How to save your phone from water damage

We’ve heard the phrase “water no get enemy”, but that is not entirely true because electronics like your smartphone don’t really like water.

All smartphones, even the water-resistant ones, all share the same risks of getting damaged if exposed to water.

Might be water from the sink, bathtub, toilet, gutter, a bucket of water, etc. it doesn’t matter, what matters is what you do afterward to rescue it from its so-called enemy, water.

In this post, I’ll tell you why your phones get affected by water, what you shouldn’t do to worsen the case, and how you can save your phone from “death by water”.

Are you ready? Let’s go.

What really happens when your phone gets exposed to water?

Did you know that water doesn’t actually conduct electricity?

Yes, very true. Water conducts electricity or damages your phone but does so only if it’s not in its pure form ( Distilled water ).

This doesn’t mean that you should put your phone in water because you feel it’s clean.

When water ( Distilled water ) is contaminated, the impurities dissolve in it and they separate into positively charged atoms called ions.

There are two common things that could happen to your phone if exposed to water:

1. Short-circuits the phone

Short-circuiting simply means it’ll send electricity to places on your phone where electricity shouldn’t be.

They mostly happen when your phone is turned on immediately it comes in contact with water.

2. Corrosion

Corrosion means the rusting of metal, which further means the gradual destruction of metal with time.

The worst part about this is that you may not know it’s happening.

If your phone survives the short-circuiting problem, things aren’t 100% fine yet.

The little water particles that remain when you feel the water has completely dried up are responsible for corrosion of your phone’s internal metal components and circuit boards.

It’s a silent killer, because even if your phone still works after being exposed to water, the corrosion that starts to occur later on the inside, can also damage your phone.

What you shouldn’t do

When your phone gets submerged into water, there are things that you should avoid doing that would further destroy your phone.

1. Don’t charge the phone.
2. Do not turn it on
3. Do not press any buttons or keys
4. Do not blow it especially not with a blow dryer. This could send water to other parts of the phone that it hadn’t already reached.

How to save it from water damage

Now that you know how water spoils your phone, here are the things you should do immediately it comes in contact with water:

1. Turn off your phone.
2. Remove your sim card and SD card.
3. If it is an old phone with a removable battery, remove it. If not, there are Youtube videos you can watch to do this ( don’t do this if you are not tech-savvy ) or you could take it to a phone repair shop and let the professionals do it for you.
4. Use a dry cloth to remove as much water as possible to avoid it from further spreading.
5. Use methylated spirit to clean the inner parts of the phone ( because they dry super fast ).
6. Put your phone into a closed bag full of rice. They are great at absorbing liquid and are commonly used to dry Smartphones.
7. Dry your phone under the sun for at least two days before you turn it on.
8. Test your phone speakers and other parts to check if it is fully functional.
9. Avoid taking your phone to places that could cause another accident.

Conclusion

To prevent this from happening to your phone again, use waterproof cases and don’t take your phone to places like the swimming pool, bathroom, etc.

No electronic device is fully waterproof.

If you use a water-resistant phone, know that the phone’s resistance depends on the clarity of the water, the depth at which it is immersed into water, and the duration of time its placed into water.

Do you have any more tips to help save phones from water damage? Do you have any further problem or questions? Share in the comments below.