We all know that smartphones and water do not mix. Whether through personal experience or through someone we know. Who among us has done the dreaded and dropped their smartphone in the toilet, or has known someone who has? We truly feel bad for you.
On another note, experts say that even if your phone is completely soaked, there are steps you can take to save it, but it takes patience and the ability to leave your phone alone; something many of us would find challenging these days. Let’s be honest here, it’s one of our worst nightmares!
What do you do when your smartphone gets wet? We have some steps you may follow to increase the likelihood of saving your phone.
- We almost did not include this one as it seems obvious, however, take it out of the water immediately. When your phone gets wet, every second counts when it comes to saving your phone.
- Turn your phone off. What kills a smartphone after it gets wet is the flow of electricity. Remember when we stated above to be patient and leave your phone alone? Don’t try to charge it or try turning it on to see if it works, simply turn it off. If your phone is on, electricity will flow and touch the water that’s inside, frying the circuitry.
- Start removing things, if possible. This includes the battery, sim and memory cards, and all other peripherals. Some phones, like the iPhone, don’t give you the ability to remove the battery. If this is the case, skip removing the battery. If your phone does permit you to remove the battery, remove it as quickly and possible. Removing the battery will remove the flow of electricity and help to prevent your phone from being fried. Then, remove covers and plugs that may cover gaps and slots in your phone.
- Dry with a lint-free, microfiber towel. In this step, you want to get rid of as much water as you possibly can. Solid surfaces should be completely dry. Make sure to get the cloth into any openings such as the charging port, headphone jack, SIM slot (remember removing the SIM card?), and any other gaps you see. It is recommended to not use a paper towel as the particles from the towel may clog gaps in the phone.
- If you can, put it in a vacuum bag. Put your phone in a plastic bag and pull out all of the air which will also pull out the water inside the phone. Using a vacuum bag will pull out any water stuck in the slots, gaps, and difficult to reach areas.
- Allow your phone to dry out. There are a few methods for this:
- The old uncooked rice method. Many of us are aware of this method. You place your phone in a bowl of uncooked rice. There are a few details to help improve the results of this method. Above, we mentioned remove everything possible, such as the SIM card, battery, and more; keep your phone apart when you surround it with uncooked rice. Use a bowl with a lid and put it under a lamp to help with water evaporation. Ideally, you want it to sit for at least 24 hours. When reassembling your phone, be sure to remove all grains of rice.
- Use a bowl of absorbents. Uncooked rice isn’t the only thing that will absorb the water from your phone. They even have emergency kits using absorbents for your phone such as the “Lifeline Dry Bag.”
- The Air Dry Method. This is exactly what it sounds like, let it sit out and air dry. There are a few things you can do to help improve the results. Look for a place with airflow and keep your phone at an angle so water is able to flow out of the device. Don’t have a spot with airflow? You may also use a fan or a device that has exhaust vents to cool.
- Finally, turn it on and hope. Once you’ve gone through the above steps and have your phone entirely dry and reassembled, hold the power button, turning the phone on, and hope for the best. If the phone doesn’t turn on, try charging your battery a little; it’s possible the battery may have short-circuited and drained its power when the phone got wet.
While the chances are high your phone will be damaged from the water, using the above steps help to mitigate the chance of damage. Don’t underestimate the power of optimism in the process! We here at VSL Home Services hope that if you do run into a water issue with your smartphone, you’ll follow the above steps and have a positive outcome.