Nobody wants to remember that feeling you get as you watch your phone, with frozen breath, as it flies its way into water. After that, you get a feeling of bubbles popping in your stomach as you pick it up, fearing what comes next, not knowing whether your precious phone will be dimmed fit for use anymore. Unless your smartphone is the waterproof type, then you've got quite some job to do after that and the best you can do as you prepare to salvage your phone is pray that all goes well.Step number one is definitely taking the phone out of water as quickly as possible then ensure that it's off. If the phone is still on while picking it from the water, switch it off and remove the battery, then place the battery on paper towels on a flat surface.Even as you do that, you should not do the following things in order to increase survival chances of your phone:
- Do not attempt to switch on the phone nor plug it in because water and electric devices don't go so well together.
- Do not press any button to avoid pushing water further inside,
- Do not shake or blow the device as this will move the water further inside too,
- Do not use a blow drier as this will damage the phone with its heat and;
- do not move the phone around too much to prevent the water from going deeper into the phone.
Disassemble the parts of the phone that are user removable such as the back cover, battery, SD card and SIM card then place them on paper towels. Unless you are an experienced tech specialist, do not try to disassemble the other parts as this may make your warranty void and even destroy your phone.Afterwards, dry every outer part of the phone without moving it around too much. As there are areas that the paper towels cannot reach, applying suction such as with a vacuum cleaner can be of much help. However, do not use a dry cleaner that's too big or else you may end up losing your phone too. Also, it's important to ensure that the phone does not move much during dry cleaning.The most trying time comes when you now have to let the phone dry on its own as you wait, hoping and praying that all turns out well. This involves leaving it as it is on a place like a shelf or drawer. However, there is a simpler and better trick that helps your smartphone dry faster at home. This involves putting your smartphone in a Ziploc bag that's full of rice for about 2 days.Rice! Yes, rice is the word. Not only because it's readily available at home but also because it has an ability of absorbing moisture from its surrounding, and therefore, can enhance your smartphone's drying process. Another alternative to rice is a pack of silica gel or a water rescue kit.The moment of truth finally comes when it's time to take your phone from it's drying cocoon, assemble it back together, plug it in and turn it on. If it works...phewks! That was pretty close. However, keep checking it over the next couple of days for any strange behaviour and also don't forget to check crucial aspects like the speaker, microphone, etc. If the phone fails to turn on, it's time to let reality sink in and let the dunking phone go or better still, seek professional help or claim insurance if it's there.
