Whether it's a cup of tea, a bottle of water or a glass of wine, if you've got a drink next to your laptop, you run the risk of possible liquid damage. It's easy to panic if the worst happens, but act quickly and you can save your laptop from the worst of a spill.

This guide is here to help, so read through these tips and if you are unlucky enough to spill something put down the straw and follow these tips.

What to do if you spill liquid on a laptop

Remember, speed is of the essence. The quicker you follow this guide the more likely you are able to save your drowning laptop.

Step 1 – Turn it off

Power down the laptop as soon as possible. If you’re working on a crucial document, save it immediately, then hold down the power key for around five seconds and the computer will shut all power off.

If the laptop is running off a cable from the power outlet make sure you turn it off at the wall before you remove the power lead.

Step 2 – Turn it upside down

As quickly as possible turn the laptop upside down to stop the water going further into the machine.

By opening the laptop out and sitting it on a flat surface as an upside-down V, you can prevent the computer or the screen from further water damage

Step 3 – Remove the battery

Take the battery out of the laptop. This will prevent liquid from reaching the battery unit and potentially causing an electrical hazard.

Remember, don’t attempt to do this until after you have unplugged the laptop from a power outlet.

Step 4 – Remove any peripheral devices

Take out any devices that may be attached to the laptop such as USB dongles and SD cards. Also if you are able to remove the keyboard from the laptop, remove this and clean off any water.

Advanced steps for saving your laptop from water damage

If you’re dealing with a serious spillage rather than an unfortunate splash, you may need to go to extra lengths to protect the internal components of your laptop.

Step 5 – Soak up moisture

Open up your laptop and using a lint-free towel start to  mop up as much of the liquid as you can.

Step 6 – Remove components

If you're confident in what you're doing, take out your hard drive and RAM before water damage can cause permanent harm to these component.

Step 7 – Dry your laptop

Leave the laptop for 48 hours in a cool, dry place allowing air to get to as much of the laptop as possible.  

When two days have passed, return the components to the laptop and test it out. Hopefully these steps have been enough to save your equipment, but if your laptop is non-responsive, all hope isn’t lost – a reputable PC technician may still be able to save your computer.