Losing a phone to water damage is really disheartening. Water-resistant ratings are still exclusive to high-end smartphones, but even if you have an IP rated phone, water damage isn’t covered under warranty. Besides, any drop resulting in even slight bend or bump in the side frame renders the water-resistance null and void.
So, what should you do when your phone gets wet? Well, we have been in such situations more than once and can assure you that there are good chances that you will get out of it just fine.
TL;DR: Keep your phone switched off for a couple of days and bury it in a rice jar
What to do when you drop your phone in water?
As soon as your phone gets wet, here’s what you need to do:
1. Towel-dry your phone; Remove cover
The first obvious step should be to remove the protective case or cover and to towel dry your phone. Wipe it with a dry cloth in a thorough manner. If your phone is water-resistant and if the spillage was minimal, this might be all that you need to do.
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2. Switch it off and stay away from the charger
The second step is extremely important. You need to switch your phone off as soon as possible. To abruptly do away with your phone can feel very unsettling, but this is not an overreaction – you need to switch it off.
Even if your phone seems to be working fine after the towel-dry, water damage might unexpectedly creep in even after a couple of days of usage or when you next plug it in for charging. Symptoms like phantom touches are also portents of upcoming doom.
So, switch your phone off and look for a secondary phone to use for the next couple of days ( at least)
3. Bury your phone in rice
Dry rice works! In fact, soaking your phone in rice can even absorb water from under the camera cover glass and numerous other places where you can’t get to. So, keep your phone immersed in a rice jar and you may then keep the jar out in the sun for at least 2 to 3 days.
Do not use a hairdryer to blow it dry; the heat may cause further damage.
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Repair guys will know
If that doesn’t work, you will have to take your phone to the service center for repair. Phones have liquid contact indicators (LCI) which are small white stickers that change colors when they come in contact with water or any other liquid.
You won’t be able to hide water damage or get free under-warranty repairs.
