Emergency help for your smartphone if it has fallen into water, overheated or frozen
Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2025 9:15 am
According to statistics, the most common cause of smartphone malfunctions is getting them wet. If you dropped your phone in the bathroom or simply got it wet in the rain, there is a high probability that the gadget will turn off forever. What to do in such a case, and what actions are best avoided, we will tell you in this material. We will also analyze other situations that may occur.
What to do if water gets into your smartphone
Don't panic. First of all, you need to eliminate the influence of the harmful environment, that is, remove the smartphone from the water (cover it from the rain, take it out of the toilet, etc.). Experts claim (but this is not accurate) that every second in the water equals -10% to the chance of further repair and restoration.
the battery. If the battery is non-removable, immediately turn off the mobile device. This is necessary to prevent oxidation processes that can damage the board and radio elements of the device.
We remove additional elements from the phone: SIM card, memory card, stylus, etc., to save them from damage.
Wipe the smartphone dry with paper towels, trying to remove all the moisture you can reach.
Tip: Using a vacuum cleaner with a special nozzle to suck water out of a smartphone should not be taken seriously. There is a high probability that you will disperse the moisture into the corners of the device (as in the case of a hairdryer).
Ideally, after these actions, it is better to take the smartphone to a service center, where the gadget will be dried (in a special chamber with a certain temperature and humidity) and treated with an anti-corrosion solution. If this is not possible, then we proceed to dry it ourselves.
If you have the necessary skills and a set of appropriate tools (miniature screwdrivers), then it makes sense to disassemble the smartphone into its components and treat the board with ethyl or isopropyl alcohol (cotton cloth soaked in alcohol. It is better not to use cotton wool for these purposes - it leaves lint on the board). Alcohol prevents corrosion by nullifying the work of harmful impurities (for example, salts), and also absorbs moisture and quickly evaporates it. Instead of alcohol, you cannot use solvents, as well as alcohol-containing liquids that are not intended for processing electronics. If there is no alcohol at hand, you can wipe the board with a cloth slightly moistened with distilled water. It does not contain impurities, therefore it does not conduct electricity. After drying, it will not harm the electronics.
If you don't have such skills, place the smartphone with the screen facing up in a sealed bag (container) with rice or silica gel for 1-2 days (the longer the drying process, the better). Rice and silica gel are the best and most readily available absorbents that absorb moisture perfectly.
After 48 hours, we collect the smartphone (if the battery is removable) and turn it on. But, even if the device turns on and works as before, do not forget that the water that got inside was not distilled. And this means that in any case there are impurities on the surface of the electronics that conduct electric current. From which it follows that the smartphone will work for some time, and then it may break completely. Therefore, after all of the above, it is still worth taking the gadget to the workshop for a full diagnosis.
What to do if water gets into your smartphone
Don't panic. First of all, you need to eliminate the influence of the harmful environment, that is, remove the smartphone from the water (cover it from the rain, take it out of the toilet, etc.). Experts claim (but this is not accurate) that every second in the water equals -10% to the chance of further repair and restoration.
the battery. If the battery is non-removable, immediately turn off the mobile device. This is necessary to prevent oxidation processes that can damage the board and radio elements of the device.
We remove additional elements from the phone: SIM card, memory card, stylus, etc., to save them from damage.
Wipe the smartphone dry with paper towels, trying to remove all the moisture you can reach.
Tip: Using a vacuum cleaner with a special nozzle to suck water out of a smartphone should not be taken seriously. There is a high probability that you will disperse the moisture into the corners of the device (as in the case of a hairdryer).
Ideally, after these actions, it is better to take the smartphone to a service center, where the gadget will be dried (in a special chamber with a certain temperature and humidity) and treated with an anti-corrosion solution. If this is not possible, then we proceed to dry it ourselves.
If you have the necessary skills and a set of appropriate tools (miniature screwdrivers), then it makes sense to disassemble the smartphone into its components and treat the board with ethyl or isopropyl alcohol (cotton cloth soaked in alcohol. It is better not to use cotton wool for these purposes - it leaves lint on the board). Alcohol prevents corrosion by nullifying the work of harmful impurities (for example, salts), and also absorbs moisture and quickly evaporates it. Instead of alcohol, you cannot use solvents, as well as alcohol-containing liquids that are not intended for processing electronics. If there is no alcohol at hand, you can wipe the board with a cloth slightly moistened with distilled water. It does not contain impurities, therefore it does not conduct electricity. After drying, it will not harm the electronics.
If you don't have such skills, place the smartphone with the screen facing up in a sealed bag (container) with rice or silica gel for 1-2 days (the longer the drying process, the better). Rice and silica gel are the best and most readily available absorbents that absorb moisture perfectly.
After 48 hours, we collect the smartphone (if the battery is removable) and turn it on. But, even if the device turns on and works as before, do not forget that the water that got inside was not distilled. And this means that in any case there are impurities on the surface of the electronics that conduct electric current. From which it follows that the smartphone will work for some time, and then it may break completely. Therefore, after all of the above, it is still worth taking the gadget to the workshop for a full diagnosis.