the motherboard or graphics card can get destroyed if you proceed to use heat sources such as hairdryers. The best analogy for this is removing wet clothes out to dry in the sun you have to be patient and in doing so rushing the process can lead to you lead to more issues down the line.
5. Get Professional Assistance: In instances where you don’t know what to do next or if you think that water has soaked your laptop to a worsened state, it is better to consult a technical expert. The professionals do know what to do by having the right tools and assessing the level of damages prevailed. It is like bringing in the army when the town is under attack, sometimes you just have to call for back up.

To Avoid Such Situations In The Future:

1. Purchase a Laptop Sleeve: A waterproof laptop sleeve can easily resolve the situation of your laptop being damaged because of any spills or in case of an accident. It’s like putting on a tuxedo on a man to portray him as well-groomed when going out on a date. There is nothing wrong with having an extra layer of protection while you are traveling.
2. Get a keyboard cover that is designed not to get wet: One more solution can be using a keyboard cover that is designed nonwet, this helps in avoiding liquid contact with your keyboard and any kind of liquid near it. Such a cover keeps your keyboard dry so that even in damp regions it remains usable on any device.
3. It would be wise to practice caution: less but still a point worth remembering is that you should be careful when handling your laptop around any liquids. Avoid placing drinks on or around the laptop and try not to use the laptop near a sink or river, this will help prevent a spill. Also, try to be mindful of your surroundings whenever you have your lunch around the laptop, it most certainly looks like a mini minefield.

FAQs

What can I do if I accidentally spill water onto my laptop?

If you ever find yourself in a scenario where your laptop gets some water on it do not panic. The first step is the most vital step, which is turning the laptop off and unplugging it. Tilt the laptop so that any water on the surface can come out easily and then gently wipe the laptop with a soft towel. If you can remove the battery from the device I would highly recommend doing that and placing it in a dry warm environment.

Is it safe to use a hairdryer on my laptop after I spill water on it?

No, don’t ever use a hairdryer on your laptop after spilling water. A hairdryer emits heat and by using it, you would risk damaging the internal wires or circuits. The safest and most recommended way is to place the laptop in a warm room and let it dry on its own.

Can a water-resistant keyboard cover help a laptop in spilling situations?

There are many millions of laptop owners around the world who always have an awkward question in their minds in what way would the cover of the keyboard protect the laptop from spilling. Definitely, a keyboard cover built with material that is certified anti-spill does provide some level of security against damage caused by liquid. However one must still remain cautious whenever they are using any of the devices near liquids to avoid a situation where an accident can take place.

How long am I to wait before switching on my laptop after water has spilled over my device so as to allow the device to dry?

It is impairment to not wait a minimum of a day or two before using a water-damaged laptop. The time provided to the device allows the internal systems to dry completely so as not to short circuits when powered on which prevents further damage.

What action should one take if a water spillage causes my laptop to go dormant and not Switch on?

There is a basic sense of panic that most people get when their devices stop working, however, one simply needs to relax and follow the next steps. Should your device have taken water damage and is now unable to turn on then first take out the battery if you have the option. After taking out the battery wait for a couple of days so that the device has enough time to dry. If it still does not work then feel free to visit a professional.

Conclusion

We have seen how very wrong a laptop can go if it comes into contact with water and the worst place to spill water on a laptop. One device that you cannot afford to neglect is a laptop. The very thought of it sitting in a pool of water is even more depressing. The good news though, is that there are dependable and professional methods to mitigate any damage or risk using such a device. There is no denying the potential threats a glass full of water can bring when used next to a laptop so it is advisable to be careful every time and replace that water glass with something safer.