MacBook Water Damage Repair Melbourne — Spill, Won't Turn On, Air & Pro, Data Recovery

A liquid spill on a MacBook is a genuine emergency — the logic board is among the most expensive components in any laptop, and corrosion from a spill can destroy it within days if untreated. The single most important step is to shut the MacBook down immediately, don't try to turn it back on, and bring it in fast. Do not use rice, do not use a hairdryer, and do not charge it.

At STS, we treat liquid-damaged MacBooks with ultrasonic logic board cleaning — the professional standard that removes corrosion from the entire board, far beyond what drying or rice can do. MacBooks are frequently recovered when brought in quickly. Because they're high value, the repair almost always makes financial sense compared to replacement.

Why MacBooks need urgent treatment: when liquid reaches the MacBook logic board, it leaves a conductive, corrosive residue. Apple's logic boards are densely packed with tiny components, and corrosion forms on their legs and the board's traces within hours. Sugary drinks (coffee with sugar, soft drink, juice) and salt water are especially aggressive. A MacBook cleaned within hours of a spill has a much higher recovery rate than one left to "dry out." The cost of delay is often a destroyed logic board.

Free MacBook water damage assessment: bring your MacBook in and we assess it at no charge. We open it, inspect the logic board for liquid residue and corrosion, check the liquid contact indicators, and advise on the treatment needed and the likely outcome before any work begins.

Ultrasonic logic board cleaning: the core treatment. We remove the MacBook logic board and clean it in an ultrasonic bath that uses sound waves to dislodge corrosion from under chips, between component legs, and in places manual cleaning can't reach. This is essential for MacBook boards because of their component density. Ultrasonic clean from $129.

Component-level board repair: after cleaning, we power-test the board. If a component was damaged by the liquid — a power management IC, the SMC (System Management Controller), a fuse, or a coil — we diagnose and replace the specific component using micro-soldering. This is far cheaper than a full logic board replacement. Board-level component repair from $199.

MacBook keyboard after a spill: liquid often enters through the keyboard. On MacBooks, the keyboard is part of the top case assembly (since 2016), so a spill-killed keyboard means top case replacement. We assess whether the keyboard survived or needs replacement. If only the keyboard is affected and the board is clean, you may be able to use an external keyboard while deciding on top case replacement.

Data recovery: if recovering your files is the priority, the approach depends on the MacBook age. Pre-2016 MacBooks have removable SSDs we can often read directly. 2016+ and M1/M2/M3 MacBooks have soldered, hardware-encrypted SSDs — data recovery requires reviving the board enough to boot, so we prioritise board repair. MacBook data recovery from $199. If you have a Time Machine or iCloud backup, your data is already safe.

Honest assessment: MacBook water damage outcomes vary. Many are fully recovered; some need component-level board repair; occasionally (severe spills left for days, or salt water) the board is beyond economical repair, and we focus on data recovery. We tell you honestly at the free assessment — no charge to find out.

Our workshop is at Shop G69, 250 Somerton Road, Roxburgh Park. Open 7 days, 9am–5pm.

Ready to get started?

Don't wait and don't use rice — bring it in now, shut down. Every hour increases corrosion on the logic board. Free assessment. We'll tell you honestly if it can be saved. (03) 8339 0014 · Shop G69, 250 Somerton Rd, Roxburgh Park. Open 7 days, 9am–5pm.