Turn it off and unplug the charger, even if it still works. Soft drink dries into sticky sugar that causes faults hours later. Get it opened and cleaned within a day.
What should I do right now?
Do these four things in order.
- Hold the power button until the screen goes black.
- Pull out the charger and anything else that is plugged in.
- Wipe the keyboard, trackpad and edges with a towel.
- Leave it off, even if it was still working.
It still works. Is it fine?
No. The MacBook in the job below kept working after a cola spill. A few hours later the cursor started moving on its own. By the next morning it was restarting without warning.
Why does soft drink cause odd faults?
The sugar dries sticky on the metal contacts inside. A contact is where a cable joins the logic board, which is the main circuit board that runs the Mac. Sticky contacts connect one moment and drop out the next. That is why the fault comes and goes.
What signs should I watch for?
These three signs showed up in the job below.
- The cursor moves when You are not touching the trackpad.
- The trackpad clicks on its own.
- The Mac restarts without warning.
What does a real soft drink repair look like?
This is a job I did on a MacBook Air from Kellyville.
| Model | MacBook Air 13.6-inch M2 (A2681, 2022) |
| What happened | About 100 ml of regular cola went across the lower part of the Mac while the owner was studying. Most of it sat around the trackpad and the lower keys. |
| What went wrong | It worked at first. Within hours the cursor moved on its own and the trackpad clicked on its own. By morning it was restarting. It came in about 24 hours after the spill. |
| What I found | Sticky cola around the trackpad, its cable and the inside of the case. The cable contacts had started to corrode. There was a small patch of corrosion on the logic board near the trackpad plug. |
| What I did | Took out the trackpad and its cable. Cleaned the inside of the case and the plug on the logic board. Fitted a new cable and a new trackpad. |
| Result | The trackpad works as it should, and the restarts have stopped. |
| Time | 3 working days |
| Cost | $595 |
Corrosion is damage that works like rust on tiny metal parts.
Why replace the trackpad and not just clean it?
The cola had got inside the trackpad itself. I replaced the whole part and its cable, which is safer than trying to clean inside it.
What made this job harder?
The fault came and went, so it was hard to tell if the trackpad or the cable was to blame. The sticky sugar on the contacts was the cause. The inside of the case also had to be cleaned well, so no cola was left to spoil the new trackpad.
What does it cost to fix?
This job cost $595 in total. No $150 was added on top, because the owner went ahead. I charge $150 to open, clean and check a wet MacBook, and that comes off the repair if You go ahead. You get the price before any work starts.
Apple charges A$429 for liquid damage if You have AppleCare+. Without it, Apple gives a price only after it has looked at the Mac.
What should I not do?
- Do not keep using it because it still works. In the job above, the faults began hours later.
- Do not put it in rice. Apple says small grains can get inside the Mac.
- Do not use a hair dryer or heater. Apple says not to use heat.
When should I get help?
Get help the same day if You can. The Mac in the job above came in about 24 hours after the spill, and the damage had not spread far past the trackpad.
For other Mac repairs in the area, see Mac repair Kellyville. See prices and four real repairs on the MacBook water damage repair page.
Give me a call or send a few photos of what happened … happy to have a look!!