In the age of modern technology, almost everyone has a smartphone. But even the most reliable of them are not insured against accidents. One of the most common sad situations is a phone falling into water . If such an incident suddenly occurs, then the most important thing is to take the correct actions, since the further operation of the device depends on this.
59 seconds that will tell you what to do if your phone falls into water. Wait for it to load.
There are two types of batteries on modern phones: removable and non-removable .
Ambulance for a drowned man
For starters, don't panic. After all, if the gadget has not been in the water for long (and it is usually removed in the first seconds), the probability of saving it without the intervention of a service center is quite high. The main rule: the faster the rescue operation begins, the greater the chance of the smartphone to survive. So don’t hesitate and do the following as soon as possible:
- Remove the smartphone from the water and turn it off.
- Remove the protective cover (if equipped).
- Remove everything that is possible from the gadget: memory card, SIM card.
And if all the preparatory manipulations have been successfully completed, you can proceed directly to drying.
Possible problems with a wet phone
Sometimes after drying the phone turns on, but it works with some errors. Such problems could be:
- If the speaker is not working , there is strange noise or interference in it, this means that there is water left in the sound membrane or the contacts in the speaker have shorted. In the first case, you can simply disassemble the speaker and dry it, but in the second, you need to resolder the contacts;
- The appearance of spots under the screen , deterioration in the sensor's response to pressure - this indicates that water has gotten under it or that the glue has deteriorated and the screen has begun to peel off. If there was a protective film on the screen and bubbles appeared after a fall, here we told you how to remove them;
- Rapid battery discharge means that it has begun to oxidize. In this case, it is advisable to replace the battery with a new one.
Not a single smartphone is insured against accidents. And if he fell into the water, then it is important to behave correctly and not harm him even more. To do this, you should immediately take all necessary measures to dry the device as much as possible and take it to a specialist.
Normal drying
This method is the simplest, but it is only suitable for “mild” cases. Let's say the smartphone got caught in the rain or was accidentally wetted by a stream from the shower. That is, the wetness was insignificant, and the gadget did not “dive” into the water.
In this case, it is enough to simply wipe the smartphone with paper napkins and leave it in a warm (+40-45℃) place for a day. If it is a battery, then several layers of fabric should be provided between its surface and the gadget, which will prevent the device from overheating.
What not to do with a wet phone
Experts give some practical recommendations on what not to do with a wet mobile phone.
- You should not put your mobile phone in sugar so that this product will draw out the moisture. If water gets on the sugar, it will melt, forming a sticky syrup that further damages the parts.
- Do not put a wet phone in the freezer. Occasionally you come across advice that if you place a mobile phone in the freezer, the water will freeze and the device will work again. Do not forget that after removal from the freezer, the water will melt again and will negatively affect the microcircuits.
- You should not put your smartphone in salt. Salt water can severely damage electronic boards and completely damage the device.
As first aid, some experts advise placing the smartphone on a layer of salt, but first you need to lay a thin paper napkin on the salt.
Rice
Probably the most effective folk method, which has already been tried by many. Rice saves you even when your smartphone goes to the bottom. But this method also has a big minus - it will take a long time to wait for the “resurrection from the dead”, about a week. And all this time you will have to somehow survive without a means of communication.
So, if the smartphone gets very wet, it is buried in rice, and in the literal sense: the device should be completely covered with cereal. It is left in this state for 5-7 days.
As for the variety, there is no fundamental difference in whether brown or light, round or long-grain rice is used. This cereal is famous for its adsorbent properties and ability to draw out all excess moisture. The only question is whether the fatal oxidation of contacts will occur before this moment.
By the way, salt is also considered an analogue of rice in terms of adsorption. But, since it is a rather aggressive substance and can easily clog the connectors, it is better to opt for a more harmless rice.
The main problems when water gets into a smartphone
The most difficult problem is the shorting of contacts, which will then need to be changed. If moisture gets on the modules in small quantities, then there is a chance that after drying it will function normally. If you tried to turn it on wet, then the risk of burnout increases by 96%.
It is also strictly forbidden to charge a wet or damp device. The risk ranges from short circuit to fire.
