I accidentally set my gaming laptop down in a puddle of water for about 30 seconds, and when I found it, there was water all over the surface and the bottom of the laptop. I wiped it down quickly and moved it to a dry area, but then it shut off. In a panic, I tried to turn it back on, thinking it was just low on battery. Now I'm really worried. Is there anything I can do to save it? How should I position it to dry? I also noticed that the water entered through the vents on the bottom—does the usual drying method, like keeping it keyboard down, apply here, or should I try something different?
3 Answers
If the puddle was shallow and the electronics are mostly dry, you might be okay! Just dry it thoroughly. I know it seems risky, but flipping it might have let some water drip onto the crucial parts. Ideally, you’d want to remove the battery as soon as possible when it gets wet, but do it carefully to avoid static damage.
Be cautious about battery removal—static can cause more harm than good!
Keep it sitting upright to stop any more water from seeping in and maybe try using a vacuum cleaner to suck up the water. Just be careful with it; a little moisture shouldn't damage the vacuum. Good luck with it!
Keep the laptop on the side it was standing on to prevent any water from flowing deeper inside. If you're comfortable, taking the bottom case off to dry things out and improve ventilation for a day or two can help a lot. Just make sure it's completely unplugged before you open it up!
I changed the position afterwards, but it was a bit confusing at first.