In today's society, cell phones are an essential item for most people. However, cell phones are far from indestructible. For example, too much banging or dropping may cause your phone to stop working properly. Likewise, exposure to water can cause serious damage to your phone. In some cases, a wet phone may even be beyond repair. Nonetheless, you can try to salvage a water-damaged cell phone by allowing it to dry thoroughly. Below are some tips to speed the drying process and maximize your chances of success.
1. Take action quickly The faster you dry your phone, the more chance you have of saving it. As soon as you know your phone is wet, begin the drying process immediately.
2. Remove the battery Before you try to dry your phone, take the battery out to cut the power and set it aside until the phone is completely dry. If your phone is off when the water damage occurs, or if the phone shuts off after becoming wet, don't turn it back on. Doing so may short the circuit.
3. Use rice or silica gel One of the best ways to dry your phone is to place it in a sealed bag of silica gel, which will draw the moisture out of the phone. You can combine the silica gel packets from products you have purchased in the past, or you can buy silica gel at a local craft store. If you don't have silica gel on hand, you can also attempt to dry your phone in a sealed bag of uncooked rice. Though it won't work as quickly as silica gel, uncooked rice will also draw the moisture out of the phone.
4. Don't use heat Though it may be tempting to use heat to dry your phone, such as the heat from a hairdryer, doing so can be harmful to the phone. The heat will dry the moisture in the phone, but it may also warp the parts inside of the device. Once these parts are damaged, the phone won't work properly.
5. Remove salt water first If your phone was damaged with salt water, you should rinse it with fresh water before you try to dry it. Though it may seem counterintuitive, leaving the salt water in the phone is more dangerous than adding more moisture to the phone's insides. After the salt water dries, the crystals left behind will damage the delicate components inside your device. For this reason, you must remove them before you draw out the moisture. Remove the battery before you flush the phone with fresh water.
6. Use air and suction If your phone is soaked with water, use suction or blown air to remove the bulk of the water before you place it in rice or silica gel. This method works best if you attempt to blow or suck the moisture out of the same openings through which it entered. Effective tools include cans of compressed air or wet/dry shop vacs. Because most cell phone manufacturers refuse to honor the warranty on a phone that has sustained water damaged, it is important to do everything you can to dry your wet cell phone on your own. Remember, using a phone skin can also help deter water damage from seeping into your phone. Buy a phone skin today and be able to use your phone in crisis! By following these tips, you can greatly increase the chance of recovery from water damage on your phone.
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