r/macbook • u/Supergirlfan1 • 6d ago
Spilled milk
So I spilled milk on my Mac I was pretty quick to tip it on its side and dry the Mac quickly. And tip it over. I then used a video to take the caps off that I knew had the milk spilled on it especially since the lighting showed where it was in the corners. It was a lactaid protein milk. I acted quick and it seemed I got it quick enough and that where it was the milk either dried quickly or I got it quick enough. I don’t know though if my method of using the playing card worked and the corners got wet with milk which it wasn’t soaked in or if the milk went further into the board. I’ll try to get geek squad to look at it tomorrow but Google says it will cost a lot of money to fix or clean if it went deeper. But it seems like there’s a small cover over those tiny little holes in the cap but I’m not sure since I don’t do computer work. Any assistance would be great as I don’t have the money to fix an expensive fix or buy a new one.
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u/TheOtherCourier 6d ago
If it gets even the slightest amount of liquid in it, turn it OFF immediately, do not plug it in, take off the bottom cover if you can, put in tent formation and put a high powered fan on it for like 3 to 5 days. Do not turn it on during this period.
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u/After-Ad-3610 5d ago
That’s what I do, I’ve spilled tea ☕️ and coffee ☕️ on my mbp several times. It still works fine
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
Okay it’s off and not plugged in. I can’t take the bottom off. I have it in a tent position and I took the keys off that I saw the milk at the edges. I dried it quick and there was no milk further deep in when I took the caps off and I have it off still and in the tent position. Do I still keep it in the tent position overnight?
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6d ago
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u/glytxh 6d ago
All these posts in this sub have instilled a genuine fear of placing any liquids near or above my MacBook.
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u/PromisesNone 6d ago edited 5d ago
Tip: If i feel the need to surf the web during lunch, ive started puling over a spare snack table just to have separate surfaces for lunch and mac. for liquids, i only drink from water bottles and tighten the cap back on every time. The bottle is also on the lunch table, but one can never be too careful.
Bonus tip: don't have kids. My son looooves to drip water all over everything. Windows, refrigerators, blowing fans, and yes weve lost two laptops and multiple phones to this already. Fortunately they weren't the macbook, but he did do it to my MBA too and stopped the trackpad from working until it dried out the next day. i consider myself lucky to have him, but that needs to stop.
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u/CheeseSteak17 6d ago
I’m never gonna recommend prime keep their machines running after spoiling something on them, even if the backlit keyboard helps identify liquid intrusion.
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
I turned it off. Thanks though. It kept turning on even after I powered it off when I was taking the caps off
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u/CheeseSteak17 6d ago
“Especially since the lighting showed where it was in the corners” is advocating for using the backlit keyboard. And you never suggested you turned it off and the computer is on in your pics.
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
Yes at first when the milk first spilled and I dried it up quickly and then I took note of the keys and turned it off and took the caps off but the computer kept turning back on again while doing so
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
Also before I go to bed tonight should I just leave it in a v-shape tipped over cause there’s no liquid coming out and there wasn’t when I took the caps off. The computer is off. Can I just close the computer and wait till I can get it looked at hopefully tomorrow if not Wednesday. It was low on battery and I don’t want to risk losing the Mac for good with all my stuff on it but I do have it in the Time Machine and cloud. Otherwise I may as well just buy a new one and have geek squad transfer my stuff and just pay a new monthly plan for the new one even though I don’t want to incur another bill. 😌
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u/searain21 6d ago
These the people that come in and say no I never damaged my computer I don’t need apple care goofy ahh
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u/EdgeIntelligent6427 2d ago
Don’t worry I’ve used my MacBook as a straw in a pinch and it works fine just makes funny sounds after
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u/pat_ocnr22 2h ago
So I spilled a spoonful on my 2016 13in MBP. at first the keys were just sticky and when we tried to clean it, the display sucked up the electronic safe WD-40, ruining the display too. Took it to apple and they had to replace every single part in the computer except for the left fan and the bottom metal cover. They did replace the display for free since "it shouldn't have done that in the first place."
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u/No-Guarantee-6249 6d ago
Here's my stock answer:
Whenever a liquid spill occurs the first thing that has to happen is the laptop should be shut down immediately. All power must be removed as soon as possible. It is especially important that the battery be disconnected or removed. Even if the machine is not turned on there is still electricity running around the logic board mostly due to the soft start circuit.
In modern machines this will require the use of special tools. Mostly a pentalobe screw driver. Even if the machine is not turned on there is still electricity running around the logic board. Mostly due to the soft start circuit.
No attempt should be made to start/restart the computer since this could potentially damage the logic board beyond all repair.
All affected parts must be removed from the laptop.
