Sharing my experience, water spill accident on my Retina Macbook Pro

Question

I would like to share my experience to the community and to fellow mac users regarding my water spill accident on my 1-week fresh Retina Macbook Pro.
Before begining, i appologize for gramar or spelling mistakes since I am French and English is not my first language.
So lets begin ...
My 2006 macbook pro started giving away and i knew that i had to replace it very soon. So i opted for a high end machine because i knew i needed something for at least 5 years.
After much thought, i bought a Retina Macbook Pro since for work i needed a 15 inch screen laptop and portability was key for me.
Normally at work the Retina Macbook Pro sits on an aluminum Rain Design stand, but on thursday, i was at a co-worker office brain-storming for an important presentation. So i had my Retina macbook pro sitting on a small conference table and next to it i had a cup of water (THE CULPRIT), 200 ml to be precise.
I know, i know ... i shouldn't have been drinking a beverage while using my computer at the same time but i'm always careful with my stuff (proof my 2006 macbook pro still lives).
So enough introduction ... After taking a sip from that cup of water i accidently spilled the cup on my keyboard. To be precise i spilled around 160 ml of tap water on the keyboard while the computer was ON (on battery).
I froze for 5 seconds cursing in French, looking at the puddle of water on my keyboard, then i immediatley FORCED shut down the computer.
I ran for paper towels and started absorbing as much as i can, while absorbing the water my fellow co-worker was helping me, and since the power button is so tiny and placed on the keyboard, he accidently turned it back ON again ... I immediatly turned it back off (forced) and kept on absorbing as much liquid as i can.
To my surprise, we kept on bringing paper towels and absorbing ...The water was just sitting on top of the computer and i had the impression that not a whole much was making it inside.
After finsihing the first cleaning process ... i placed two dry paper towels on the keyboard and closed the screen, fliped the computer upside down so it was sitting on the screen. This was on thursday. I DID NOT DISCONNECT THE BATTERY (since i did not have the necessary tools for Apple's alien screws).
Friday morning, when i arrived at the office, i checked the laptop (still haven't turned it on) ... Paper towels were wet, so i changed them ....
I left it over the weekend at work .... doing some research on water spills ... i decided not to use rice or hair dryers or opening the machine ... i estimated that what could've made it through the inside of the laptop was roughly 20 ml of water that was absorbed by a plastic sheet seperating the keyboard from the logic board.
Monday, D-day, i tried turning the laptop ON and it booted normaly ... i was a bit skeptic, i was thinking maybe the RAM modules were fried or certain keys on the keyboard or the sound controller ... but nothing everything seemed normal.
I just finished running the Apple Hardware Extensive Test and everything seems running fine.
So to all persons who will be in the same case as mine - WATER SPILL - (not coffee, cola, or sugary acidic beverages spill). Turn off the machine as fast as you can, absorb water as much as you can, flip the computer on its screen side while placing paper towels to absorb humidity, time is on your side so the more you wait the better, in my case 3.5 days, and PRAY .
The waranty is probably voided since black sensors inside the machine turns to red as soon as they contact water, (like litnus paper with acids or bases)
Hope my experience will help you get through yours ...

Answer 1

9 times out of 10, you cannot, will not, shall NOT get thru same,.......corrosion sets in.
Many people suffer the pain of a "dried out and working notebook"..........  only to learn corrosion will soon ruin it.
Liquid spills, why your MacBook chassis is a one-way valve for spills
After a substantial spill many people will turn their notebook upside down and shake it, not only does this not work, but it spreads liquid havoc throughout your machine and makes things often as bad as possible.
The keyboard itself acts like a one way valve in the case of a substantial liquid spill. While liquid pours into the bottom chassis easy, it does not come out easily at all, and in the case of any spill, most of it will not come out by turning it upside down. Disconnect all power and contact Apple for diagnostics and repair.
Do not attempt to, after a spill, ‘dry out your MacBook’ and test it
After a spill most people invariably try to “dry out” their notebook by various methods, including hair dryers and otherwise. This both does not work, and after a substantial spill of any magnitude, even if the liquid was water, residue is left behind.
There are additionally many very tight places inside your notebook where liquids will linger for a very long time, and cause corrosion or worse.
Immediately unplug your notebook and contact Apple for in shop diagnostics and parts replacement.
In the case of very minor spills people will “dry out” their notebook and feel success that their notebook is working ok, however invariably in nearly all instances after 4-14 days an error / fault pops up and is usually followed by more.
In case of a spill, damage estimates are impossible,.....anything can be fixed, without question.......the question is cost.
contact Apple for in shop diagnostics and cost estimation ....possible parts replacement.