Accidents while playing PC games is inevitable, especially if clumsiness is part of your nature. And one of the most common things PC gamers often encounter is accidentally spilling their drinks on their gaming keyboard. As we know, liquid and electric parts never go well together, so it’s best to treat the spills right away to prevent the keyboard from being damaged. If this regularly happens to you, this article can help.
Here are five ways how to handle liquid spills on a gaming keyboard:
- Turn off your PC and unplug your keyboard.
- Turn the keyboard upside down and shake the liquid out.
- Dry the keyboard using a microfiber cloth.
- Let your keyboard dry for at least a day or two.
- Test your keyboard for any sticky keys or signs of damage.
1 – Turn off your PC and unplug your keyboard.
To prevent any damage to your keyboard from liquid spills, you need to attend to it instantly. Turn down your gaming PC immediately and unplug it from your computer.
If you’re using a gaming laptop, remove it from the power source and shut it down. The problem with a liquid spill on laptops is that the liquid can seep down into the keyboard, damaging its internal components and ultimately destroying your gaming laptop.
Keep in mind that if your laptop gets wet, do not turn it on until the unit is completely dry.
2 – Turn the keyboard upside down and shake the liquid out.
Take the keyboard to a sink or somewhere that you can hold it upside down to let the liquid drip back out of the unit. Shaking the keyboard will also force out any liquid caught between the keys. Continue to shake the keyboard carefully until nothing is dripping out.
When it comes to a gaming laptop, tilt the keyboard around to help draw out the liquid. Keep it away from any vital parts to avoid damage. Hold the laptop upside down and tip it sideways to force the liquid towards the keys and out.
3 – Dry the keyboard using a microfiber cloth.
Use a microfiber cloth and pat the keyboard dry while holding it upside down. Make sure to dry as much liquid as you can. Do not turn the keyboard over until you have wiped as much of the spill as possible.
Never use paper towels or tissue paper when wiping your keyboard from liquid spills. They can leave debris behind and can accumulate dust over time. A dish towel or paper towel can do the trick if you don’t have any microfiber cloth.
4 – Let your keyboard dry for at least a day or two.
Get a space where you can set the keyboard upside down to drain any moisture left inside it. Get a paper towel and place it underneath the unit to catch any liquid residue that may come out.
Most spills on a keyboard can dry within the day or about 24 hours. However, let your keyboard air out for two to three days to be safe.
5 – Test your keyboard for any sticky keys or signs of damage.
After a couple of days, check if the keyboard has completely dried up. If it is, plug the keyboard back into your PC or turn it on. Open a Word app and try typing. Press all the keys to ensure that everything works perfectly.
In some cases where you spill soda, coffee, or juice, there is a high chance some of the keys will be sticky. If this happens, plug off the keyboard and do a cleaning.
If there are no sticky keys and the keyboard is working fine, you’re good to go. However, if there are sticky keys on your keyboard, continue reading this guide to know how you should deep clean a keyboard.
How to Deep Clean a Gaming Keyboard
1 – Pull the keys off if they are removable.
Use a flathead screwdriver to remove each key. Place it underneath the corner of each key and pry it up carefully.
Before pulling off the keys, ensure that you know where each key is located. It is advised to take a quick picture of your keyboard to use this as a reference once you put them back.
2 – Unscrew the keyboard.
Flip the keyboard over and check for screws. Some keyboards have faceplates that keep them together. Remove the screw so you can set the bottom faceplate apart.
3 – Place the keys in a container to wash them.
Get a container where you can wash all the keys. Fill the container with warm water and mix a few drops of liquid soap. Gather all the keys and wash them carefully. Use a brush to clean the keys thoroughly. Dry each key using a towel and set them aside for air dry.
4 – Wash the faceplate aside.
Get the front faceplate and wash them with soapy water. You can also use a microfiber cloth to clean out any stubborn debris. Once done, rinse everything off and dry the faceplate with a towel.
5 – Clean the other half of the keyboard with cloth, cotton swab, and alcohol.
Get a clean and lint-free cloth, then dampen them with isopropyl alcohol. Scrub the remaining faceplate of the keyboard to clean any dust or dirt. Once done, move to the key stems of the keyboard. Get a cotton swab dipped in a cleaning solution or isopropyl alcohol to remove the dust on each key stem. Use a new cotton swab once it gets too dirty.
6 – Let the keyboard air dry for a day or two.
Find a place where you can set the keyboard. Keep each part exposed to dry them and ensure they are inaccessible to pets or children for them to fully dry out.
7 – Place each key back on the keyboard and re-plug them back into your keyboard.
Place the faceplates together, then securely place each key on the keyboard. You are likely to hear a soft click when it’s set correctly. Once done, re-plug the keyboard to your PC and check if everything works fine.
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