Smartphones are wondrous pieces of technology. They can be used to take pictures and videos, browse the internet, send tweets and receive facebook notifications, run all kinds of apps, oh yeah, and make phone calls. One thing they're still not very good at, however, is getting wet. Not only are our expensive devices extremely susceptible to moisture damage, but they also contain detectors to signal that water has reached critical areas of the phone, typically voiding most warranties and insurance plans that could be used to cover the cost of a replacement.
If you're reading this because your phone has just incurred some water damage, I'll put this at the top, just for you, because there isn't much time:
TAKE OUT THE BATTERY.
Circuitry is not actually too vulnerable to moisture unless there is a current running through it. The impurities in the water conduct electricity between parts of your phone which shouldn't be connected, and that's where the real trouble starts. It is possible that your phone will remain on after it gets wet. This should not be taken as a good sign. Remove the battery as quickly as possible to prevent damage.
If the battery has been in for some time, that's bad, but it may not be irreparable. Remove the battery now and follow along with the rest of the group.
The next step is to get all the water out of the phone. You may have heard of the rice trick, an effective technique that usually falls short because people neglect to remove the power source.
You are going to need some sort of container, and enough rice to fully submerge your phone into it. Set up like this, the rice will draw moisture out of the device and absorb it. It's a slow process, but remember the immediate threat is gone with the battery removed. It is more important now to make the phone completely dry than it is to dry it as quickly as possible. A Protip for quickening this step is to find a silica gel packet from a shoe box or somewhere similar and seal it in with the rice and phone. Either way, you should let the phone sit for at least 36 hours.
After the rice has absorbed the bulk of the moisture, we use a more aggressive technique to make sure every last drop is out. It only takes a small amount of water in the wrong place to damage your phone, so this phase is equally important.
The best way to remove water from the device at this point is to use a vacuum with some sort of hose attachment. Drag the vacuum across any ports to the inside of the phone, including the keypad and other buttons. Do not blow into your phone, as this could push moisture further into the circuitry. When you are satisfied with your work, lay your phone out on a clean, dry paper towel for about an hour. If moisture presents on the towel, repeat this step.
Once the phone is dry, you may replace the battery and attempt to boot it up. If successful, congratulations! Try not to get your phone wet again.
If the phone does not boot up, or if there are problems with it, you may not be completely out of luck. Repair services (such as the guys over at Mousewerk!) may still be able to do something for you, although admittedly the complexity of the devices do not lend themselves to quick fixes in this scenario. Every water damage situation is unique though, and it never hurts to take a look.
Obviously, the best way to keep your phone functioning is to keep it away from water, but these things do happen, and with the right knowledge, serious damage can be prevented.
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