Unless you own a water-proof phone like Sony Xperia series, I think this should be your most irritating and worst situation ever. Because I already faced it when I had my Samsung Galaxy S3, I was really irritated and confused, I dunno even where to start for fixing it. There are two things you should keep in mind when this happens – Act Quickly and Disconnect Everything.
Below we have mentioned some quick tips to save your phone from drowning. But please understand these are just basic tips and not the real quick solution to rescue your phone. If it is fully damaged by the water, then service center is your only best solution.
Things To Do If Your Mobile Phone Gets Wet
If your mobile phone gets wet then you should be doing these steps as fast as possible. I arranged them in the order you should work on, except for #8 and #9, you can prefer them accordingly.
1. Take The Phone Out Of The Water ASAP
First you should take the phone out of the water as soon as possible. Don’t even think for a second, just take it out. Taking it out ASAP will minimise the risks we might face.
2. Switch Off The Phone Immediately
After taking your phone out of the water you need to switch it off immediately. Well, probably I’m guessing it is still working, so if you get the chance, make sure you switch it off. And if the phone is already switched off then please don’t try to switch on, even for checking – it’ll just make things worse.
3. Remove The battery (If There Is Any)
If your phone has removable battery then remove the battery instead of switching it off, we should be avoiding button presses, which might lead to short circuit. Most of the smartphones these days don’t come with a removable battery but still if yours have one, do remove it. Dry that with a clean cloth and keep them aside.
4. Remove The SIM Card & Memory Card
Then remove the SIM card and Memory Card out of the slots. Dry them with a clean cloth and keep them aside.
5. Remove The Scratch Guard & Case
You should also remove your phone’s scratch guard to fix this properly, I know this should hurt you, but still it is damaged with water, so remove it. Also remove your case/cover if you are having any for your phone.
6. Wipe Your Phone Thoroughly
Using a clean dry cloth you should wipe your phone thoroughly. Just clear those water drops and make it dry outside.
7. Use A Vacuum Cleaner or AC Vent To Dry It
I heard that using a hair dryer is a bad move, so lets just avoid it for the time being. Also don’t use anything that heats the phone. Our options are Vacuum Cleaner and Air Conditioner’s Vent. You can use a small vacuum cleaner (don’t use it too near the device) to draw the water out of the phone. You can also hold your phone in front of any air conditioner’s vent for few minutes.
8. Keep The Phone In A Bowl Of Uncooked Rice
If you have some uncooked rice in your house, then take them and put them in a bowl. You can place your phone there, at least for the next 24 hours. They are capable of drawing out the moisture.
9. Using A Desiccant (or) Silica Gel
Desiccant is nothing but a hygroscopic substance used as a drying agent. Silica Gel is a good example of Desiccant. They are good at absorbing moisture as well.
9. Switching On Your Phone
Brace yourself! Now you are going to switch on your phone, please make sure it is completely dry, give at least 24 hours before switching on because the more it is dry the more positive results we can see. Also make sure your battery (if you have any) is dry. Though the possibilities for it to work are high, we have to understand this is just a basic procedure to rescue a phone from water damage.
10. If It Is Not Working, Then Service Center Is The Best Option
Now, here’s the sad part which most blogs avoid writing. It might not work, it actually depends on how badly the phone is affected by the water. So if it is not working it’s not the end of the world, you can go to your service center and fix it out. If you have insurance or ADP (Accidental Damage Protection), then you can fix it for free of cost.
If you know any other tips for saving a mobile phone from water damage then kindly share them in the comments below.
Good tips pradeep, i saw a youtube video regarding that uncooked rice concept, it really works, and in the video they used the Samsung galaxy s3! but i still doubt, if the water went all over the LCD, it may not work, i mean gestures, touch sensitivity might not work..but it depends on luck i guess!
thanks for the tips pradeep!
Thanks for these quick tips, these tips are very helpful at times of when any ones phone gets wet by rain or other conditions etc.
One more thing i want to point out is that when you remove battery, below battery you will find one small sticker and if you the water have reached inside your phone than it will change the color.
Incredible! way to handle your phone .. I know another simple way to make your phone work even after it has been badly fallen in water .. just remove your phone battery n all parts carefully n just place then near a 100 watt bulb due to its heat it would make it complete dry …It really works!!!!!