A friend accidentally spilled around 12 ounces of water, and my PC was directly underneath it. Thankfully, the computer was turned off at the time. I immediately unplugged it, took most of the components apart, and am letting them dry. The CPU cooler is still attached because it doesn't appear that water reached the CPU socket, but water did get onto most of the other parts. What else should I do before trying to use the PC, and is there a realistic chance I can avoid replacing anything?
2 Answers
Don’t power it on until you’re completely confident that every affected part is dry. Water can leave mineral residue behind, which may remain conductive and cause shorts or corrosion. Disconnect the power supply and remove any accessible batteries or cables. Clean the areas that got wet with high-purity, preferably 99%, isopropyl alcohol, then let everything air-dry thoroughly for at least a day or two. You don’t necessarily need to submerge the components—carefully flushing or wiping the affected areas is usually safer. Be especially cautious with the power supply; if water may have entered it, don’t open it yourself or reuse it until it has been professionally assessed.
You can remove the CPU cooler if you need to clean underneath it, but don’t put the entire system in a container of alcohol. Use isopropyl alcohol on the affected surfaces and connectors instead. It may dissolve or soften thermal paste, so if the paste gets disturbed, clean both surfaces and apply new paste before reinstalling the cooler. Avoid powering the machine on just to test it—one attempt while moisture remains can damage multiple components.
The alcohol helps displace water and evaporates without leaving much residue, but make sure there’s absolutely no liquid trapped under connectors, slots, or heatsinks before reconnecting anything.