I have a Dell XPS 13 9315 that was exposed to Coppertone Sport SPF 50 aerosol sunscreen when the can discharged inside my bag. More than 48 hours later, the laptop still turns on, but the display has large dark, cloudy areas that look like liquid or oily residue inside the screen assembly. I shut it down, unplugged it, and left it powered off in a dry, ventilated place, but the screen has not improved. Is it reasonably safe to power it on again, and could I use it with an external monitor if the damage is limited to the display? Should it be opened and professionally cleaned before I continue using it?
2 Answers
The safest approach is to have the laptop opened and cleaned before extended use. Simply leaving it powered off for 48 hours will not remove oily sunscreen residue, especially from inside the display assembly. If you decide to test it, make a complete backup first, keep it on a nonflammable surface, and stop using it if it becomes hot, smells unusual, flickers, shuts down, or behaves erratically.
It is difficult to know whether the sunscreen reached other parts of the laptop or whether its ingredients could cause corrosion or electrical problems. Since residue is visible inside the display, I would assume some may be elsewhere and have the laptop inspected and cleaned if possible. Back up important data immediately, and avoid relying on the laptop for anything critical because it could fail without warning. Using an external monitor may be possible temporarily, but it does not remove the risk of hidden residue, and the display itself will probably need replacement.
Thanks, that is really helpful. I appreciate the advice.