T
7

Got a nasty surprise opening a 'dead' laptop from a local coffee shop

I was at my workbench last Tuesday, looking at a MacBook Pro a cafe owner brought in. It wouldn't turn on at all, no lights, nothing. I figured it was the usual power circuit issue. When I popped the bottom case off, I got a face full of the worst smell, like old coffee and rot. Turns out, someone had spilled a full latte into it months ago and just let it dry. The whole logic board was covered in this sticky, brown gunk. I spent the next two hours carefully cleaning every connector and chip with 99% isopropyl and a soft brush I keep for this. The battery connector was completely corroded through, so I had to order a new one for about $12. It booted right up after that. Has anyone else had to deal with a machine that was just left to marinate in spilled drinks? What's your clean-up process?
2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In
2 Comments
the_sarah
the_sarah1mo ago
Ugh, that's so gross. People just ignore spills and hope it fixes itself, which never works. Good on you for saving it though.
3
janah38
janah381mo ago
Ever find a whole soda inside a keyboard?
0