How to Dry a Wet Phone

There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve dropped your phone, except when you see it land in a pool of water! Reconditioned phones and liquid generally don’t go well, so you’d be forgiven for fearing the worse when you pick up your soaked device.

Phone manufacturers are aware of this issue, with many of the latest devices coming with some element of water submersion protection as standard. However, older models still don’t take kindly to puddles, and even the newer models can run into problems if dropped.

Thankfully, there are an array of different techniques you can use to dry a wet phone, from classic methods to more adventurous ideas. Here, we highlight some of the most effective ways of giving your phone a chance at a second life!

Dismantle Your Phone

Regardless of what drying method you use for your smartphone, the first thing you should do is turn it off and take it apart if you can.

While options are limited with many of the latest models, if you have an old phone, you should be able to remove its battery. Regardless of what device you have, you should look to remove the sim card.

Why is this important? First of all, the more exposed your phone becomes, the better chance it has of drying inside and out. Furthermore, if the device itself can’t be saved, the sim card or battery might, which could be vital if you look to buy an identical replacement.

The Rice Method

Undeniably the go-to option for damp mobiles, rice is the age-old trick passed down by friends and family for years. Some people swear by it, while others are adamant that it can do your phone more harm than good.

Rice is a super absorbent food, so submerging your wet phone in dry rice is said to be really effective at drawing excess moisture from your device. However, given the fact that we’re playing with food, there are quite a few variables that can make getting it right tricky.

If you’re considering using rice, here are the main things to consider.

Be Generous

The main thing when using rice is to make sure you’re using enough. Some people recommend using one litre’s worth of dry white rice, in a container two litres in size.

Using this amount of rice ensures that there’s plenty of drying potential for your mobile. However, the most important reason for this is creating the right environment.

If you use a small amount of rice, you create a confined environment that can become humid one the rice begins to absorb moisture. If the rice becomes too sticky, it will stop drying the phone and could actually cause more problems, so make sure the environment is right.

Time it Right

Another tricky part of using rice is knowing when your phone may have dried. The good news is that there’s little risk of damaging the phone if you leave it in rice for too long. The bad news is that it can take up to 72 hours to work effectively.

The environment will influence how quickly your phone dries. In a colder climate, rice tends to work faster, while in a warm, damp location, the rice might take a little longer to dry your mobile.

Rice Alternatives

Rice is useful because it’s an absorbent material, but it’s far from the only option. In fact, many people now swear by alternatives that do a similar job but with less mess.

One of the most popular alternatives is silica gel. Often found in small pouches, it can be brought in larger quantities and does an almost identical job to rice, but more effectively.

Other alternatives to rice include cat litter, some forms of couscous and even some oatmeals. Basically, anything absorbent that can surround your phone will prove useful.

The Towel and Vacuum Method

If the thought of drowning your phone in rice doesn’t appeal to you, another method is using a towel and vacuum. This process can take longer than rice and similar alternatives, but can also be safer for your device, as there’s reduced risk of anything getting stuck inside.

Step One – Drain Your Phone

The first part of this process is allowing the excess water to drain out of your device. To do this, Remove everything you can from your smartphone, so every port or slot is free and open – usually, this will just be opening your SIM card port.

With your phone opened as much as possible, hold it upright over a hand or paper towel. Keeping it vertical will help the water to escape the device. Once you’re confident that there is no more water leaking from the mobile, wipe it down with the towel.

Step Two – Vacuum Your Phone

This stage sounds particularly crazy, but it can be effective. Instead of using a hairdryer which can do more harm than good, a vacuum is surprisingly effective at drawing out any remaining spots of water.

The trick to using a vacuum is having an attachment that creates a small end, ideally smaller than the device itself. With its power concentrated, it can pull out any remaining water that is still inside.

What You Shouldn’t Do

Using one of the two methods above is often your best bet for saving a drenched mobile. There are some other techniques out there, but many of these can actually do more harm than good.

Avoid making these mistakes with your damp mobile!

Let it Dry Naturally

If you’re unsure what to do, you might be tempted to leave your device sheltered inside and hope for the best. Unsurprisingly, this is an effective way of killing your device for good.

Water will eventually evaporate from your device if you leave it for long enough. However, doing nothing allows moisture to dry inside the phone, which can wreak havoc with the electrics.

Use a Hairdryer

Drying your phone is different from drying your hair or clothes. If you put a hairdryer to your smartphone, the heat can frazzle the already vulnerable electrics. Opposite to the vacuum technique, a hairdryer can also push water deeper into the device instead of pulling it out.

We hope this guide will help you get more years from your favourite device! If you do lose your mobile to the water gods, don’t fear – we have a wide range of fantastic refurbished devices available at great prices!