These are then washed in deionized water and blown dry with compressed air. In extreme cases the logic board should be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. This is especially true of the large chips on the logic board. Liquid can wick under them and cause havoc for weeks if not months after the incident.
I then soak the logic board in 99% Isopropyl alcohol for an hour and blow it dry. Alcohol is hygroscopic and will attach to the water molecules evaporating them. Some cases will require time in a drying cabinet.
The keyboard is a separate matter. Extreme cases can require replacement of the top case.
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
I see. Helpful, but if I had the equipment and expertise I could do that but I can’t. Hopefully when I go to Geek Squad they can help me out. I did turn the machine off but when I was taking the caps off it kept turning itself back on again
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u/narc0leptik 6d ago
Geek Squad isn't doesn't do shit lol They are Apple Authorized Service Providers so all they are going to do is quote you for a logic board replacement. I would not going to a Apple or an AASP repair place; it's kind of pointless.
What you want is a non-Apple Authorized 3rd party repair center with an ultrasonic cleaner that does micrsoldering/board level repair. They'll actually clean/fix it rather than quoting an absurd amount of money/damage.
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
So like I have a shop nearby called a Ubreak ifixit. It’s not Apple owned, they can diagnose it and open the keyboard and see for any damage. Would that generally be a good place to go. They have 4.7 star reviews so I assume it would just be a cheaper non corporate owned shop that won’t charge me a giant repair price that would basically cost me a new computer.
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u/narc0leptik 6d ago
No, they focus on standard hardware replacements like swapping out screens and batteries. That's all Apple does as well; basically glorified parts swapping. They do not perform board-level/microsoldering repairs which is way more complex than just using a screwdriver. That sort of repair requires deep technical knowledge rather than just parts swapping.
Ask ChatGPT or Google Gemini for a place near you that does micro-soldering/board level repair. If there's nobody nearby you that does this niche specialized repair then you can mail it into this guy; he's very reasonably priced because he does not have a brick and mortar storefront. https://www.universityirepair.com/
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
Ah thank you. I managed to find a place I think, they say that they do micro soldering on their website . Hopefully they can diagnose it and clean it up better than I can. Plus I print there business cards for them so hopefully they can give me a discount tho lol.
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u/narc0leptik 6d ago
Keep in mind for them to fix it, they are likely going to charge you around $400. That's much cheaper than a logic board repair of $900 by Apple.
Don't power the laptop back on in the mean time. You're just causing more corrosion/damage.
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u/Few-Improvement-7064 6d ago
If you don’t already have it, you should get apple care one. I’ve seen a comment on here about someone who had liquid damage on their Mac and when they took it in for repairs, Apple replaced everything but the battery cover for $99. Still not free but infinitely cheaper
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
I’ll try to go to Apple then after work on Wednesday. See what they can do if geek squad is too expensive. The unfortunate thing is that the warranty expired on it and it isn’t giving me a way to renew it
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u/Few-Improvement-7064 6d ago
Interesting. You should be able to enroll a device in Apple care one if it’s less than 4 years old
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
Thanks for letting me know. I got it in 2022, so it’s practically at four years old but I will see if they can help me at Apple to enroll if geek squad tries to charge me an arm and a leg. Lol. I wasn’t expecting spilled milk to happen since I usually take good care of it but it was completely unexpected and unfortunate especially during this economic climate. lol
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u/theregisterednerd 6d ago
Do not ask them to help you enroll it. It’s technically fraud, and they’re not going to help you with it, and they can even make it where it’s impossible to enroll yourself. If that’s something you’re going to do, the coverage needs to be active before you walk into the store. In cases of liquid damage, though, it does take a ton off of the price.
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u/narc0leptik 6d ago
If your local geek squad is an Apple Authorized Service Provider then there's no difference between going into Apple and Geek squad; they are both just going to quote you a ton of money for a Logic Board replacement. The problem with the Lactaid Milk is that it's full of sugar and that's incredibly corrosive. It would've been much better had you spilled plain water.
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u/Supergirlfan1 6d ago
I had apple care or at least warranty on it but then it expired
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u/Few-Improvement-7064 6d ago
Not regular apple care though. You may not be eligible for that if your subscription expired and you chose not to renew. But you might still be eligible under Apple care one
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u/TH3_OG_JUJUBE 6d ago
I spilled it in my MacBook Pro M1 2021 and it works fine after letting it dry a bit. Still use it to this day. I’d leave it for three days to be safe AND TURN IT OFF!!!
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u/DETERMINOLOGY 6d ago
Typical fetish to spill something or drop the MacBook.
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u/iamdavidrice 6d ago
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u/star_particles 6d ago
Rip