After contact with moisture, the phone may function normally, but some of its elements often stop working. The most vulnerable are the speaker, microphone and battery. Almost always, after serious wetness, they require cleaning or replacement.
Alcohol
Another popular method is to fill a drowned gadget with alcohol. The operating principle of this method is similar to the previous one: alcohol also draws out water, while being absolutely safe for contacts and microcircuits.
And there is one “but” here. The alcohol must be alcohol - not vodka or other strong alcoholic drink. Any impurities will only bring the end of the already damaged smartphone closer.
What not to do if your phone falls into water
Having studied all the methods suitable for resuscitating a phone that has fallen into water, and the sequence of their implementation, it would be useful to understand the measures that should not be taken if the smartphone comes into contact with moisture. Regardless of the reason for the gadget getting wet, the rules of conduct in this situation are the same.
Disassemble the phone
Not all users have experience assembling/disassembling mobile devices, so the risk of spoiling something is quite high. In addition, there is a risk of receiving an unpleasant electric shock or being poisoned by toxic chemicals contained in individual elements of the phone. The only thing you need to do in this situation is to remove the cover, remove the battery and other components, which can be removed without any effort. For models with a non-removable battery, you can dry the visible parts of the device with a dry cloth or napkin.
Blow dry
A hot air stream, of course, can dry out some of the moisture, but it can drive the rest of the water deep inside the smartphone. In addition, even with the most gentle mode, the air heats up quite strongly, and high temperatures, as is known, can damage electronic components.
Turn on the device or put it on charge
Many people believe that by removing moisture from the visible parts of the phone with a dry cloth, especially if it gets slightly wet, you can safely continue to use the device as before. However, just one drop of water is enough for a short circuit to occur, and most parts and microcircuits fail. The same applies to using a charger. Water and electric current can damage not only the mobile device and the charging power supply, but also devices that are connected to the home network, for example, a refrigerator, TV, computer, etc.
Freeze the device in the refrigerator
There is also an opinion that by placing a damp phone in the freezer, you can preserve its functionality: they say, drops of water will turn into pieces of ice, which are easily removed from the surface of the board. This point of view is erroneous, since liquid that has penetrated deep inside the case is almost impossible to remove on your own. In addition, some parts (especially batteries in non-separable models) do not tolerate negative temperatures well: a permanent coating of “metallic lithium” forms on the battery anode, which shortens the battery life.
Microwave dry
It is strictly forbidden to place the device, as well as removable parts and blocks, in the oven, and especially in the microwave oven. Even a minimal excess of the permissible heating temperature can damage the electronic filling and melt some components and microcircuits. In a microwave oven, the risk of burnout of all parts increases several tens of times. As a result, such “reanimation” will lead to the final failure of the gadget.
What you should absolutely not do
The first thing you definitely shouldn’t do is check the functionality of the device after a “swim”. It definitely won’t work correctly, but such a test can aggravate the situation “once”, up to a short circuit.
For the same reason, you should never connect the gadget to an electrical outlet.
Some people advise shaking a wet smartphone to quickly get rid of excess moisture. However, this is far from the best solution, because you still won’t be able to shake out what has gotten deep into it, and it’s very possible to distribute water throughout the entire smartphone, which, of course, is extremely undesirable.
There are also advisers who recommend using a hairdryer.
Of course, this is the first thing that comes to mind for many. But it’s better not to put such an idea into practice: you won’t be able to dry the gadget with a hairdryer; the water will only go deeper. In addition, a stream of hot air can melt the plastic parts of the smartphone case and completely ruin wet electronics.
Non-removable battery
In the case of a non-removable battery, the chances of effective drying are reduced, but the gadget can still be saved if you immediately follow these steps:
- Be sure to turn off the device and keep it in an upright position. This is necessary, since smartphones have various connectors (for example: for headphones or charging) and water through them can flow deep inside, which can cause a short circuit;
- It is advisable to immediately place the smartphone in an absorbent substance and take it to a workshop, since if the battery is not removable, you will not be able to disassemble and completely dry the parts yourself.
