Firstly cry and then shout a little!
Secondly, refer to this article. This is what to do if you spill beer or booze on your mixer, laptop, or controller.
What To Do If You Spill Beer Or Booze On Your Mixer, Laptop, Or Controller (in short)
1. Act fast. 2 Turn off the power to the device immediately. 3. Take the device battery out of possible. 4. Let it dry. 5. Let it dry some more! 6. Reassemble. 7. Turn on. 8. Pray.
Read this next: DJ Insurance and Why You Need it
Probably one of the worst things you could ever do is get any of your electrical equipment wet.
It’s long been understood that, if there’s one thing that you definitely should not do, it’s mix water with electricity.
Still, while it’s hardly something one could call fun, accidents do happen.
Especially if you’re a DJ that’s performing at an event, there are many different ways your equipment could get any number of different liquids on it.
It’s not a fun thing and, depending on the price tag of the device, it can be downright terrible to imagine.
Most modern DJ gear does have some protection against spills and can be salvaged if you’re able to react in time.
However, in most instances, that’s only if you’re able to react in time.
Even when it comes to these more resistant pieces of equipment, if you’re not able to make a move fast, there’s a good chance it might end up at the point of no return.
One of the biggest challenges that can come from DJing, when it comes to keeping your gear safe from interacting with liquid, is the fact that you’re quite literally performing in places where drinks are regularly and constantly served.
Whether you’re performing at nightclubs, house parties, or specific venues, the entire point of a DJ is to facilitate a fun, partying experience.
That is almost always going to be accompanied by beer or drinks – drinks that could easily and accidentally be spilled on your equipment if you and everyone around you aren’t careful.
Luckily, the technology of today does have some level of resistance against water, and provided you do know what to do and can act fast, it may not be the ultimate killer it once was.
Below, we’ll go over some of the different ways and methods you can employ to save yourself from having to replace your equipment thanks to the odd beer bottle spill.
Read this next: What is A MIDI Keyboard Controller? (What Does a USB MIDI Controller Do?)
Step #1. Immediately Take Action
I mentioned this before and I’ll mention it again.
One of the biggest reasons why modern equipment goes bad today is that, despite having improved water resistance, people just don’t react fast enough to rectify the issue.
If you see something spill on your laptop, controller, or mixer,
DON’T JUST STAND THERE!
The longer you sit frozen, the more likely you are to reach the point where it truly is ruined beyond repair.
“What Actions Should I Be Doing?”
The good news is that, while you do need to respond quickly, the response doesn’t have to be something complicated.
All you’re going to need to do is pull out and unplug all of the different cables before your device has a chance to short-circuit or otherwise have an electrical issue.
Because anything plugged in is feeding power to the device, unplugging it greatly reduces the chance of an issue.
Of course, unplugging it alone won’t fix the problem. In addition, you’ll also want to work on drying it off.
Step #2. Dry Off Your Devices
No matter the device, once you’ve pulled out any connecting cords and cables, you want to let it dry off as much as possible.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that all devices dry differently and are outfitted with different components.
As such, expect that each will interact with liquids differently and will have different methods of drying off.
WAIT AT LEAST 24 HOURS!
Give your gear, especially the electrical circuits, adequate time to dry out.
Read this next: How To Clean Your DJ Gear (Regularly & Properly)
Laptops
#1. Disconnect All Cables
When it comes to laptops, they are fairly complex pieces of technology.
This means that, more so than either mixers or controllers, there are a lot of running parts you have to be mindful of.
Water, beer, or any other liquid that seeps into it can put it at risk of suffering serious damage very quickly.
It’s because of this that you want to make sure the computer gets unplugged as quickly as possible and to make sure there is no type of connection between it and an outside power source (USBs, power cables, audio cables, etc.).
#2. Turn Off The Power
Once it has been disconnected, you want to also make sure that everything is turned off. Turning it off and turning it off quickly is incredibly important.
Even if you have to do a hard pull by pressing the power button, you need to cut everything as fast as possible.
Remember, you don’t have a lot of time.
#3. Drain Away With A Towel
After you’ve cut it off, next flip the laptop over.
