Wet Phone? How To Get Moisture Out Of Phones

Summary: This brief blog discusses what to do if your phone gets wet. If you still need assistance drying your phone or other mobile device repairs, contact your IT maintenance experts, GEEK-AID Computer and Network Support, at https://geekaid.com.

Many of us have become dependent on our cell phones for all kinds of functions beyond phone calls. Many people rely on their cell phones as their primary “computer” for sending emails, surfing the Internet, making appointments, text messaging, listening to music and podcasts, paying bills and an ever-expanding array of electronic tasks. Considering our dependence on our phones, most users take them for granted. Many are cavalier about how they wear, store or carry their phones and expose them to potential physical abuse. People drop, sit on and manhandle their phones as if they are indestructible. One of the most pervasive threats to cell phones is water. Water always finds a way in. Almost everyone has had a near-death or fatal exposure of their phone to water. Whether they’ve dropped their phone in the toilet, a sink filled with water, a lake or a pool at the gym, the user reaction is always the same: “Holy #@$(!” However, every moment they spend frozen in shock wastes precious time in their phone's safe recovery.

What To Do If Your Phone Gets Wet

Accidents happen to the best of us. How we respond to accidents is critical to mitigating their consequences. The good news is that many modern smartphones can withstand being submerged in water for short periods of time. However, user success in saving wet phones requires quickly following these steps:

• Turn Off The Phone – If your phone was on when it got wet, turn it off immediately. All powered-up electronic devices are at risk when their circuitry gets wet. Prolonged exposure to water increases the risk of damage to circuits with current running through them. So, get your phone out of the water, power it down and leave it turned off. Resist the urge to test it while it’s still wet.
• Remove Every Part You Can –
  • Remove your phone from its case and set the case aside to dry separately.
  • Take out your SIM card and its tray.
  • If you have an additional memory card, remove it.
  • If your battery can be removed, do so.
• Dry With a Very Soft Cloth – Certain parts of phones can be scratched if they are dried with the wrong cloth. Select a cloth suitable for cleaning glasses and be gentle as you dry as much as possible.
• Wait it Out – After doing all the drying you can by hand, wrap the phone and its components in dry, absorbent towels. Then, store them in a dry place. Leave everything drying for at least 24-48 hours, and do not power up the phone yet.

Once you have followed the above steps and have patiently waited for your phone and components to dry, turn it on. If you’re lucky, your phone will boot up and operate perfectly. Even when the phone Gods are on your side, monitoring your phone for any malfunctions is essential. If the sound is muffled, your speakers may still be wet or ruined. If you have strange colors or lines on your screen, the screen might be damaged. Take note of any weird symptoms in case you must bring your phone in for repair.

Should You Dry Your Phone In Rice?

An old-school technique for drying cell phones included burying your phone in uncooked rice for 12 hours. Many people used rice for a long time. In reality, rice doesn’t dry your cellphone any better or faster than following the steps we’ve set forth above. In fact, the dust and starch from the rice can get into your phone and make matters worse.

Even if your phone seems to have dried out and is fully functional, bringing it to a reputable mobile device repair specialist would be prudent. You use your phone as a computer. Therefore, professional device diagnostics and repairs for your phone are as important as computer repairs for your desktop, laptop or tablet computer. When the professionals open your phone, they can conduct a liquid damage assessment and perform a more thorough check for remaining liquid, electrical shorts and any issues that might arise in the future.

But I’m In a Hurry. Can I Use My Blow Dryer?

If you rush it, you’ll ruin it. Using a blow dryer or any other heated device to dry your phone is a terrible idea. It is a time for patience. Using a blow dryer can overheat and damage sensitive circuits in your phone. So, after following the above steps, sit back and wait for 24 hours.

People get their phones wet and drop them in water all the time. The standard for modern phones is to withstand being submerged in up to 1.5 meters of fresh, clean water for up to 30 minutes without water seeping in. On the surface, that sounds like pretty good protection. But is it worth risking that your phone is not up to the standard? We rely too much on our phones and other mobile devices to take chances. If your phone gets wet or you drop it in water, act quickly and you can probably save it.