Have you ever dropped your cell phone
in the sink, or even worse... the toilet? Did you ever leave it in your
pocket and run it through the washer? Did you ever swim with your cell
phone in your pocket? Ever have it fall into the pet's water bowl?
Getting your cell phone wet usually means you have to replace it, but
sometimes if you're fast enough, you might be able to save the phone!
The small convenient size of cell phones unfortunately also makes
these electronics accident-prone, especially when it comes to water. If
you drop your cell phone in water it is often possible to salvage it,
however, time is of the essence. If you drop your cell phone in water,
you may have only seconds to retrieve it, so you need to act fast even
if it means retrieving it from the toilet (yakis..yuck!)!
The next thing to do if
you drop your cell phone in water is to remove the battery immediately
without even hesitating to turn off the power. This reduces the risk of a
short circuit which would render your phone useless. Dry the batter
with a towel and set aside to dry thoroughly. The battery itself may or
may not work again, but fortunately batteries can be replaced fairly
inexpensively. Even if the battery does work, it is a good idea to get a
new one so as not to risk it leaking battery acid in the future.
After you have removed the battery, dry off the cell phone with an
absorbent towel as best as you can. Use cotton swabs to soak up water in
crevices and on any fragile, exposed circuits. If you have dropped your
cell phone in water, it is also helpful to disassemble it if you can
and let all the parts dry separately. Just be sure that you know how to
put it back together. If it is a flip or sliding cell phone, leave it
open for maximum evaporation.
If you drop your cell phone in water that isn’t pure such as a
beverage or in salt water, rinse the phone off with fresh water once you
have removed the battery. Once you drop the phone in water, the
additional rinsing will not do further damage, however, minerals or
other materials will.
If you drop your cell phone in liquid that isn’t pure water, you may
want to try giving it an alcohol bath. The alcohol will displace
minerals and microscopic substances as well as aiding in the evaporation
of the fluid. If it is available, you should use an alcohol
concentration of 95% rather than rubbing alcohol that usually contains
only 70%.
Once your phone is clean, leave it in a warm dry area or near an air
conditioner for three days before you attempt to replace the battery and
turn it on. This is very important, because although you may think that
you have thoroughly dried it, the slightest moisture can react with the
battery and cause it to short circuit. If drop your cell phone in
water, and want to save it, resist the temptation of turning it on to
see if it is working until you have waited at least 72 hours.
Unless you have insurance for your cell phone which covers water
damage, there is no point in sending it to the manufacture with the hope
that they will replace it under warranty.
If you drop your cell phone in water, the technicians will be able to
tell immediately due to moisture sensitive stickers that are contained
inside almost all cell phones. The best thing to do is to try the tips
mentioned above and repair it yourself.
The following are are also steps to save your wet cellphones:
STEP 1: Take the phone out of the water as soon as possible.
The plastic covers on cell phones are fairly tight, but water can enter
the phone in a short period of time, perhaps only 20 seconds or less.
Grab your phone quickly. Don't switch the phone on, as this can cause it
to short circuit – if it has been in water, assume it needs drying
immediately whether or not it is working.
Note: If you can't get to the phone in time, your best bet is to remove
the battery while it is still under water. Water helps to dissipate heat
from shorts that can damage the phone, so most damage occurs when the
inside of the phone is wet and connected to a power source. This can go
both ways, however. Being under water is more likely to short the
battery to even more sensitive contacts, so be careful.
STEP 2: Don't panic. Your phone will probably 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, will be cause for
more alarm but it is still worth trying the following steps before
giving up completely.
STEP 3: Remove the battery. This is one of the most important
steps. Don't take time to think about it; electricity and water do not
mix. Cutting power to your phone is a crucial first step in saving it.
Many circuits inside the phone will survive immersion in water provided
they are not attached to a power source when wet.
- 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.
STEP 4: Remove the SIM card if you have a GSM carrier. Some
or all of your valuable contacts (along with other data) could be stored
on your SIM. For many people, this could be more worth saving than the
phone itself. SIM cards survive water damage well, but some of the
following steps might damage it, so getting it out immediately makes
good sense. Just pat it dry and leave it aside until you need to connect
your phone to your cellular network. (This step does not apply to CDMA
carriers such as Verizon, Alltel, US Cellular, Sprint, etc.)
STEP 5: Remove all other peripherals and covers that can be removed. Remove any covers and external connectors to open up as many gaps, slots, and crevices in the phone as possible.
STEP 6: Dry your phone. If there is even one drop of
water left inside, it can ruin your phone by corroding it and making the
wrong contact. Obviously you need to remove as much of the water as
soon 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. Ideally, try not to clog the wet paper in the gaps and grooves of the phone. Keep wiping, to gently 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 cleaning alcohol (alcohol will displace the water) or contact spray might remedy the problem.
- Note: Dry any remaining excess moisture by moving your dry or mitten-clad hand across the surface.
STEP 7: Use a vacuum cleaner if possible. If you want to try
and suck the liquid out of the inner parts of the phone, try using a
vacuum cleaner. 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 it in 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.
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.
STEP 8: Use a substance with a high affinity for water to help draw out moisture. Leave the phone in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice overnight. The rice would absorb any remaining moisture.
- Note: If available, it is preferable to use desiccant instead. Desiccant will absorb moisture better than rice. 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 (often found with shoes, noodle packets, etc.) in with the cell phone. The downside of this method is the type desiccant found with shoes, noodle packets etc. has usually already reached its absorption capacity and also doesn't actually "pull" water to it. Leave as long as possible (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.
STEP 9: Let the phone sit on absorbent towels, napkin, 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 on absorbent material.
Remember that the goal is to evacuate all of the moisture and humidity,
not to trap it or add even more.
Note: Check the absorbent material every hour for 4 to 6 hours. If
moisture is evident, repeat the vacuuming step and desiccant steps.
STEP 10: Test your phone. After you have waited at least 24
hours, or longer if possible, check to see that everything on and in
your cell phone is clean and looks dry. Re-attach the battery to the
phone. Try turning it on.
STEP 11: Take the phone apart if your phone doesn't turn on at all. If you feel comfortable doing this, try taking it apart. First, make sure that you have all of the right parts and know exactly
where they go. Be sure to put everything back in its proper place once
finished. As you're disassembling it, pat each individual part dry with a
small towel and use the vacuum cleaner once more on the crevices (but
be careful not to accidentally suck up any loose parts – keep them well
to one side, or stretch a length of old pantyhose over the nozzle). If
this doesn't work, or you're too unsure about undoing your phone, get
help from cell phone professionals.
STEP 12: If you are an apple user, you can save your phone or smartphone by drying it with a paper towel and pressing the home button. If you have a nano and it turns on and stays on, it's OK.
And last but not the least, if you don't want your cellphone drop in the water, better KEEP IT IN A SAFE PLACE! (hindi kung saan-saan lang)
