Whether it’s a swimming pool or bathtub, they don’t go always well with your smartphones unless your phone is waterproof. When you drop your phone in water, there are a number of things that you should and shouldn’t do to save it from disaster. In this wet season, your smartphone could be at risk, and the longer your phone is left under water, lesser the chances of saving it. Sea water or salt water is more conductive than fresh water likely causing it to short circuit. Well, here’s what you can do when your smartphone falls in the water.
1) Turn It Off Immediately
The first thing you want to do is to turn your smartphone off immediately without a second thought. Press and hold the power button and switch it off. DO NOT turn it back on to check if it’s working or not.
2) Remove Battery, SIM Cards, & Micro SD Card
Now, once you turn it off, all you have to do is remove the battery which cuts any incoming power, SIM cards as well as MicroSD card and any accessories you’ve plugged in. Most phones now come with a built-in battery and only the SIM card and MicroSD card can be removed, so you only have to take that out.
3) Wipe It Off With Soft Paper Towels Or Dry Cloth
Wipe off your phone with a paper towel or a dry cloth to let soak the extra water. You can wrap it up to remove any moisture.
4) Don’t Put It Inside A Microwave
You might be thinking, a Microware is a perfect appliance to dry the water out and the problem is solved. DO NOT put your phone inside a Microwave under any circumstances, you will destroy it. Never ever do it.
5) Don’t Use Hair Dryer To Dry It
“If not Microwave, why not use my Hair Dryer to dry the phone like I dry my hair?” Nice thought! A Hair Dryer with hot air can cause damage to the electronic components, hence, it is not recommended. Avoid using hair dryers.
6) Put It In A Bowl Of Uncooked Rice
Instead, put the phone in a bowl or a bag of uncooked Rice to help pull the moisture out. Rice absorbs excess moisture and helps your phone to dry without causing any damage. It may take up to 3 days to soak the moisture and your phone can survive water. Don’t use your phone or turn it on during this period, let it dry.
7) Use Silica Gel Packets
Alternately, you can use Silica Gel packets to soak the moisture. Silica Gel can be found inside the shoe-boxes or get them easily online. Put it in a bowl of a few packets of SIlica Gel and let your phone dry for 3 days.
8) Charge Your Phone
Finally, after 3 days, charge your phone and turn it On. Check if your phone is working properly, check the buttons, any touch keys, cameras and most importantly the touchscreen. Congratulations, your phone has survived the water.
If somehow it doesn’t power up, it’s likely gone short circuit. You can take the help of the customer support and fix it. Some people are able to disassemble the phone and clean it with alcohol, however, it’s not recommended unless you know what you are doing.
That’s all folks. If you know how to fix a water damaged phone, share with us in the comments.
