Dropping your cell phone in the pool (or worse) or spilling coffee on your computer keyboard doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to buy a new one. Such last-minute disasters happen all the time. As a public service for our klutzy readers, or those who choose to take a ‘MacGruber’ approach to tech repair, we’ve put together a list of quick fix solutions for your gadget and tech mishaps or emergencies. We’ve scoured the Web (and pestered the IT guys) to compile this list, and, while some are tested methods of providing a temporary fix on the cheap, a few solutions are intended to be used only as a last resort option. (If you decide on a whim that your keyboard needs cleaning, put it in the dishwasher, and find that it no longer works, sorry, but you’re on your own, folks.) Regardless, we hope these help.

1) How to Clean a Keyboard Spill:

The problem: You get a little too animated playing ‘World of Warcraft’ and spill something on your keyboard.

The fix: First, lightly shake the keyboard to remove excess liquid. Then, leave it upside down overnight, or preferably, for 24 hours, to drain and dry. These two steps should solve a water spill, but, if the substance is sticky, like soda, then use a flathead screwdriver to pry off the letter keys. Next, using cotton swabs moistened with water, clean the sticky spots. If all else fails, try putting it in the dishwasher. This will void all warranties, so, again, try it only as a last resort before you go out and spend your hard-earned money on another one.

2) How to Save a Wet Cell Phone:

The problem: You drop your phone in the toilet.

The fix: Remove the battery to prevent power from going through the circuit board, as this can result in a short circuit. Prepare a bowl of dried rice, place both components in the rice and leave them for 24 to 48 hours to dry. The rice will act as a desiccant, pulling the moisture out of the cell phone. Don’t shake the phone around, though, as you don’t want to spread water to previously dry places.

3) Your Computer Gets a Virus:

The problem: You contract a virus on your journeys across the Web.

The fix: To prevent infecting other computers on your network, turn off the network discovery function as well as file and printer sharing. Next, right click on your network icon and choose “disable,” or, if you own a Mac, just unplug the Ethernet cable in the back. Also, try running the latest updates for Windows or OS X. While this won’t eliminate the virus, it will neutralize it so it won’t continue to spread. Update your anti-virus software and run a full system scan to eliminate the intruding software. If you own a Mac, try out ClamXav to prevent Mac-specific malware.

As a last resort, since you may lose some files, reinstall your operating system (OS) with the installation disks that came with your computer. Another available route, if you can’t remove spyware from your computer with the normal virus removal tool, is to go into System Restore, turn it off, and then run the virus scan. Sometimes files can get embedded in the restore point, so, if you turn it off, you can remove the virus. Be sure to turn it back on once the virus is removed.

4) Computer Won’t Turn on After a Storm:

The problem: You don’t have a surge protector and now your computer won’t turn on after a storm.

The fix: One good quick fix, if your computer won’t turn on after a storm, is to unplug not only the power cable, but also your keyboard, especially if it’s not a USB-connected keyboard. The keyboard actually holds a small charge, so try unplugging both and hopefully your computer will reboot.

5) How to Unfreeze a Frozen Garage Door:

The problem: It’s freezing outside and your garage door opener isn’t working.

The fix: In cold weather, a garage door opening mechanism will typically harden, which will result in a loss of power. Most garage door openers that were manufactured in the last 15 years will have pressure adjustments with which you can raise and lower the door. To prevent getting stuck in your garage, and poisoning yourself with carbon monoxide, regularly check the settings and adjust them accordingly.

6) DVD or CD Won’t Play:

The problem: You need to clean a skipping DVD or CD, but don’t have any of those expensive disc-cleaning fluids or kits.

The fix: Try wiping the disc with a vodka- or mouthwash-soaked cloth. Alcohol, which acts as a powerful solvent, will easily remove fingerprints and grime from a disc. A bottle of alcohol-based mouthwash may do the job as effectively as an expensive bottle of DVD-cleaning fluid, for a fraction of the price. Swabbing a CD with Stoli will work just as well as a disc-washer kit.

If all else fails, or you don’t feel like wasting perfectly good liquor, the hippie guy down the hall in our dorm used to swear by the toilet method. Place the CD or DVD upside down at the bottom of the bowl, then flush, producing a mini-cyclone which will swirl through the hole in the disk. (Flush the toilet, first, of course). This method has not been independently verified for obvious reasons. Another, unverified last resort is to try boiling a DVD or CD-ROM that won’t play at all.

7) Crashed Hard Drive:

The problem: Your PC’s hard drive crashes and can’t be read.

The fix: Before you toss the hard drive out, give this method a shot and at least try and save some of your files. Place the hard drive in a zip lock bag (to prevent moisture from accumulating), put it in your freezer, and leave it overnight. This may help to free up binding parts. As hard drives age, or are moved around, some internal pieces can become dislodged and unaligned, making the drive unreadable. Freezing the hard drive will force the pieces to contract and, hopefully, realign long enough to salvage your data. Another PC tip, courtesy of one of our learned readers, is, if your PC overheats, to try vacuuming the inside.

Failing Xbox 360

The problem: You want to play some ‘GTA 4,’ but you get the “Red Ring of Doom.”

The fix: First, try the ol’ catch-all; turn it off and then back on again. If that doesn’t work, try wrapping a towel around your ailing Xbox 360. Once it’s covered, turn the console on and let it run for 10 minutes. Turn it off, unwrap the towel, and then turn the power back on. This is not an ultimate solution but should serve to be a temporary remedy, as it hopefully will restore your Xbox for at least a few hours, or possibly even a few days. How could this possibly work, you might ask? Either it’s a motherboard/GPU issue and the heating/cool-down resets it, or it’s magic.

9) Lost Stylus to PDA or Smartphone

The problem: Stylus whereabouts unknown.

The fix: It’s definitely not hard to lose track of your tiny stylus, so here are few possible replacement candidates. Try using a toothpick, or a plastic mechanical pencil. Leave the lead retracted, so you’re only using the plastic tip of the pencil. If you haven’t actually lost all of your styli yet, and don’t feel like shelling out 50 bucks to get a fancy stylus pen, you can make your own.

10) Wi-Fi Not Working

The problem: You can’t access your Wi-Fi.

The fix: Can’t access your wireless network from any point in the house or office? In true ‘MacGyver’ fashion, try building your own reflector — like a satellite dish — to concentrate the device’s energy in one direction. This method will expand the range of your Wi-Fi by directing it where you need it, rather than sending the signal out in a circular pattern

11) Ejecting a CD That’s Stuck in the CD Player

The problem: Can’t get a DVD or CD out of the player?

The fix: Your first plan of attack should be to locate the small hole, or tiny black button, on the front of the player (it may be behind a faceplate). Press the button with a toothpick or straightened paper clip. If the disk doesn’t eject, try to gently pry it out. Wrap a thin knife, like a nail file, with double-sided tape. Place a small piece of paper on one side of the knife, and then carefully insert the knife, sticky side down, into the player. Try to get the stuck CD to adhere to the tape, and then slowly pull it out. This method was originally intended for car stereos but could possibly work for your home devices as well.

Hope this come useful for all of you to actually try it out.If you have any useful tips and tricks that you want to share,it was most welcome in the comments area.

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