More anecdotage about water spilled in MacBook
Just joined the Forum precisely because I found it so helpful in a spillage last week (had never seen MacForum before) and am adding my experience in case helpful to others.
Last week I had a truly freak accident (like many I keep drinks well away from my laptop but failed to notice - yes stupid I know - a small vase of flowers on a chest of drawers on which laptop lay, playing music as I did housework. Vacuumed the room, left room, vaccuumed another, noticed vacuum cord was short. Tugged, tugged again. Not knowing cord had been wrapped around drawer handle and pulled drawer open leading to - disaster - vase knocked over Mac. Reason I'm mentioning this is that the liquid was odd - mostly water but also yuck from the flowers and whatever chemicals go into the little sachets of flower preservative...
Which makes the following miracle all the more miraculous.
First, being totally inexperienced, I did the stupidest thing possible - as the screen was white/grey/mottled and I was terrified I thought plugging the charger in would prove if it was still alive (as opposed to what I know now - which is - this sends currents through the machine that oughtn't to, and makes it all worse). Removed cord. Rang computer guy... found this website and others using another computer.... ended by taking battery out opf Mac, unscrewing back, and drying as well as poss (damage was on the upper right hand portion of motherboard, looking at it from the back). I then placed it with a large amount of uncooked rice on a big sheet of Press ' Seal, then sealed. Left it nearly 4 days. Removed, carefully dusting away rice.... there was clearly some damage.
Then taking advice from one guy on the web who said he used this method successfully, Apple, I took a soft toothbrush dipped in some denatured alcohol (meths that is) kept in the shed for something to do with tools and cleaned away, incredibly gently, the blue/green corrosion (or bacteria, suggested someone else?) near the bit of the motherboard that got wet, and also some of what appeared to be spider web-type fluff. Let it dry over night... then put it all back together (nb you need incredibly small screwdriver for this, and a steady hand).
It turned on fine, the picture on the screen was clear, the sounds worked but the touchpad didn't. Put a mouse in.... the pointer worked, but couldn't type. So I assumed the keyboard is gone, but I plugged in another keyboard and the machine worked fine. 45 minutes later, perhaps having warmed up, the keyboard and touchpad began to function again. Several days later it is still working fine, same as ever, no difference at all.
Like other post-ers, I don't know whether this means I'm still headed for trouble later on (and would appreciate it if other post-ers who've had 'miracles' like I have also post again if they experience trouble, logging how long it took to show up...
Just giddy with gratitude and thankfulness and was keen to let others know another low-cost success story (not that I in any way deserve it or am technically gifted, obviously, or I wouldn't have plugged it in...) but - these miracles happen. NB my machine is 3.5 years old, well out of warranty. I'm aware that taking the back off takes one out of warranty but heck, spilling a vase over it does too, so I felt I had nothing to lose.
Out of kindness, we should all make sure to educate new laptop owners (even if they think they are careful and will never suffer liquid damage or even 'frozen laptop damage') of the crucial first aid steps as many I've talked to have done stupid things as I have (including a Canadian I know who ALSO plugged in her laptop after leaving it in a car in - 40 degrees overnight - ...)
Will be infinitely more careful in future!