If your iPod, smartphone or other device ends up in the drink or water
is there anything you can do to get it up and running again, or will you
have to fork out for a new one?
But first...
Check if you've got insurance cover and whether or not your policy
covers your device for water damage. If so, this could save you a lot of
time and effort. If you haven’t, then don’t worry – read on and we’ll
try to help. Just remember, these steps can void your warranty and
should be treated as a last resort.
1. Make sure the device is switched of and remove battery (if possible)
Remove the battery as soon as possible and don’t try to switch the
device on either. This will protect the electronic parts from any more
damage. For instance, contacts may short circuit from any moisture still
in the device.
2. Try to remove as many other parts as you can.
These include the keypad, back cover, sim card, SD card etc. Use a tiny
screwdriver if you want to remove anything that's firmly attached, but
make sure you’ll still be able to put it all back together again - just
separate the easy bits if you're not confident!
3. If dropped in a sticky or dirty liquid.
Rinse your device under clean, preferably filtered water – but only if you CAN remove your battery.
4. Dry ALL the parts.
You can then get a wad of paper towels or cotton buds and start the
process of carefully drying everything, making sure you really get into
all the nooks, crannies and recesses that may contain moisture.
5. Ricely does it.
It's also a good idea to put all your loose bits, along with the device
itself, into a plastic tub and submerge them in uncooked rice. If you
have any Silica Gel bags from old shoe boxes, etc., this will do the
same trick.
You can also buy special ‘bags’ that have a ‘desiccant’ material inside
that you seal the device in and are specially designed to extract the
moisture from the device.
6. Finally, put the whole thing in a warm, dry place and leave it for 24-48hrs.
The best place is in an airing cupboard – but nowhere too warm. When you
come back, reassemble all the parts, cross your fingers and press 'on'.
If it works, then congratulations: you're back in business! If not,
then you can at least assure yourself that you’ve given it your best
shot. Unfortunately, water damaged phones often end up beyond rescue and
written off completely.
What not to do.
Rescuing your smartphone is worth trying especially when you think of
the money you spent getting it in the first place and it's like first
aid given to someone in the absence of a qualified medical personnel.
However, there are a list of things that you should not do in trying to rescue your device and they are as follows:
Dry the device with any sort of heat
This can cause the device to overheat and cause damage to the internal
workings of the device. It can also cause steam to form in the device
and damage it further.
Put the device in a microwave or oven
This is a really bad idea and can have dire consequences for all devices
and people involved. The device may explode or release toxic fumes,
damage sensitive parts and will damage the device beyond repair.
Freeze the device
There’s an internet rumour going round that says freezing the device in a
paper towel will help. It won’t. The water freezes and expands and can
cause parts in the device to move and break. Also, once the device
thaws, you’re still left with the same problem of it being waterlogged.
Overcharge the device
As most devices get warm when charging some people think this will dry
out the device. In fact, this can short circuit the device and damage
both the device and charger. You can even run the risk of short
circuiting your entire home electrics! It’s best not to attempt to
charge the device until you believe it is the driest it can possibly be.
Finally, you should also watch out for corrosion.
Hence the device has come into contact with both oxygen and water the
device can corrode over time. The best thing to do in this situation is
to replace the device as soon as possible and back the device up to a
computer. If you intend to keep using the device, it may start to
malfunction. This is a sign that the device has started to corrode. If
this happens, back up and replace the device asap.
