Clumsy girlfriend causes sticky keyboard

[l0renz]

Hey dudes

Hope y'all are having a nice day. Mine ended a with a nuisance: my girlfriend spilled cava on my MBP 2016, the one with TouchBar (see photo). If you don't know what cava is, it's like champagne. This particular one contained a lot of sugar and has made the keys stick after drying up, there's no more travel when clicking them. Any suggestions on how to make my keys work/travel again? Which product best to use if at all?

Thanks

LM

 

[Newtons Apple]

The sugar has to be removed. Only way to do safely is have the keyboard separated from the rest of the laptop so it can be cleaned or replaced.

Her clumsiness is going to cost you some money

 

[Airboy1466]

Hey dudes

Hope y'all are having a nice day. Mine ended a with a nuisance: my girlfriend spilled cava on my MBP 2016, the one with TouchBar (see photo). If you don't know what cava is, it's like champagne. This particular one contained a lot of sugar and has made the keys stick after drying up, there's no more travel when clicking them. Any suggestions on how to make my keys work/travel again? Which product best to use if at all?

Thanks

LM

I feel really bad for you bud you gotta get that sugar out it’s ginna start eating away ‍♂️ And Apple will not cover this unless you have AppleCare+

 

[Howard2k]

I've never been able to totally successfully clean sugary drinks from a keyboard. And as stated, if it got inside to the internals it's possible it's a time bomb. You might find a third party that will try to clean it for you but taking it to Apple is probably the best bet.

 

[cerberusss]

Do you have a contents insurance?

 

[unglued]

there's no more travel when clicking them. Any suggestions on how to make my keys work/travel again?

Dude, I would take it to Apple today and see what options you have to fix it even if you have to pay a few bucks it’s worth it. It’s probably a common problem that shows up at the Apple store and they already know what to do.

 

[Trusteft]

In all the decades I own computers I have spilled drinks on my keyboards twice. Both of them were external keyboards. Both of them happened the last 3 years. The first drink was a Sprite (or 7UP) and the second drink was tea with sugar.
The first time the keyboard after cleaning worked for the most part, with some keys still experiencing problems when pressing them and some keys completely dying.
The second time the keyboard (different keyboard) just died on me immediately, including causing problems to the computer it was attached to.
Both keyboards were relatively new mechanical keyboards I liked very much.
I don't know how a MBPs keyboard is like and if there is any built in protection against spillage etc.
I would assume you would be better of taking it to a proper place, Apple store if you have one there, and bite the bullet.

edit: Also, I highly recommend unless you are using the laptop on the go, always use an external keyboard for cases such as this. I would be crying if I lost my laptops.

 

[Non-Polar]

In all the decades I own computers I have spilled drinks on my keyboards twice. Both of them were external keyboards. Both of them happened the last 3 years. The first drink was a Sprite (or 7UP) and the second drink was tea with sugar.
The first time the keyboard after cleaning worked for the most part, with some keys still experiencing problems when pressing them and some keys completely dying.
The second time the keyboard (different keyboard) just died on me immediately, including causing problems to the computer it was attached to.
Both keyboards were relatively new mechanical keyboards I liked very much.
I don't know how a MBPs keyboard is like and if there is any built in protection against spillage etc.
I would assume you would be better of taking it to a proper place, Apple store if you have one there, and bite the bullet.

edit: Also, I highly recommend unless you are using the laptop on the go, always use an external keyboard for cases such as this. I would be crying if I lost my laptops.

Those are completely different than spilling sugary drinks on your computer. The keyboard is right on top of the motherboard, and the consequences will definitely be different than if you were to just spill on an external device

 

[Trusteft]

Those are completely different than spilling sugary drinks on your computer. The keyboard is right on top of the motherboard, and the consequences will definitely be different than if you were to just spill on an external device

So what you are saying is that the external keyboard that got fried got lucky or unlucky compared to what would happen on a laptop?

 

[Non-Polar]

That's usual. Where you would typically spill on an external keyboard would not cause severe damage. The controller and really the more critical components of an external keyboard are either hugging the left or right sides, or are located where the USB port is. I myself have experienced the same - spilling a drink, and having the keyboard dry out and eventually working. When you spill on a laptop, that liquid may potentially damage the CPU, GPU, SSD, RAM, or motherboard altogether, frying the computer completely.

 

[_Kiki_]

Dude, I would take it to Apple today and see what options you have to fix it even if you have to pay a few bucks it’s worth it. It’s probably a common problem that shows up at the Apple store and they already know what to do.

few bucks? if Apple will find any liquid, they will replace almost all components except maybe the screen, so the the price for repair will be hefty

 

[deadworlds]

Should have bought AppleCare+.

 

[unglued]

few bucks? if Apple will find any liquid, they will replace almost all components except maybe the screen, so the the price for repair will be hefty

Only if OP agrees to move forward with the cost and service, doesn’t hurt to try and know. I would think there’s some protection underneath the keyboard and a simple repair but what do I know

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Clean surface with damp cloth. The remaining under the key will eventually chemically break down and go away, if there isn't much.

