10 Quick Things to Do When Your Phone is Soaked in Water

Have you ever accidentally dropped your cell phone in the sink, or even worse – the toilet? Did you leave it in your pocket and run it through the washing machine and at times it’s possible that your friends dunked you in a swimming pool just for the fun of it? Did you get beaten by the rain or did you forget and go swimming with your cell phone in your pocket?

Getting your cell phone wet usually means you have to replace it, because electricity and water do not go well together. However,  sometimes if you’re fast enough, you might be able to save the phone! Follow the steps outlined in this article to try to save your wet cell phone.

1. Take the phone out of the water as quickly as possible.

When your phone is dropped in the water, do not just stand there lamenting. Pick it out as fast as you can. Ports for hands free kit, tiny hole for microphone, charging, usb cable connectivity and the plastic covers on cell phones even though tight can freely allow water to enter the phone in a just a few seconds of time. Grab your phone quickly, and turn it off immediately, as leaving it on can cause it to short circuit – if it has been in water, assume it is waterlogged whether it is still working or not.

2. Remove what you can.

Remove any protective casing and, if your phone has them, remove your SIM and microSD cards from their slots.

Open up the back and remove the battery, SIM card(s) and microSD card if you are able to (note that this won’t be possible with all phone models).

3. Quickly gather some paper towels or soft cloths to lay the phone on while you remove the battery cover and battery.

This is one of the most important steps to saving it. Many circuits inside the phone will survive immersion in water provided they are not attached to a power source (battery) when wet.

To find out if the phone is truly water damaged, check the corner near where the battery is – there should be a white square or circle, with or without red lines. If this is pink or red, your phone has water damage.

Quickly read the manual to your phone if you’re not sure how to remove the battery.

4. You could use a vacuum. 

If the water damage is more extensive, you can use a vacuum to carefully suck out water stuck from the cracks that are harder to get at. Make sure any small parts, such as the microSD card, SIM card, or battery, are out of the way before attempting this.

5. Dry your phone with a soft rag or towel.

If there is even one drop of water left inside, it can ruin your phone by corroding it and making the circuits corrode or short out. Obviously you need to remove as much of the water as quickly as possible, to prevent it from easing its way into the phone:

Gently wipe off as much water as possible without dropping the phone. Avoid shaking or moving the phone excessively, so as to avoid moving water through it.

Wipe down using a towel or paper towel, trying not to clog the paper in the gaps and grooves of the phone. Keep wiping gently to remove as much of the remaining water as possible.

If you pulled the battery out in time, cleaning the inside of your phone with rubbing alcohol will displace the water which alone could remedy the problem.