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Tipped canoes, pool catastrophes and unexpected downpours. They happen and, unfortunately, they often happen with phones in pockets. But don’t stress quite yet because a drowned device isn’t necessarily a lost cause. There are some helpful things you can do to get the water out of your phone and get it working like normal again.
The Best Way to Get Water Out of Your Phone
The sentiment “they don’t make ’em like they used to” doesn’t apply to cell phones. Luckily, today’s phones are much more resistant to moisture damage than they once were. Whereas a slight drizzle might have ruined early smartphones, today’s phones are often just fine when fully submerged in water. In fact, the latest models from Apple, Samsung and Google boast IP68 ratings, meaning they can be submerged in several meters of water for up to 30 minutes.
Plus, the advent of the water-resistant phone case has made damage even less likely. That means that, if you’re working with a newer phone, a little bit of H2O probably isn’t the end of the world. However, that doesn’t mean some moisture can’t cause damage. Even a tiny amount of water can affect the touch screen, camera, buttons, speakers and internal components. Whether it was just a little drizzle or a full dunk, the following tips will help ensure that your phone isn’t gone for good.
Stay Dry with Waterproof Phone Pouches
Don’t Make the Problem Worse — First up: Make sure you know what not to do. As tempting as it may be, avoid the urge to use the following methods to dry out your phone. Although they seem sensible in theory, they could leave your phone with even more damage in the long run.
- Do not put your phone in rice. Unfortunately, rice is absorbent and turns sticky when wet, which could cause more issues in the long run.
- Do not plug your phone into a charger or computer until it is completely dry. This could damage the phone and accessories.
- Do not use a foreign object, such as a cotton swab or cloth, to dry up moisture in the ports. Do not use compressed air.
- Do not take the phone apart to try to dry it out. This can cause certain seals to break, which could introduce water in more places.
- Do not use heat to dry out your phone. That includes hair dryers, hand dryers and microwave ovens!
Dry Out the Phone in a Well-Ventilated Area — As obvious as it sounds, make sure to remove your phone from the water immediately. The more exposure your phone has, the worse the damage may be. Turn it off right away to prevent short-circuiting. If you’ve dropped your phone in a liquid other than water, gently rinse it off and towel-dry the exterior of the phone. Set the phone on a dry microfiber cloth in a well-ventilated area and allow it to dry for several hours. A fan or an open window may help speed up the process.
Water in the Speakers? Play It a Song — If your phone is functioning just fine but the speakers sound muffled or water-logged, you might try playing some bass-heavy music. The sounds emitting from the speakers cause the speakers to move, which can help shake the water out. There are various apps and YouTube videos out there that can help you eject water from your phone speakers with the right sounds.
Prevent Your Phone from Water Damage
Now that your phone is (hopefully) dry as a bone, it’s time to start formulating your prevention strategy. Prevention can be as simple as leaving your phone at home when you plan on hitting the water or as easy as equipping it with a high-tech new phone case. Just make sure to be thinking about water before it becomes a problem.
If water fun is in the plans, put your tech in a waterproof phone pouch. These are great for shielding your phone from moisture when boating, kayaking, fishing, surfing, paddle-boarding or hitting the water park. You should also invest in a new phone case for daily use to handle those unexpected splashes and downpours. Case-Mate’s cell phone cases can go a long way in adding protection to your phone.
Staying Ready for Anything
A wet, damaged phone is a total drag. Thankfully, most modern phones can take a bit of moisture, so don’t stress yet. Following the above tips can help get rid of moisture fast so you can get back to using your phone like normal. Add in a few waterproof accessories and you’re good to go with the flow!