Depending on the situation, you’re going to need to let the inner components of the laptop drain away as much as possible.
Make sure you have a dry and highly absorbent cloth to dab at the various external ports as well as entry points.
You also want to dab along the laptop’s vents as well as their keyboard.
The more liquid that you’re able to pull away, the more likely you’ll be able to save your laptop.
#4. Remove Battery If Possible
If you have a screwdriver available, consider opening up the backplate and attempting to remove the laptop’s battery.
While it isn’t 100% necessary, grabbing the battery can potentially prevent any chances of degradation due to any passing water.
By opening the back, you also can take the time to dab away at any areas of trapped moisture before it becomes a problem.
#5. Let Sit
After you’ve flipped it over and begun the draining process, the only real thing to do at that point is to wait until it’s finished drying off.
This can take anywhere from a few hours up to the following day. The longer you let it sit the better.
#6. Try Turning It On
The following day, take a moment and test any place where it should be damp.
You’re looking for all of those areas to be completely dry. If they aren’t anything but bone dry, let it sit for an extra hour or two. If it has dried off properly, plug everything back in and try switching it back on.
If you managed to handle everything in the proper time, it should work.
Otherwise, the damage may have spread too fast and caused irreparable damage.
Read this next: How To Clean DJ Headphones (Clean Leather Headphones PROPERLY!)
Controllers & Mixers
As both controllers and mixers aren’t quite as complex as your laptop is, the process may not be as involved to the same degree.
Still, you’ll notice that many of the points share a lot of similarities as a laptop if it is wet.
#1. Unplug Everything
As with the laptop, the first step for drying off your controller and mixer is to unplug everything, and as fast as possible.
As mentioned before, this includes every cable device, ranging from inputs and outputs, audio cables, power banks, etc.
#2. Dry Off & Drain
Again, you’re going to follow the same lead as the laptop by flipping either your mixer or your controller over and letting it drain out any liquid that may have seeped into it.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re using a cloth that is highly absorbent to pull at any liquids as fast as possible.
#3. Wait
Finally, let it sit for at least five hours before checking to see if all the liquid has been drained away. If either device is not completely bone dry, let them sit for a few more hours until they are.
From there, once everything is dry, flip it over, plug everything back in, and see if it works.
The reality is that it’s going to be very much a coin flip on whether everything turns out well or not. It may work out well enough and it may need to be given up on.
Either way, you want to at least give it a shot so you know you’ve tried everything one way or the other.
Step #3. Salvaging Your Device
After you’ve unplugged everything and let as much liquid escape and dry out as possible, now is the time to make sure that everything internal is running as effectively as possible.
When trying to turn it on, you should have hopefully managed to see some life in it. Whether you did or not, that doesn’t immediately mean that the device is either in the clear or completely ruined.
Regardless of the situation, once you’ve let it drain out, there are some additional steps you’ll want to do based on the device to either confirm it is beyond repair or get it running right once and for all.
Laptops
For salvaging your DJ laptop, you have to remember that it is much more complex than most controllers or mixers.
After all, generally, your controllers are plugged into your laptop due to the difference in overall computational power and ability.
This ultimately means that, unless you’re an expert at understanding electronic devices, and have a history of taking them apart and putting them back together, you’re better off taking them to a repair shop or the manufacturer.
Not only will they have a better understanding of what to do with the device in general, but they’ll also almost certainly be trained on handling water/liquid damage.
As mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t take it initially working after having been drained as “for certain” evidence that everything is working well.
Many times, while the damage may not have been enough to completely fry the device before draining and drying off, some damage may still have been established.
Taking it in for at least an internal inspection not only ensures it doesn’t have an issue later on but will allow you to immediately handle any damages that are discovered.
NO DRINKS NEAR ELECTRICAL GEAR! SIMPLES!
Read this next: What Do DJs Wear? (DJ Style & How To Dress Like a DJ)
Controllers & Mixers
Controllers and mixers, unlike laptops, are fairly simplified in how they operate, with a lot fewer running parts as a result.