- If it is not possible to take the smartphone to a specialist, then it should be placed in an absorbent substance for two days . This will help draw out all the water. Every 6 hours you need to take out the device and wipe off moisture from its surface.
It must be remembered that the phone must be placed in absorbent substances with the display facing up so that liquid does not drip onto it.
Effective absorbents that can be used to dry your phone:
- Silica gel – absorbs moisture well and does not harm the smartphone;
- Rice is a good substitute for silica gel, but cereal leaves behind gluten and starch, which is harmful to the device. Therefore, it should be wrapped in a napkin before being placed in rice;
- The inner part of the diapers is hydrogel , which is located inside and is able to absorb and retain moisture well.
Moment of truth
So, you did everything you could, and a few days passed. It's time to see if all your hopes have come true. Remove the phone from where you left it, insert the battery, etc. Then try turning on the phone. If it turns on and all the buttons work, congratulations!
Tell us about your experience!
Have any of you tried these methods? What other tips do you have that are not listed above? Write in the comments! Thank you!
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There are a lot of situations when our smartphone can come into contact with water. You might get caught in a heavy downpour, knock over a cup of drink onto a nearby smartphone, or even drop your phone into the water while taking a hot bath. Recently, smartphone manufacturers have been trying to introduce water protection into their devices. However, the percentage of such devices is still very small, so our article will be relevant for a long time.
Checking the operation of the mobile device
After drying, you can check how the device works:
try to turn on the gadget;- make sure that the system is working properly, check the Wi-Fi connection, the operation of the speaker, microphone, buttons and camera;
- see how GPS works;
- if everything works, connect the charger (the indicator on the display should work).
If the check shows that there are no problems, then everything ended well. If problems are identified in the form of a breakdown, you must contact the service center.
How to dry your phone
The continued performance of a phone that has fallen into water largely depends on how to dry it. You can leave the disassembled gadget in a dry place to dry on its own, but it is wiser to place it in a material that will absorb liquid.
- Rice is most often used. Thanks to its absorbent properties, it will absorb moisture. Place the gadget in a container with rice and leave it like that. It is better if the device stays in this container for several days.
- Silica gel absorbs moisture well. Dry granules have strong absorbent properties. Pour silica gel into a deep container and place the wet smartphone there. Leave the device in this form for a couple of days, then take it out and check that the device is working properly.
What to do if a phone with a non-removable battery falls into the water?
If a phone with a non-removable battery has been dropped into water, it will be much more difficult to thoroughly dry it, so it is better to take it to a service center for diagnostics.
You can only remove the cards yourself and, holding the gadget vertically - with the connectors facing down - shake it lightly so that the drops flow down through the holes for connecting the headphones and charger. This will help prevent short circuits from liquid getting deep into the smartphone. Before you take the device for repair, it is more advisable to keep it in a jar with an absorbent substance so that the maximum amount of moisture is absorbed into the absorbent and does not damage the “insides” of the gadget.
Interesting article: Top 10 budget phones with a good camera in 2022: rating of the best models that can be bought inexpensively
iPhone drying features
It will be useful for owners of an Apple smartphone to know how to dry an iPhone.
The iPhone has two features that can be useful if the Apple gets wet.
1. The Sonic application will save your smartphone if it gets wet. Sonic has a frequency of 258-1100 Hz and when turned on at 160-170 Hz it emits a sinusoidal signal that can push out liquid that has entered the device’s speaker. Wipe off any water that comes out with a dry, lint-free cloth. It would be a good idea for every iPhone owner to download this program to their phone so that if the device gets wet, they can use it. Therefore, while you are reading tips on how to save your phone from water, find this application in the menu of your device and quickly launch it at 160-170 Hz.
2. The sensor for moisture ingress into the case signals the condition “inside” the device . Starting with the 5th model, this indicator strip is located behind the SIM card tray. If liquid gets inside the device, the sensor changes color from white to red.
If you are the owner of an iPhone, please also note that dropping the gadget into a puddle or toilet is not a warranty case. Therefore, it is not necessary to take the device to an official store for repairs. You can contact the specialists of your nearest service center.
