These days, your smartphone is pretty much essential to your daily life. You do your banking online, reply to work emails, take photos of your dog, stay in touch with family and friends, everything.
So when you drop your phone in the water, it’s a real heart-in-your-mouth moment. If you’re reading this because you’ve just dropped your phone in the water, there’s no time to waste: here’s what you need to do.
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Already Tried Everything?
Note: The methods we’re going to recommend are your DIY quick fixes, in case the problem isn’t too serious. If you’ve already tried absolutely everything at home and your phone still shows no signs of life, don’t despair just yet.
It’s possible that your phone can still be fixed, depending on the nature of the problem. At this point, however, it’s time to consult the professionals. They will have the necessary tools and spare parts to get you up and running.
You may also be wondering about the warranty. Unfortunately, standard warranties don’t cover for water damage. And even if you completely dry the phone, companies will be able to tell. You see, they have a little strip inside the phone, which changes color after having come in contact with water.
First (Emergency) Steps
Okay, before you start the remedial methods, it’s damage limitation time. You need to act, and fast. There’s absolutely no time to waste, so here’s what you need to do immediately after dropping your phone in the water:
- Take it out of the water. Seems obvious, but you’d be surprised just how many people hesitate to put their hands in the toilet. But if you want to save your phone, do it, and quickly.
- Turn the phone off. Do not turn it on, no matter how tempting. We need to get it fully dry first.
- Remove the case, if you have one.
- Take out the SIM, battery, and anything else removable.
- Dab the phone with a cloth. Don’t push or be aggressive with the drying, or water may seep further into the more delicate parts. If you have a vacuum, use it carefully to get more water out.
- Use a fan to dry out the phone a little further, particularly removing water from the ports.
Rice is a Myth
When you do a Google search for fixing water-damaged phones, rice is the go-to recommendation. And that’s a problem, because it’s 100% wrong. It’s a myth that’s been debunked many times, but people keep on using it.
Of course, if you have nothing else, you can still try it. But don’t expect results. Rice will still absorb moisture, but it may not be enough to help your phone. Plus, rice isn’t exactly clean, so bits of debris can get into the nooks and crannies of your device.
Silica Gel to the Rescue
Based on a range of tests, silica gel is your best bet when it comes to the drying stage of the process. You will need an air-tight container full of silica gel. Ideally, you will have plenty of these from buying new clothes or shoes.
You’ll need to leave the phone drying for up to 48 hours, with a full day being the absolute minimum. We know you’ll miss not having your phone during this time, but please resist the temptation to turn it back on (as it can cause further damage).
Of course, a lot of people will not have silica gel to hand. If that’s the case, use any of the following: instant oatmeal, cat litter, chia seeds, or instant rice (it performs better than the ‘traditional’ stuff!).
Avoid This Step
Our final piece of advice is huge ‘don’t’. It’s the biggest mistake most people make when trying to dry out their phones, and it’s completely counterproductive.
There’s no way to hack or speed up the drying process. Do not use your hair dryer, no matter what you do. It doesn’t help. It can actually make the situation far worse, damaging the inner parts of the device.
Once you’ve tried all of the above, we’re going to circle back to our initial advice. Don’t take the phone apart or try other remedial steps, as you’ll likely destroy the phone beyond repair. Go to the professionals and let them do their thing.
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