I was having a barbecue at home, and while I stepped away to chat with some family, my 14-year-old cousin decided to play Roblox on my gaming PC. When I returned about 15 minutes later, I found my PC covered in juice, including the PSU and inside the case. I tried to turn it off, but nothing happened, so I unplugged it. It's been three days, and I haven't turned it on yet. I'm really worried about the potential damage since I've been saving up for this PC for two years. What risks should I be aware of?
4 Answers
My advice? Soak any affected parts in water first to remove the sugar, then follow up with isopropyl alcohol. Let everything dry thoroughly before you try turning it on again.
Should I really risk powering it on once I clean it? What if more damage is already done?
You really might need to disassemble everything to check for any residual moisture. If the juice got into the PSU, you'd better just replace it.
Honestly, your cousin's parents should be responsible for this. You should definitely talk to your parents about it. They owe you for the damages, especially since that PC cost a lot.
Yeah, but they have a history of dodging responsibility. It feels like they won't agree to pay anything, especially since the PC was so expensive.
It makes sense that people blame you for letting him use it, but come on! By this age, you should be able to trust others not to spill juice on a PC.
First, just turning off the power isn't enough. You'll need to clean the juice residue using isopropyl alcohol. The water will evaporate, but the sugar and other substances will stick around if you don't clean it up properly. If juice got inside your PSU, I recommend just replacing it since that could cause serious issues.
Make sure to use a lower percentage of IPA, like 70%. The higher concentrations may not dissolve everything effectively.
I was thinking of using rubbing alcohol and deionized water too, but my parents said I have to go far to get it.
If you have a room heater, put it in the room to help things dry out faster. Just make sure it’s not too hot!