Switch it off straight away, do not charge it, take off the case, dry the outside and get it checked as soon as you can. The longer a wet phone stays powered on, the more corrosion spreads.
Dropping a phone in water, a sink, a puddle or a drink is stressful, and what you do in the next few minutes counts for more than anything a repair shop can do afterwards. Water does the most harm when it meets a powered circuit, so speed and a cool head matter.
Do this straight away
- Take it out of the liquid and switch it off. If it is already off, leave it off.
- Do not plug it in to charge, and do not press buttons to see if it still works.
- Take off the case and any accessories, and take out the SIM tray.
- Wipe the outside with a soft, dry cloth.
- Keep it upright with the charging port facing down for a few minutes, and do not shake it.
What not to do
- Do not use a hairdryer or any heat. Heat can damage the battery and push water further in.
- Do not put it in rice and wait. Rice is not a reliable fix, and time spent waiting is time the board is sitting wet. Getting it checked is a better use of the first hours.
- Do not turn it on to test it. A phone that seems to work can still have water inside.
- Do not charge it, even if it looks dry.
Tell the technician what it was
Say what the phone fell into. Clean water is the best case. Salt water, sugary drinks, tea, soup and dirty water leave residue that can corrode the circuit board, and the technician will want to know so they can clean it properly.
Water resistance is not waterproof
Many phones are rated as water resistant, but the rating covers particular conditions, and the seals wear with age. A phone that has been dropped, opened or had its screen replaced may no longer keep water out. If yours got wet, treat it the same way whatever the rating says.
Get it checked quickly
Corrosion spreads over hours and days, so the sooner a wet phone is opened and cleaned, the better its chances. No technician can promise a wet phone will survive, but an honest quote before any work starts is the right thing to expect. Water damage is one of the repairs we handle at Kichwa Connect, and diagnostics are free.
Frequently asked questions
Should I leave my wet phone switched on to see if it works?
No. Switch it off immediately. A powered wet circuit is what causes most of the lasting damage.
Is rice a good way to dry a phone?
No. It is not a reliable fix, and it wastes valuable time. Dry the outside, keep the phone off and get it checked.
My phone is working normally after it got wet. Do I still need to get it checked?
It is worth doing. Moisture and corrosion can cause problems days or weeks later, such as a battery that drains quickly, a screen that misbehaves or a port that stops charging.
Having a phone or laptop problem? Bring it in: diagnostics are free and you get a quote before any work starts.
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