Member Avatar for Rothian

The other day I made a huge mistake using my laptop while I was feeding my 2 month old daughter, and she so happened to get sick and then spit up all over the laptop keyboard. Seeing that this was a liquid type spill, I immediately unplugged the laptop and removed the battery. After I let it dry out I turned the laptop on and discovered that some keys on the keyboard work but others do not. I also saw that some letters would type on its own, without me depressing the key. For example the "t" would look like its being continuously depressed and I cannot do anything on the laptop with out this frustrating issue being there. My Laptop is a Toshiba Satalite L355D and I was wondering what do I need to do to fix it? Is there anything I can do? Its still under warranty, but I believe liquid spills nullify that. Please Help. I sure would hate to see 700.00 go down the drain. Pardon the punn.

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Short, practical plan for a spill-damaged Toshiba keyboard (building on points from , and ):

First, establish whether the fault is strictly the keyboard (hardware) or something deeper. Boot the machine into the BIOS or a pre-OS environment (before Windows loads). If phantom characters appear there, the problem is at the keyboard or its immediate controller — not a driver or OS setting. If the noise disappears before OS load, then investigate software/driver causes.

If it is hardware-level, try a careful cleaning before ordering parts. Recommended steps:

  • Work on a clean, static-free surface; power and battery removed and the unit fully discharged.
  • Use the service manual or a teardown guide for the L355D to expose and release the keyboard ribbon (do not force plastic clips).
  • Inspect for sticky residue, crusting, or corrosion on the rubber/silicone key mat and the printed circuit contacts.
  • Gently clean residues with lint-free swabs and high-purity isopropyl alcohol (70–99% depending on availability). For stubborn sugary/protein deposits, repeat cycles of swab + alcohol rather than scrubbing.
  • Allow everything to dry completely (24–48 hours in a warm, ventilated spot). Reassemble and test.

If cleaning does not stop the repeating/failed keys, replacement is the reliable next step. When sourcing a replacement, match the keyboard part number (found on the keyboard’s back or in the service manual) so the connector and key layout match. Keep the old keyboard until the new one is confirmed working so you can reuse screws or bezel clips.

Cautions and notes: do not use tap water, avoid heat guns or high heat, be careful with the delicate ZIF connector latch, and back up data before sending the machine for service. If uncertain about disassembly, a competent repair shop can remove/clean or replace the board without risking further damage.

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Member Avatar for mtrivers

The other day I made a huge mistake using my laptop while I was feeding my 2 month old daughter, and she so happened to get sick and then spit up all over the laptop keyboard. Seeing that this was a liquid type spill, I immediately unplugged the laptop and removed the battery. After I let it dry out I turned the laptop on and discovered that some keys on the keyboard work but others do not. I also saw that some letters would type on its own, without me depressing the key. For example the "t" would look like its being continuously depressed and I cannot do anything on the laptop with out this frustrating issue being there. My Laptop is a Toshiba Satalite L355D and I was wondering what do I need to do to fix it? Is there anything I can do? Its still under warranty, but I believe liquid spills nullify that. Please Help. I sure would hate to see 700.00 go down the drain. Pardon the punn.

I have to replace my keyboard as well on my Toshiba satalite. I have seen them on ebay for around $15 and I have seen youtube video of the procedure but never tried it yet. It does not look that dificult. root beer was the culprit in my case.

Member Avatar for sinkrideutan

You need to buy a new keyboard for sure, fortunately they are separated from the rest of your laptop buy a plastic foil. So with a little bit of luck your laptop is still OK.

Watch the youtube video (internet café ?) or surf the web looking for how to do this. I remember that there are 6-8 screws on a Tecra to get the keyboard loose.

No try to reboot... with an external USB keyboard. If it works you're all set while looking out for a spare.

Keep the toddler away while you are repairing :)

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