Three hours ago - I spilled orange soda all over my laptop computer; I just had a muscle spasm while holding the glass in my hand, it just tipped right over, and SPLASH! all over the keyboard, and the screen.

It didn't short out, but I turned it off as quickly as I immediately could, and proceeded to dry off the keyboard, but I'm sure plenty of the stuff just permeated into its case, and onto vital components.

The thing still smells like orange soda...lappy + orange soda = not the best smell in the world. (>_<)

Any advice on what I should do with the machine?

I haven't turned it on since, and I'm kind of afraid too; I've got stuff on there that I never backed up, and I'm afraid that turning the thing on will fry the orange soda that's probably permeated into the case, thereby damaging its inner components, if they aren't already.

I did the same thing with a Sega Saturn back in the day. First thing I was asked when looking for advice was - was it diet? Apparently it's the sugar that can cause the most damage. I don't know if that's true personally, but that's what I was told - it corrodes the metal. Unfortunately, my drink wasn't diet.

So the advice I was given was to open it up and try to soak it up with the most absorbent thing you can find, trying to get in everywhere if possible. Chances are you won't be able to get everywhere (I got very little from my Saturn). Then just leave it off for as long as possible in a warmish location to dry out everywhere you couldn't get to.

Then hope for the best.

My Saturn lasted for a while afterwards but I can't tell you the end of the story - it was exchanged for a whole different reason involving Myst and a bug. So I don't know if that damage would have ever killed it.

There is probably better advice out there but that's the best I managed to get back when it happened to me.

IF the laptop won't start working up, don't throw the laptop away before you strip the HDD off, because if there wasn't any major damage, all your stuff should have save and fine on the HDD. Just get another comp (preferably a 'proper' one) and plug the HDD on it. Heck, you probably even can buy SATA to USB cables damn cheap in US which makes things even easier.

No idea if opening up the laptop is easy part, one reason why I hate laptops, something goes wrong, there ain't much you can do to fix it.

And with regular comps, don't much matter if you happen to spill drinks on keyboard, just unplug and dry. Thankfully I've learned my lesson where to place my drinks nowadays. Especially with open bottles, cleaning mess made by those is not fun.

Also, if you're unsure about opening the laptop yourself, there's probably some PC-repair shops nearby you. Though those probably can cost a bit. Hopefully the laptop wasn't new one.

pouring spaghetti sauce into the keyboard will neutralize it...

For reals?! But won't that damage the computer as well?!

And, no, the soda wasn't diet... (-_-);

I don't have $$$ for a new computer, and I only got this one a year ago...

Suggestions for absorbent things? Besides tampons?

...

Is it probably too risky to try starting it up again, even to get whatever files off of it I need?

Or should I take it straight to a computer repair place?

Would Best Buy's Geek Squad be at all good for this?

It will neutralize everything.

I'd be scared of opening my laptop, but after googling this issue it looks like that's the best route. Seems it happens often enough. Items you may need besides small screwdrivers are canned air and denatured alcohol, because you don't want corrosion to creep in later. You should also remove the internal battery before messing with it. Check out some eHow descriptions to see what you think before making a decision on it.

I'm thinking we're joking on the spaghetti sauce, right?

Small screwdrivers, I have.

Where am I going to get canned air and denatured alcohol? The denatured alcohol, I'm thinking I just use to wipe the components off, but what would I use the air for? Just blow it on the components, as well?

Already removed the internal battery (it detaches just off of the back of the unit).

People mention using denatured alcohol (which I'd never heard of, btw) rather than ordinary rubbing alcohol, so my guess is it's just more potent. Contains strong additives or whatever, which would be more effective in dissolving the sticky soda. You'd find that at a hardware store. But you can also use 99% isopropyl alcohol from a drug store. The compressed air is simply for clearing out excess debris and helping to dry out all the little crevices, so it's not exactly necessary. I don't know how much soda went into your keyboard, but the first thing mentioned is to turn the computer upside down or on its side to drain it. If you haven't done that and there's any liquid still sitting in there, you'll want to get it out. I've just been scanning these pages:
http://www.wikihow.com/Save-a-Laptop-from-Liquid-Damage
http://www.ehow.com/video_113626_clean- … pills.html
Edit: After reading further, there seem to be conflicting comments about the methods used (no surprise), so you'll have to judge for yourself. And of course, if your computer is under any kind of warranty, taking it apart yourself will void that.

today must be national F-your-laptop day.

shana was using ours on the sectional this evening and usako jumped up and took a big chomp on the power cord,,, i dont think she got shocked but the cord  started sparking and crackling from where she bit it..  the score is now even. Rini has taken out two ps2 controllers and usako has a subwoofer and a laptop cord to her name...

Usako just gets too rowdy after a few beers http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy34 … igbutt.jpg

Thanks for all your advice, everyone!

I decided to go with having a professional crack open the case on my machine, rather than risking it myself.

Costed myself some $$$, but not enough to pay for a machine, so it's not like it defeated the purpose.

Keyboard sticks quite a bit (I'll eventually get myself a new machine, though), but at least it's functional, and I was able to get everything I needed off my hard drive.

Definitely backing up all my stuff on my hard drive ten ways, now, and I'm thinking of making a point of not keeping anything I'll need indefinitely on the machine itself...

...also making a point of keeping my drinks on the very opposite side of my desk from my machine.