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Even though no one will admit to it themselves, everyone knows that person that, for some reason or another, has dropped his/her smartphone in the toilet, or into the sink, or into a puddle. Needless to say that dropping electronics into any bit of water isn’t typically recommended, but today we will talk about what to do if this happens to you.

Before we begin we should mention that many smartphone manufacturers are now creating devices that are at least water resistant. These devices are given an IP score. IP stands for International Protection as drawn up by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which is a classification given to a device that rates the type of protection a consumer should expect. If your device is classified as IP67, it is resistant to dust and can be submerged in water no more than one meter deep for up to a half an hour. The only difference between IP67 and IP68, is that devices that are classified as IP68, guarantees protection in water up to one and a half meters deep for a half hour.

Regardless of how your smartphone is classified, it is probably not a great idea to expose it to water for very long. If it does happen, following these steps will give you the best chance of saving the device.

1. Turn off your device.
If it is off, do not turn it on.

In fact, there are a bunch of things you will not want to do. Don’t plug it in. Don’t shake it. Don’t blow in it. Don’t try and use a blow dryer to save it. In fact, if this happens to you, don’t do anything to the device except the outlined suggestions in this list.

2. Remove your SIM and any expandable storage you have inside your device.

3. If your phone has a battery that can be removed, remove the battery
If you don’t have a phone where you can easily access the battery, don’t just pry it open. Either take it to a professional to do so, or check out the many YouTube tutorials available to properly take your phone apart and remove the battery.

4. Use an absorbent rag to dab your phone dry.
Do not wipe it around as it could spread the liquid to more, harder to reach parts of your phone.

5. Bury the phone in a ziplock bag filled with uncooked rice.
The rice will absorb the liquid.

6. Let your phone dry for a day or two before trying to turn it on.

7. After that time, try turning it on.
If it doesn’t turn on, try charging it. If it doesn’t charge, your battery was probably damaged. At this point you’ll want to take it to a professional if you haven’t done so already.

8. If it seems to work properly, makes sure it does.
If all seems well, you’ll want to test the display for responsiveness, test your speakers and your microphone to makes sure they work properly.

If you follow these eight tips, you may just have a chance to save your (likely expensive) smartphone from the eWaste pile at your local landfill. If you like this tip, return to our blog weekly for more tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your technology.

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Elizabeth Mitrani
Elizabeth Mitrani
17:23 06 Aug 19
Palindrome Consulting was key in establishing my business and helps me keep it running. They are the consummate... professionals, incredibly knowledgeable and are always available to help. They have gone above and beyond to ensure that I was up and running quickly and that any issues that may arise on my end or dealt with immediately. I highly recommend Palindrome Consulting.read more
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Palindrome has been my IT company for more than 15 years. We have been through four server and computer replacements... over the years all of which went smoothly. As technology has changed Palindrome has kept us current in their recommendations and are extremely responsive when we run into a software or hardware problem. We have been through hurricanes with Palindrome and felt confident they would have us up and running as quickly as possible and despite the fact we are probably a smaller client, they have treated us as one of their most important clients. I highly recommend Palindrome and have complete confidence in their capabilities and service. They have even gone the extra mile when we wanted to donate our old computers to a children's special needs school and delivered the computers, set them up and provided service for the same. Ilan Sredni is the consummate professional and has surrounded himself with top professionals and skilled technicians.read more
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Palindrome Consulting has proven itself time and time again to be the epitome of professionalism and technical... expertise. They take the time to listen to your needs and then apply their wealth of technical knowledge to create truly innovative and robust solutions. They truly deliver piece of mind.read more
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