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How Can I Fix My Cell Phone - It Got Wet

January 13th, 2008

cell-phone-search-queries.jpgOver the past ten years or so, cell phones have become very popular communication devices because of their convenience and portability. However, along with this surge in popularity there have been many incidents of people accidentally dropping their cell phones into various bodies of water or other liquids. If this happens to you and your cell phone gets wet, you may think at first that it is damaged beyond repair and dread the cost and hassle of replacing it. But with some resourceful thinking, in many cases it is possible to save a wet cell phone if you take action quickly enough.

Once a cell phone gets wet, several methods are available for attempting to dry it out and revive it, but there a few things that you should always do first regardless of which method you choose. The most important of these is to immediately get the phone out of the water and remove the battery. This will disconnect the electrical power source, thus preventing any further possibility of short circuit damage and increasing your chances of a successful cell phone resurrection. If you have a SIM card, this should be removed also - you may be able to save your data.

The next step is to get as much water as you can out of the phone and dry off all visible liquid with a cloth or paper towel. If your cell phone has any other easily removable parts besides the sim card, these can be dried separately. Then your main task is to make sure that the internal parts of your phone are completely dry so that you do not cause a short circuit when you reconnect the phone’s power supply. This is the part that will require the most patience and thinking, as there are several methods that people have used to successfully dry out their cell phones. Here are a few that I have come across in my research:

1. Wait it out. Yes, it’s boring and will take a while, but this is probably the safest method overall. