The portability of the Steam Deck opens the door to playing games in places you otherwise would never think to, with some players daring to use the handheld gaming PC in the bath. One such person fell foul of fate, their device slipping from soapy fingers into the bubbly waters below, swiftly prompting them to set about saving their precious portable powerhouse.
Reddit user smallmouthbackus kicks off their Steam Deck rescue mission by opening up the device and taking it apart, delicately extracting every component possible out from the soap soaked chassis.
However, rather than simply leaving everything to dry out, they took it upon themselves to clean every inch of the Steam Deck’s guts in 99% alcohol.
While isopropyl alcohol does the exact opposite of reviving us flesh bags, applying it to electronic devices can help prevent any shorts caused by water. That said, it’s not a cure all elixir, as it can’t remedy any damage that’s already been caused.
After putting the Steam Deck back together, smallmouthbackus describes the passage of time between pressing the power button and watching the display come on as “an eternity” but was “ecstatic” when the logo finally appeared on the display.
Much as everyone should celebrate this happy ending, smallmouthbackus especially, none of this would’ve been possible had Valve not made concerted efforts to make its device more accessible to repair.
With more Steam Deck replacement parts potentially on the way, we hope we can hear more triumphant stories like this that keep each handheld gaming PC outside a landfill for as long as possible.