Don't Spill Your Drink

August 2012 — Tip of the Month

A friend of mine recently reminded me of the dangers of keeping a drink too close to your keyboard. The reminder was, of course, based on his personal experience.

While it would be easy to say, "Don't eat or drink while using your computer," I know for some of us who use our computers nearly all day long, that advice just isn't practical. Even I typically keep a beverage close to my computer while I'm working. However, I have avoided spilling on my keyboard by following this simple rule:

Set your beverage far enough away from your computer that if it gets knocked over, it won't spill onto your keyboard.

It sounds like simplistic advice, but if you get into the habit of keeping your drink an arms length from your laptop or keyboard, you won't have to worry about it spilling onto your equipment. If you use a desktop computer, you'll avoid ruining your keyboard. If you're a laptop user, this advice may end up saving your entire computer.

If, however, you don't follow this advice and someday find yourself in the unfortunate position of spilling liquid on your keyboard, immediately unplug it. If you spill on your laptop, unplug it and turn it off ASAP (hold down the power button if you need to). If you spill an acidic beverage like soda on your equipment, you may actually want to rinse it off with water to prevent acidic corrosion. Before using your computer again, let the hardware dry completely to avoid shorting any circuits when you power it back on. If the hardware didn't short immediately when the spill happened, everything should work fine once the equipment has dried off.

- Per Christensson