So, you've dropped your cell phone in the toilet, spilled a
drink on your laptop or taken a bath with your iPad and gotten it cleaner than
you intended. It’s done, dead and kaput, right? Well, maybe not, but there are
many myths, misconceptions and intentional misinformation that pervades the water
(liquid) electronic restoration market to the point that it is often difficult
to separate fact from fiction. The below will hopefully put to rest some common misconceptions and be informative if you are ever in a "wet phone" situation! We hope you find it useful.
MYTH:
Turn your device off immediately and do not turn back on until dry, and put it in a sealed bag of rice for at least
24 hours.
Have you ever heard the old adage
that the best lies contain at least some truth? This one actually contains a
lot of truth, but rice is not the answer. The phone should be turned off immediately, and battery removed if possible (this requires a special tool on most iPhones).
What about the rice? Rice is a starch based grain that only becomes water absorbing at 158
degrees F. Ever wonder why people don’t sit around eating raw rice as a snack? A
couple of swirls around the mouth and its yummy and soft? I don’t think so. Several
studies have actually shown that rice tends to increase the humidity levels
inside a closed container. When your phone dries out (mostly on it's own) the rice will have transferred dirt and starch into your phone! This can, and will, interfere with electrical contacts.
What you SHOULD do if your device gets wet:
- Turn your device off immediately, and do NOT turn it back on (#1 cause of wet devices being damaged beyond repair)
- Take
the battery out (if possible)
- Wrap it in a towel, paper towels or any
absorbent material (there are many excellent commercial products available -
but most of us don’t plan that far ahead)
- Take it, as soon as possible, to
a reputable water damage repair facility. Even when dry, the contacts will need to be cleaned to prevent devastating corrosion.
- DO NOT use a blow dryer (on cold or
hot setting), DO NOT put in rice, and DO NOT put it in the microwave.
Let us know if you have any comments or questions!
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