 

[DennisdeWit]

My brother did this on his 2012 MacBook Pro with tea and sugar some years ago. The keyboard got sticky, the next day the keyboard died and the day after the MacBook didn’t start anymore. That’s what sugar does.

 

[_Kiki_]

Only if OP agrees to move forward with the cost and service, doesn’t hurt to try and know. I would think there’s some protection underneath the keyboard and a simple repair but what do I know

MBP has no protection against the liquid, sometimes even one drop can kill whole laptop, there is no simple repair if Apple will find any traces of liquid

Should have bought AppleCare+.

this is bad option, because you still have to pay for repair

AppleCare+ for MacBook Air, MacBook, and MacBook Pro includes:

• Three years (total) limited hardware warranty.
• Three years (total) technical support.
• Coverage for two incidents of accidental damage (subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or $299 for other damage)

 

[AppleHaterLover]

You have 2 choices:

1) Go to Apple. That's a top case replacement (keyboard, battery, trackpad etc.) + a logic board replacement - if Apple does not decide that your computer is a biohazard, or that you did not exactly drop champagne on it. It will cost you $$$$$. You will cry a lot looking at the repair bill.

2) Go to an indie Apple specialist. Your laptop can probably be saved with an isopropyl bath on the logic board (before it corrodes with all that sugar) and cleaning the keyboard. You will cry a little less. It will cost you $$.

 

[SDColorado]

Only if OP agrees to move forward with the cost and service, doesn’t hurt to try and know. I would think there’s some protection underneath the keyboard and a simple repair but what do I know

Unlike Lenovo, whose latest models are have spill resistant keyboards that are designed to withstand up to 16.9oz of liquid, Apple does not have any protection underneath the keyboard, other than the silicon barrier to "allegedly" help dust ingress.

 

[unglued]

Unlike Lenovo, whose latest models are have spill resistant keyboards that are designed to withstand up to 16.9oz of liquid

Now we got the Chinese thinking outside of the box, is this a generation thing what's happening to Apple?

 

[SDColorado]

Now we got the Chinese thinking outside of the box, is this a generation thing what's happening to Apple?

That's just it. Lenovo has been doing the spill-resistant keyboards for over a decade. It isn't even an "outside the box" kinda thing anymore.

 

[deadworlds]

MBP has no protection against the liquid, sometimes even one drop can kill whole laptop, there is no simple repair if Apple will find any traces of liquid



this is bad option, because you still have to pay for repair

AppleCare+ for MacBook Air, MacBook, and MacBook Pro includes:

• Three years (total) limited hardware warranty.
• Three years (total) technical support.
• Coverage for two incidents of accidental damage (subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or $299 for other damage)

I'd gladly pay $299 over the outrageous cost apple would charge for an out of warranty repair, especially being that the 2016 MBP requires a full bottom case replacement to fix keyboard issues(i.e. Logic board, keyboard, Touch Bar, SSD, CPU, GPU).

 

[_Kiki_]

I'd gladly pay $299 over the outrageous cost apple would charge for an out of warranty repair, especially being that the 2016 MBP requires a full bottom case replacement to fix keyboard issues(i.e. Logic board, keyboard, Touch Bar, SSD, CPU, GPU).

real insurance is cheaper in my country and more comprehensive, also AC+ doesn't cover theft or loss

 

[Queen6]

That's just it. Lenovo has been doing the spill-resistant keyboards for over a decade. It isn't even an "outside the box" kinda thing anymore.

Apple has zero excuses @2:12

Thin & light, water resistant no problem and it just works, my youngest inadvertently tested my MateBook X, no drama...

Q-6
[doublepost=1544498974][/doublepost]

Hey dudes

Hope y'all are having a nice day. Mine ended a with a nuisance: my girlfriend spilled cava on my MBP 2016, the one with TouchBar (see photo). If you don't know what cava is, it's like champagne. This particular one contained a lot of sugar and has made the keys stick after drying up, there's no more travel when clicking them. Any suggestions on how to make my keys work/travel again? Which product best to use if at all?

Thanks

LM

Have it professionally cleaned by an independant Mac specialist, if you have the skills; remove the back plate disconnect the battery and isolate the battery connecter. Flush the keyboard with industrial contact cleaner (a lot), ensure to use one that leaves no residue and is suitable for electronics, leave to dry for 48 hours. Preferably you want to strip the top case out of the chassis, however that not so easy with modern Macs, well maybe not so much the disassembly

Q-6

 

[kreasonos]

Hey dudes

Hope y'all are having a nice day. Mine ended a with a nuisance: my girlfriend spilled cava on my MBP 2016, the one with TouchBar (see photo). If you don't know what cava is, it's like champagne. This particular one contained a lot of sugar and has made the keys stick after drying up, there's no more travel when clicking them. Any suggestions on how to make my keys work/travel again? Which product best to use if at all?

Thanks

LM

Dump her.

 

[Airboy1466]

Dump her.

lmao but make her go half with you on the repair first