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It is imperative to keep food and beverages away from your computer. This is true, regardless of whether you use a desktop, laptop or notebook computer. As you may know, spilling something on your laptop keyboard can be a serious mess, and can result in a damaged or ruined computer. Essentially liquid materials can easily seep down into electrical components, and even reach the hard drive. This could cause the computer to fail or crash. However, spills do sometimes occur. If you spill food or any liquids on your laptop computer, it is crucial to act fast, and get the keyboard cleaned properly. This means wiping up any fluids immediately. Let’s go over a few steps for cleaning a laptop keyboard spill.

1. Start by shutting down your laptop computer, and unplugging it afterward.

1. Stand the laptop up on its side, so that any liquids or food crumbs can fall out more easily.

1. Use a clean towel or cloth to absorb any liquids from the laptop’s keyboard and surface.

1. Proceed to disconnect all hardware from the computer. This includes a mouse, external hard drives, cables, batteries, cards, and discs.

1. Now, take the laptop computer, and hold it upside down. If there is any liquid remaining in the laptop keyboard, gradually turn the unit, allowing the liquid to drain out through one side.

1. At this point, you need to carefully dry off the laptop with a hair dryer (cool setting). You should additionally dry off any removable parts. Leave the laptop computer alone to dry for a minimum of 24 hours.

1. Once the unit is dry, you can use a damp cloth and isopropyl alcohol to clean it up a bit more. Lastly, use a cotton swab (with alcohol) to remove any sticky residue on the sides and tops of the computer keys.