Liquid, runny handlotion, went in the buttons you use to change plages, and inside the device. Now a part of the screen closest to the buttons are broken/white. what to i need to buy it fix it?
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Liquids (any sort) play havoc with electronics.
You will need to open and clean the tablet first and then most likely will have to replace the screen.
The impurities in the liquid causes corrosion and provides circuit paths for the electricity which were not in the tablet's operating design and could damage the components. The corrosion starts immediately and is ongoing until it is completely cleaned away
First do not try to charge or to turn on your tablet anymore and then remove the battery as soon as possible from the tablet to minimize any further damage.
Then you need to dis-assemble the rest of the device and clean all the affected parts using Isopropyl Alcohol 99%+ (available at electronics parts stores) to remove all traces of corrosion etc. If possible do not use "rubbing alcohol" as in some cases this is only 70% IPA or less, can contain additives which may leave conductive residues and is not as effective. If you do have to use it check the label to verify the amount of IPA. The higher the percentage of IPA the better
Here is a link that describes what happens. Electronics Water Damage
As always with electronics, especially surface mounted pcb be gentle when handling and especially when brushing away the corrosion. You do not want to remove any components from the board. Remove the shields that may be covering some components as the water may have got in under there. The ends of any flex cables and their connectors need to be cleaned as well
Hopefully after you have done all this it possibly work correctly again.
Here is a link to the ifixit Kobo Libra Colour repair guides that may help. (Select your particular model variant)
If this process seems too daunting, take your tablet to a reputable, professional phone or electronics repair service, experienced in liquid damage repair and ask for a quote for a repair. If you decide to do this, do it sooner than later.
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As you found out, liquids and electronics don't mix. You can review the Guides section (click on Guides on the top right of this screen) on disassembly, determining if you feel comfortable opening a unit. This is one step to cleaning and removing remnants of hand lotion that seeped in. Isopropyl alcohol, lint free cloth, cotton swabs, napkins, whatever's needed to absorb alcohol diluting dried/wet lotion. Removing fluids that likely created (hopefully) temporary damage can sometimes correct temporary short circuit conditions. Disconnect the battery and remove it to prevent cleaning creating new short circuit problems. There's no guarantee cleaning and removing fluids will restore your unit back to normal operation. If you proceed, once everything is cleaned, place the opened unit on a tray to dry overnight. A gas stove with pilot light, gas water heater or daytime sun (infrared heat) without wind, provide gentle warmth to help dry out moisture still stuck in hidden areas. Understanding how capillary action works, alcohol/cotton swab/cloth can dilute and draw out remaining fluids, possibly removing the short circuit condition resulting in the odd color screen. Worse case scenario is making things worse after reassembly with more problems. Best case may be improved display function or complete restoration.
If you decide not to open it for cleaning, you can call or email Kobo for product support or find repair shops to enquire about repairs.
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