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I have spilled coke/coffee/etc. within my keyboard, can I fix it?

Explanation: You have spilled liquid onto or into the keyboard.

Diagnosis: It is actually possible in most cases to get a keyboard to which this has happened working again.

Recommendation: Immediately turn off the PC and disconnect the keyboard. Then:

• Drain all of the liquid from the keyboard by shaking. If the fluid in the keyboard was not plain water, rinse the keyboard out using plain water, preferably distilled water. Then, rinse out the keyboard using distilled alcohol. This will force the water out of the keyboard and allow it to dry better. Wait until the keyboard is thoroughly dry--this may take two or three days. The keyboard should then be usable, but don't try to plug it in unless you are sure it is thoroughly dry.

Warning: This procedure is not foolproof and can cause the keyboard to be destroyed; of course not doing it will in many cases mean the keyboard is destroyed anyway. If the spill was just water, and you don't want to do the alcohol step, you may be able to just wait for the water to evaporate. This can take a signficant amount of time.

• If the keyboard is older, or cheap, or you don't feel like trying to fix it, just get a new one. Sometimes it may not be possible to get all the liquid out of a keyboard so this may be your best option. Keyboards are very inexpensive.

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