- Water-damage cleaning means removing mineral deposits, sugar, salt and corrosion sites from the logic board — this cannot be done without disassembling the device.
- Water alone is not the whole problem: battery current plus contaminants cause electrolysis, which gradually dissolves traces and component leads.
- Once dry, the residues attract moisture from the air, so corrosion keeps progressing even though the device looks dry and functional.
- Symptoms appear with a delay — after days or weeks: charging problems, a dead camera, speaker or Wi-Fi, and sometimes a device that won't turn on at all.
- Water-damage diagnostics is always paid and added to the repair cost: MacBook 350 PLN, iPhone 250 PLN, iPad 250 PLN. Keyboard cleaning is a separate service.
1. What is water-damage cleaning?
It is the removal of everything the liquid left behind on the logic board and components: mineral deposits, sugar, salt and corrosion sites. It is not about wiping the case or drying the device. Liquid seeps under integrated circuits and between connectors, and those areas cannot be reached without disassembling the hardware.
If the spill just happened, the first minutes count — see what to do immediately after water damage and what absolutely not to do (PL) (rice and a hair dryer are the most common mistakes).
2. Why clean a device that still works?
Water itself is not the whole story. The problem is also what remains after it evaporates, plus the current that keeps flowing through the logic board and the battery connector.
Electrolysis: current meets liquid
Water, coffee or beer contain dissolved minerals, so they conduct electricity. The logic board almost always carries battery voltage, even after the device is switched off. Spilled liquid plus flowing current cause accelerated electrolysis. The metal of traces and component leads gradually dissolves, and conductive bridges grow between points at different voltages, leading to short circuits and significantly raising the cost of the later repair. Corroded traces and solder pads then have to be rebuilt at the micro-soldering level (PL) — if they can be saved at all.
Residues stay behind after drying
The water evaporates, but salts, sugar and other contaminants remain on the board. They attract moisture from the air, so corrosion keeps progressing even though the device seems dry.
Damage shows up with a delay
After a few days or weeks, symptoms appear. The device won't charge or shuts down by itself. The camera, speaker, Wi-Fi or backlight stops working. Sometimes the device won't turn on at all. Repairs are then usually harder, because corrosion has already eaten through the joints and components start to fall off by themselves. Often there is also no way to solder them back without rebuilding the solder pads.
A device that still works after water damage is not a device that is undamaged. It only means the damage has not shown symptoms yet.
3. What does water-damage diagnostics involve?
Water damage cannot be assessed from the outside or with software. To diagnose a device professionally, we must:
- disassemble the device,
- remove the logic board,
- inspect it under a microscope.
Only under magnification can liquid traces, deposits and corrosion sites be seen — also under chips and around connectors. If the device is dead and won't turn on, diagnostics also includes an electronics-level diagnosis.
4. How do we clean the board at MacLife?
We use one of two methods:
- Ultrasonic cleaner. Ultrasound in a specialised fluid reaches under integrated circuits and into places that cannot be cleaned by hand.
- Mechanical cleaning. Precise, manual spot cleaning at the damage sites.
The technician chooses the method depending on the board and the extent of the damage.
5. Keyboard cleaning is a separate service
The price of water-damage cleaning does not include cleaning and refurbishing the keyboard. That is a separate service, quoted individually depending on the damage.
It is worth using it. Refurbishment has a high success rate, so the keyboard usually does not need to be replaced. In many MacBook models, replacing the keyboard means replacing the entire top case — we write more about this in the article MacBook keyboard replacement (PL).
6. How much does water-damage diagnostics cost?
Water-damage diagnostics is always paid. It covers disassembling the device, inspecting the board under a microscope, cleaning it and — if the device is dead and won't turn on — an electronics-level diagnosis.
| Device | Water-damage diagnostics (incl. logic board cleaning) |
|---|---|
| MacBook | 350 PLN gross |
| iPhone | 250 PLN gross |
| iPad | 250 PLN gross |
| Apple Watch | individual quote — see Apple Watch water damage repair (PL) |
After diagnostics, the technician gives you the repair cost. Diagnostics is part of the total repair amount — to get it, add the diagnostics cost to the amount quoted by the technician:
Total repair cost = amount quoted by the technician + water-damage diagnostics
Example: the technician quotes 600 PLN for a MacBook repair. In total you pay 950 PLN (600 PLN + 350 PLN for diagnostics).
You also pay for diagnostics if you decide against the repair after the quote. Keyboard cleaning and refurbishment are not included in the diagnostics price — that is a separate service, quoted individually. Up-to-date rates can always be found in the price lists: Mac service, iPhone service, iPad service.
Frequently asked questions
How much does water-damage cleaning cost?
Water-damage diagnostics, which includes cleaning the logic board, costs: MacBook 350 PLN gross, iPhone 250 PLN gross, iPad 250 PLN gross. The amount is added to the repair cost quoted by the technician (e.g. repair 600 PLN + diagnostics 350 PLN = 950 PLN). Keyboard cleaning and refurbishment is a separate service, quoted individually.
The device still works after water damage — does it really need cleaning?
Yes. A working device is not an undamaged device — it only means the damage has not shown symptoms yet. Once dry, the residues attract moisture from the air, and battery voltage accelerates electrolysis. Corrosion progresses silently, and symptoms (no charging, dead camera, speaker or Wi-Fi) usually appear after a few days or weeks — by then the repair is harder and more expensive.
What does water-damage diagnostics include?
Disassembling the device, removing the logic board, inspecting it under a microscope and cleaning the board — ultrasonically in a cleaner or mechanically, spot by spot. If the device is dead and won't turn on, diagnostics also includes an electronics-level diagnosis. Afterwards, the technician gives you the cost of any repair and waits for your approval.
How long does water-damage diagnostics take?
Usually 1–2 business days. With water damage, time matters — the sooner the device reaches the service, the smaller the corrosion spread and the better the chance of saving it completely.
Does cleaning guarantee that the device will be fully functional?
No. Cleaning removes residues and stops corrosion, but if components have already been damaged, they need replacement or logic board repair. In extreme cases the device cannot be repaired — then data recovery is often the priority. That is why we always start with diagnostics, give you the full cost, and only begin work after your approval.
Can a water-damaged device be cleaned at home?
No. Rice is a myth — it removes neither residues nor corrosion. A hair dryer or radiator damages components, and wiping the board without disassembly won't reach under chips and between connectors, where corrosion does the most damage. Effective cleaning requires disassembling the device, inspection under a microscope and an ultrasonic cleaner or spot cleaning.
Liquid damage? Don't wait for symptoms.
Every day means more corrosion. Call: 790 130 000 or write to serwis@maclife.pl. We are in Warsaw (Puławska 31, Grochowska 221) and Poznań (Głogowska 26a) — and we serve all of Poland with a door-to-door courier service (PL).