A laptop is part of the life of many folks in this age of information technology, and coffee has been so from way before computers became common.
As important as they both are for our lives, the two do not belong together. Accidentally spilling coffee on a laptop can end up damaging it.
The situation is even more serious if the laptop is a MacBook. You can hardly afford to damage such a high-performing, durable, and expensive machine.
In this article, I will give you a quick rundown of what you should do to prevent or minimize the damage if you accidentally spilled coffee on a Macbook.
Plus, I’ll give you some tips to prevent it from happening in the future.
Can A Macbook Survive A Coffee Spill?
The short answer to that question is YES. But it all comes down to the severity of the spill and what you do afterward.
Hot coffee can have a big impact on the machine. The spilled coffee oozing into the circuitry of the MacBook, especially the logic board, and causing a short circuit is the main threat.
This can cause voltage and current fluctuations harmful to the electronic components.
The contents of coffee such as moisture, sugar, cream, etc can have long-term abrasive and corrosive effects on the electronics too.
Moreover, the residue left over could potentially conduct electricity which causes shorts.
What To Do If You Spill Coffee On Your Macbook?
Now is the time to lay down the plan of action to save your MacBook from the coffee spill. Here’s exactly what you should do:
Power Off The MacBook Immediately
Turning your MacBook off is the very first thing you must do if you spill coffee on it.
Don’t bother about shutting the system down properly, just hit the power button as quickly as possible.
With no electrical current flowing through the circuits, there can be no short circuit.
Remove The Battery And Unplug All Connected Devices
After you power off the MacBook, quickly remove the battery.
However, if you have a newer Macbook model, the battery cannot be removed (all Macbooks after 2009 have the battery built-in). If this is the case, just move on to the next step.
After you have switched the MacBook off, disconnect any external devices plugged into various ports of the MacBook, such as USBs, mouse, etc.
Invert The MacBook To Prevent Further Penetration Of The Liquid
The next step is to keep your MacBook inverted to stop the coffee from oozing into the circuitry and make any coffee that has already gotten in drain out.
Wipe Off The Rest Of The Coffee With A Dry Cloth
Afterward, you need to quickly wipe away the coffee spill.
Start dabbing any remaining coffee away from the MacBook and the battery, and any external devices previously connected, with a piece of soft, absorbent cloth.
A cotton towel or even some microfiber cloth should do.
Leave It To Dry
Once all the draining and wiping are done, leave the MacBook (inverted – lean on a wall) for a few hours for any remaining moisture to dry off.
Make sure there are no damp spots before you take it back in.
Get The MacBook Serviced By A Pro
All the steps above can remove the moisture from your MacBook, but there’s the possibility of stuff like sugar and cream from the coffee sticking on, especially inside.
Your best bet to get the residue removed and ensure the well-being of your MacBook is to take it to a reputable computer repair shop to be serviced.
What To Do If Your Macbook Is Not Working After A Coffee Spill?
Unfortunately, if you notice any kind of malfunction in your MacBook following the coffee spill incident, your only option is to take it to a reputed computer repair shop.
Any repair or servicing of such a sophisticated and expensive piece of technology must only be handled by pros.
Prevention Measures for Future Spills
As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure. There are a few things you can do to keep accidental coffee spills on your MacBook from happening.
- Stop having your coffee while you’re on your MacBook. Take a break from whatever it is that you are doing on the MacBook to enjoy your coffee.
- Don’t have your coffee near your MacBook. Dedicate a place away from your MacBook to have your coffee.
- Use protective covers on your MacBook’s keyboard. The keyboard is where your coffee is the most likely to spill on, and most easily ooze in. So having a water-resistant cover over it can protect your MacBook from accidental coffee spills.
Frequently Asked Questions
I Spilled Soda On MacBook Keyboard – What To Do?
Soda or just about any beverage can cause short circuits. You need to quickly turn off your Macbook, remove the battery and dab away the soda with a lint-free cloth. After that, leave it out to dry for up to 24 hours. You can use rubbing alcohol on sticky keyboard keys afterward.
Quick Recap
Spilled coffee on MacBook can result in the coffee oozing inside and creating short circuits and abrading and corroding the components.
Your MacBook can survive a coffee spill if you take immediate action to turn it off, drain the fluid out and wipe it off.
But It is best to take your MacBook to a proper repair shop for good measure.
And remember – preventing it from happening in the first place is better than dealing with it after it happens.
