Have you ever accidentally dropped your mobile phone in the sink, or even worse… the toilet? This will tell you how to save a wet mobile phone.

1. Quickly turn it off, open phone and pull out the battery and the sim card. Shake as much water as possible from the phone while you find paper towels or tissues to dry it with.

Getting your mobile phone wet usually means you have to replace it, but sometimes if you’re fast enough, you might be able to save the phone! Follow the steps outlined in this article to try and save your wet mobile phone.

2. Your phone may not be too damaged if you take it out of the water right away. A longer period of immersion, such as being in the washing machine cycle, is more cause for alarm. It is still worth trying the following steps to attempt saving the phone, before giving up.

Note: If the phone is connected to a wall charger and is also submerged in water, do not attempt to remove it from the water.Turn off  power point. Remove Charger from power point. Pull charger lead from phone then and only then get phone out of the water.Electricity and water do not mix and can result in electrical shock. However, if your phone was NOT connected to a wall charger but fell into water, remove the phone from the water as quickly as possible, and proceed with the next few steps.

Note: Acting quickly can make all the difference in being able to save your phone from water damage, however don’t panic. Maintaining a level head is key to working more efficiently under pressure.

3. Quickly gather some paper towels or soft cloths to lay the phone on while you shake it. 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.[1]

Note: 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.

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

4. Dry the SIM card if your phone has one. Some or all of your valuable contacts (along with other data) could be stored on your SIM. For many people, this could be more valuable and worthy of saving than the phone itself.

SIM cards survive water damage well, but getting it out immediately makes good sense. Pat it dry and set it aside to dry out until you reconnect your phone to your cell network again. (If your phone does not have a SIM card, skip this step).

5. Remove all other peripherals such as ear buds, memory cards, as well as any phone cases or protective covers. Remove all plugs that cover the gaps, slots, and crevices in the phone to expose them to air drying.

6. 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:

Note: 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.

Note: 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.

Note :(Optional): 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.

7. Use a vacuum cleaner. If you want to try and suck the liquid out of the inner parts of the phone, try using a vacuum cleaner if there is one available. Remove all residual moisture by drawing it away with a vacuum cleaner held over the affected areas for up to 20 minutes, in each accessible area (take turns with a friend).

This is the fastest method and can completely dry out your phone and get it working in thirty minutes. However, unless the exposure to water was extremely short, it’s not recommended to attempt to turn your phone on this soon.

Note: Be careful not to hold the vacuum too close to the phone, as a vacuum can create static electricity, which is even worse for the phone than water.

8. Do not use a hair dryer to dry out a phone. Contrary to common advice, it is not recommended that you use a hair dryer (not even on the “cold” mode). Using a hair dryer may force moisture further inward toward the crevices, reaching the electrical components deep inside the phone. And if the hair dryer air is too warm, it could melt the components or the case.

Note: If moisture is driven deeper inside, corrosion and oxidation may result when minerals from liquids are deposited on the circuitry which could eventually cause component failure inside the phone.

Note: While avoiding blowing air into the phone, conversely, using a heater, fan or other air-flow device to blow air ACROSS the phone’s openings will aid drying. The Bernoulli principle states that as the warm, dry air moves fast over the phone, the decreased air pressure will gently pull or suck moisture out of the phone. The best part of this option is that you can leave a phone in front of a warm, moving warm air source for hours.

9. Use a substance with a high affinity for drawing out moisture. An inexpensive option is to place the phone in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice overnight, The rice might absorb some remaining moisture.[2]

Note: If available, it is preferable to use a desiccant instead. Desiccants may absorb moisture better than rice.[2] You can also try slipping the cell phone inside a plastic bag that can be sealed or a plastic container (airtight). Add a desiccant packet, such as silica gel — often found with new shoes, purses, noodle packets, etc. — in with the cell phone. The downside of this method is the packets packed with shoes has usually already reached its absorption capacity. Dessicant for flower drying can usually be purchased at most craft stores. Leave the phone with the dessicant or rice as long as possible (at least overnight) to absorb the moisture.

Note: Rotate the phone to a different position every hour until you go to sleep. This will allow any water left inside to run down and hopefully find an opening to escape.

10.  Let the phone sit on absorbent towels, napkins or other paper. After removing the phone from the rice or desiccant (or if you were not able to use either method), place the phone flat on an absorbent material. Remember that the goal is to evacuate all of the moisture and humidity from the device.

Note: Check the absorbent material every hour for 4 to 6 hours. If moisture is evident, repeat the vacuuming step and desiccant steps.

11. Test your phone. After you have waited at least 24 hours or longer if needed, check to see that every area of your cell phone is clean and looks dry. Check all the ports, compartments and in between crevices for any moisture or dirt. Wipe away any dust and dirt from the device and covers and insert the battery into the phone. Attempt to power on the device, listening for odd noises and observing to see if the phone appears to function correctly.

Note: If your phone is completely dried out, but still does not work, try plugging it into its charger without the battery. If this works, you will probably need a new battery.

Note: If plugging it in with the charger doesn’t work, try taking your cell phone to an authorized dealer. Sometimes they can fix it. Don’t try to hide the fact that it has been wet – there are internal indicators that prove moisture – and the repair people are more likely to be able to help you if you explain exactly what has happened to the phone.

12. Unless you are trained and skilled to do so, never take a phone apart. Leave that to the professionals, since doing so could potentially cause shock or exposure to harmful chemicals or components.

Note: If your phone is powering up but doesn’t operate correctly after you’ve dried it, then it’s likely that you’ve missed some liquid, or that corrosion has already occurred. Remove all the covers, battery, cards and other extraneous attachments again, and rub it gently with a clean dry paintbrush or toothbrush. Look on YouTube for instructions on how to properly go about this process.

13. There are waterproof cases to purchase for your phone.

Warnings

Do not put your phone in an oven or microwave to dry it out.

Do not apply too much heat to your phone, as mentioned above. You don’t want to melt or burn your phone.

Don’t heat the battery or it could leak or explode. Lithium-ion batteries are sensitive. If you use a hairdryer, make sure to remove the battery first. Note that it is not recommended to apply heat to the phone.

Be warned that manufacturers of most modern mobile phones place liquid damage indicator stickers that will change colours in the presence of a liquid inside their phones. This helps technicians know that you have dropped your phone in water, as most phone insurance coverage policies don’t cover water damage. Chances are, if the sticker under the battery is triggered, then the internal stickers you can’t access have probably been tripped as well. This will result in you paying a voided-warranty fee in the long run. You should be aware that warranties don’t cover water damage, only insurance does, and even then, not all insurance companies or plans will honour water damaged phones. It is also worth noting that these liquid damage indicator stickers have been known to change colours in extreme humidity as well.

If you use alcohol make sure to do so outside, and do not apply heat in any form, not even the gentle heat of a monitor. Do not hook up the battery until the alcohol smell dissipates.

Even if all these steps are followed, minerals dissolved in the water can precipitate on solder and component pins, causing corrosion or shorting. Component pins are packed so closely together in modern phones that even a small encrustation can create a short, rendering the phone inoperable.

For the semi-mechanically inclined: remove screws and, at a minimum, crack the case open to allow moisture to escape. Mobile phones are normally somewhat waterproof, so they can be used in the light rain and in humid environments. This means that once moisture has entered the phone, it is very hard for it to dry out.

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