How to save your mobile phone from water damage.

Well im sure we have all done it – accidentally dropped your phone in the bath, a puddle, in your drink or even the toilet? A mobile phone’s worst nightmare is water damage and we have a few tips of what to do if you find yourself in the situation – and also what not to do!

1. Firstly, remove your handset from the water straight away. The longer a phone is exposed to water, the higher the risk of damage.

2. Resist the urge to check if it still works or press any buttons, since putting pressure on the keys could shift liquid further into the device.

3. In all cases, the best thing to do is immediately pull out the battery, to minimise power to the device that may cause it to short circuit.

4. If you own a handset with a non-replaceable battery, like an iPhone or Nokia Lumia, then pulling the battery isn’t an option. You’ll have to risk pressing a few buttons to check if it’s still on and to quickly turn it off if it is.

5. Remove any peripherals and attachments on your phone, such as cases.

6. Extract the SIM card and any SD cards it carries, leaving ports or covers on your handset open to aid ventilation.

7. Dry off everything with a towel, including the exterior of your handset, being careful not to let any water drain into openings on the phone.

8. Even when everything’s dry, it’s very likely there’s latent moisture within the device that you’ll want to get out before turning it on. The most common fix for a sodden phone is to bury the handset in a bowl of dry rice. You can also use silica gel packs to absorb the moisture. Place your phone in an airtight container and completely cover it with rice. Leave the container for 24-48 hours for the material to draw all the moisture out of your handset.

9. When you’re confident it’s dried out, replace the battery and try switching it on. Good luck!

What not to do:

1.Do not use a hairdryer or apply heat to the device in any way as you can cause further damage to your phone.

2. Do not put your phone in the freezer – many people say this will work if you wrap the device in a paper towel to prevent frost damage. This is not a long term solution as when the ice begins to thaw, you are left with the exact same problem as before.

3. Another common suggestion is to overcharge the handset so that the build up of heat is gradual and therefore will dry the device of all water. This carries all the risks you would expect with running a current through wet circuitry – very dangerous!

4. If your water damage is not that severe you may be able to simply dry the exterior alone, paying close attention to the USB port and headphone jack. Many people would suggest poking into these areas with a toothpick and tissue paper to dry away the water however the risk with this is that the wet paper will get stuck inside your phone and cause further problems.

Photo by: Ldmcphee/Flickr