Once it has had a chance to dry, spend some time opening it up and taking a look at its internal makeup. Just be aware that you may void your warranty by tampering with its insides to any degree. If that is the case, see if you are entitled to any repairs for water damage.
If so, take it in and have the experts do it.
Otherwise, you may need to go it alone if you want to save the device.
#1. Gather Tools
Your first step is to immediately set your device in a fabric-free, dry area. You’ll also want to collect a screwdriver so that you can open up the back and see the situation.
Generally, most devices require a Philips-head screwdriver, though that isn’t always the case.
Find the correct screwdriver and get ready to open it up.
You’ll also want to move any caps or faders and put the off to the side. In addition, once opened up, consider taking a few pictures of what it looks like on the inside so you know where each part goes and in what order.
Consider also taking many pictures throughout the process so you continue to know what goes where when it’s time to put everything back together.
#2. Remove The Battery
Once opening your device up, your first step should be to take out the battery.
Not only will this help prevent any potential shocks or short-circuit issues, but it’s also good so you can prevent any trapped water or moisture from interacting with it now that things are more open.
#3. Gently Clean & Dry
Once you’ve pulled out the battery, take a look at what’s inside.
If it’s just water, all you need to do is take a dry cloth (preferably microfiber) and wipe it down.
If you’ve spilled something like a beer, this becomes only slightly more tricky, as you’ll want to use a bit of water and a cloth rag to wipe away any crud or gunk that may have been left.
From there, simply dry it off like before and you’re good to go.
Step #4. Putting Everything Back Together
Lastly, it’s time to put everything back together.
Since you’ve already sent your laptop to the professionals we’ll only be talking about what to do for your mixer or controller device.
The big thing is that you make sure everything is completely dry at this point.
To do this, you can either use a microfiber cloth to wipe away any droplets before using a hot fan or a hairdryer to quickly dry off any moist or damp components.
From there, carefully reassemble the device so everything is back where it should be. If you took pictures throughout taking it apart, you should only need to go in reverse to see what goes in and in what order.
Once everything has been dried off and properly put back together, screw the back on and plug it in. If everything goes to plan, it should be working.
If it doesn’t work, you may have to try sending it out to a specialist to see if a part has been too damaged or if the entire device itself must be replaced.
Read this next: How Do You DJ In A Nightclub? (Smash Your DJ Gigs)
Ways To Prevent This In The Future
The reality is, as much as I’d like to say that there are certain surefire ways to prevent this from happening, that’s simply not the case. The reality of the situation is that, as a DJ, this is something that just comes with the territory.
The biggest thing I can say is that you simply be “more careful” about what is allowed near your device. Ideally make sure not to bring anything like water or drinks near it while performing, taking drinking breaks away from the device if at all possible.
Outside of that, there are a few ways that you can further mitigate your risk.
Keep in mind that these methods either will give you more time to respond with the above actions or grant you additional options if you need assistance.
- Get DJ Insurance: Most warranties aren’t going to cover water damage, especially when it comes to DJ equipment. Since that’s the case, take care and get your devices covered with additional gadget insurance. If you can find a good policy owner, see if the monthly fees are worth it. If they are, consider going for it. This will make everything considerably easier on your part if this ever happens again.
- Use Cases & Covers: It may be an additional expense, but investing in a quality case and cover can greatly reduce the odds of your device randomly getting hit with liquids. It’s not a cure-all, by any means, but it may shield your device from some of the more obvious hits while slowing down any issues that come from more concentrated spills.
- Avoid Drinks As Best You Can: I mentioned it before but it’s worth bringing up here. You should avoid drinking as much as possible around any of your devices. That means you not drinking around them while also making sure you avoid any communal areas where people are likely to cause an accident or spill.
What To Do If You Spill Beer Or Booze On Your Mixer, Laptop, Or Controller: Takeaway
At the end of the day, no one’s perfect and accidents do happen.
Spilling something on your gear is a serious issue, yes, but not so serious that you should think you’re the only person who’s been in this situation.
The reality is that it’s incredibly common (unfortunately) and something likely to happen to you at least once during your DJ career.
Your best bet is to learn from it, immediately respond, and keep as many types of liquid away from your setup as possible to as best of your ability.
