Unless you’re lucky enough to own a later model mobile phone that is actually waterproof, and you drop your phone in water, then you have a problem. But wait! It’s about 50 50, but all is not lost. If you act quickly and follow the steps below, you may save your water damaged phone.
So, you’ve dropped your expensive portable microcomputer that cost several hundred dollars down the toilet. What exactly does the water do to the phone? Firstly, the water may short-circuit the electronics in your phone, causing irreparable damage. Microchips can burn out. Secondly, moisture left in your phone may cause corrosion that’ll eventually cause the electronics to fail. So, act fast. Retrieve the phone from the water as quickly as possible.
There’re a few things you shouldn’t do with a water damaged phone. First, don’t turn it on or plug it in. Essentially, mess with it as little as possible. Secondly, don’t apply heat to the phone, such as from a hairdryer. Excessive heat can cause more damage. Lastly, please don’t press any keys or move it around too much. Your objective is to prevent water from moving in the phone. Now that you’ve settled down and your heart rate is returning to normal, you need to help it dry out as quickly and gently as possible.
First, disassemble the mobile. We don’t mean take it apart. Only remove the obvious things like the back, the battery, the SIM card. Now, place everything on paper towels and pat it all dry. Next, you must exercise restraint and leave the phone and components at least overnight to dry out fully. A popular technique to speed the drying is to put the phone in a bowl or bag of dry rice. This is mainly because everyone has rice and because it’s a substance that’s good at absorbing moisture. Also, those little silica bags are effective too.
The big day has arrived; it’s time to attempt to switch on and test your phone. So, carefully put it back together, plug it in, and switch it on. With a bit of luck, it’ll light up, and away you go! Keep an eye out for odd behaviour, though, particularly button failure. On the other hand, if it fails to turn on, it may be time to either replace it, have it looked at by a phone repair specialist or make an insurance claim if you have some. Good luck!
