Liquids and Electronics

Spilling water or any kind of liquid on an electronic device usually means the device is done for, with little possibility of fixing it. The web is full of home remedies for fixing liquid spills, and whether it’s a cell phone, laptop computer, or other device that you are trying to repair, most of these home remedies simply do not work. Now however, some companies are starting to release specialty products that are specifically engineered to absorb spilled liquids from electronics.

The possibility of a device still working after a water/liquid spill often depends on the amount of water that makes contact with the internal components of the electronic device; or in simpler terms, if you spill a slight amount of water on your laptop, you may be able to fix it. If you jump into a swimming pool with your cell phone in your pocket, you’ll probably be buying a new cell phone soon.

The internet has all kinds of articles and tutorials for fixing liquid spills on electronics, but most revolve around the following:

• Setting the device into a container of rice, which absorbs liquid and helps to draw out water and any moisture.
• Using a hair dryer at low speed and a safe distance to slow dry electronics that have been water damaged.
• Setting the damaged electronic device near a fan for several days to help dry it more quickly.
• One tutorial recommended disassembling the device, using super absorb cloths (cloths that you use to dry your car after washing) to dry up any liquid or moisture, then using electronics component cleaners on the internal parts of the electronic device.
• Disassembling of the electronics device, and using a sponge to absorb any liquid, then letting it air dry for several days.

While all of the solutions listed above may have worked for some people, there is a very good possibility that they will not work on your electronics device, particularly if you have spilled a significant amount of water or other liquid onto the device.

Instead, companies are now making ultra absorbent products that are purposed for electronics that have had water spilled onto them. One solution is a product by the popular do-it-yourself fix it website iFixIt, dubbed the Thirsty Bag.

You do get a bit more than just an absorbent bag. The $7.00 kit also comes with some molecular sieve packets and other absorbents that you actually set inside the Thirsty Bag with your device.

iFixIt states in the item description that the Thirsty Bag only works directly after a spill, and wants you to purchase the bag now, to be prepared for any spills that may happen in the future.

If products like the Thirsty Bag are successful, then other companies will also likely start manufacturing similar products, and it’s also likely that iFixIt will release a bigger version of the Thirsty Bag, to be used for laptop computers and tablets.

If you have recently spilled water or another liquid onto an electronics device, you may want to try specialty products like the Thirsty Bag, as they come with specialty absorbents.