Getting your cell phone wet can be quite a headache, even more so when you understand that the warranty is lost when this happens. Either way, we’ll show you a few ways to fix and dry a sealed phone if it gets wet.
Undoubtedly, getting a cell phone wet can be very harmful, but you should also worry about protecting your mobile in other ways. Given this, choose the best screen protector for your mobile, without further ado, let’s continue with this guide to dry your mobile.
The first thing you should do when your phone gets wet
The first thing you should do when your phone gets wet is to turn off the device and remove the battery (if possible). Do not even think about using it while it is wet, because a short circuit could completely damage it, something that can happen even if the cell phone is resistant or submersible in water.
Remember, immediately you notice that your device has gotten wet, turn it off. In turn, remove all removable parts, such as the SD card or the sim card. After this, you have to proceed with the different ways to dry it, but first, it is best to start with the most basic.
Dry it with a towel
Immediately after turning off the device proceed to dry it as well as you can with a towel. Repeat the process for a few minutes, believe it or not, this will help a lot to remove the liquid from the mobile. Beyond this method, it is recommended to use other tricks if the mobile is still wet.
Rice, a classic to fix the mobile and dry it when it gets wet
Surely the first thing that they have recommended to you when a cell phone or any technological product has gotten wet, is to put it in rice. It can certainly be functional, at least to some extent.
Rice is capable of absorbing external moisture in our mobile device. But remember, you cannot expect extraordinary things from this method, as it will not remove the liquid from the mobile.
The trick is to put the mobile in rice and leave it in this state for at least 24 hours, in this way the rice will absorb the liquid that comes out little by little. In any case, if the device still feels very wet, don’t turn it on, try other things first.
On the other hand, there are even more recommended components, such as silica gel, which can actually be very useful for absorbing moisture from the cell phone.
Use high-grade isopropyl alcohol to dry the phone
Isopropyl alcohol can be useful if your device gets wet, especially if your phone has been exposed to water for a long time. It may seem somewhat contradictory, understanding that alcohol is a liquid, but do not get confused, since it is not just any liquid.
The purest alcohol, i.e. 99% pure rubbing alcohol, can be useful for cleaning electrical connections. What makes this type of alcohol different is that it usually evaporates without leaving a trace, which can help eliminate the water that has remained inside our mobile.
Clearly this is recommended if the mobile was completely submerged for long periods in water. Also, when using isopropyl alcohol, great care must be taken. After applying the alcohol, you have to leave it for a while (a few minutes will be enough). After this you must wait several hours until the alcohol has completely dried.
It should be noted that isopropyl alcohol will also be useful to disinfect your cell phone from the outside against bacteria without damaging it and other similar functions.
On the other hand, although you can clean the screen of your Android phone with ethyl alcohol, to dry it, it is very important that it is 99% pure isopropyl alcohol, otherwise you could damage your mobile
don’t turn it on
It is very important that you keep in mind that turning on the mobile while it is wet can lead to its total loss. Given this, it is important that you do not start the device unless you are sure that it is completely dry.
Does my phone lose its warranty after getting wet?
Each mobile has a seal inside, which is shaped like a sticker to change color (mostly red) if the mobile has gotten wet. Therefore, that is the first thing that telephone company employees will look at when receiving a Smartphone due to a warranty claim. Since the sticker is active (with the color changed), the deterioration does not matter, since the technical service will not make the repair or cover the guarantee.
Why shouldn’t you turn on a wet cell phone?
Turning on a wet cell phone could cause failures in different tools or applications that a Smartphone has. It can cause irreversible damage to the camera such as deforming its lens, in addition to altering or distorting the audio, as well as ruining the battery.
Can you use a dryer or oven to speed up the drying process?
A dryer can be used as long as it is turned on in cold air, since the hot air can affect the mobile more. This is why it is not at all recommended to put the Smartphone in an oven or microwave because this will lead to a fatal error.
What are the advantages of isopropyl alcohol for drying phones?
Isopropyl alcohol is an ideal component for cleaning electronics, as it forms dry thermal pastes to help remove dry or solid dust, as well as any other hard-to-clean debris. This is how isopropyl alcohol is known as the best cleaning friend for any electrical device.
Alternatives to speed up the drying of the phone
There are several ways to speed up the drying of the phone, such as placing the hair dryer on cold air on the mobile when it gets wet, but there are two others that are important to mention.
Silica gel
It is considered as the most viable option and with an effective result in its entirety. Silica gel packets are better than rice in these cases.
The silica gel packs and your phone (battery disconnected) are placed in a large container that covers the parts of the mobile device. Then you have to let it act for approximately 48 to 72 hours, so that it absorbs all the moisture from the phone.
These silica gel packets can be found in boxes or wrappers of new shoes or handbags, as well as in packets of paste or other products.
It should be noted that speed is the most important thing to save a wet phone.
Rice
One of the most used and recommended alternatives to dry the phone is to submerge it in a container with rice. Despite there being endless alternatives to this food, it is the one that is most encouraged to be used, since it is easier to obtain rice due to its common use compared to silica gel.
You have to soak the phone in rice for 24 to 48 hours so that it absorbs moisture and can be used again.
How to recover data from wet device
First of all, the mobile must be dry to use the most recommended method, which consists of using a USB cable, but before that the device must not have a drop of water on it.
To connect the USB cable through the computer in order to empty the information, in some of the Smartphones, it is not necessary to have it turned on to link both devices.
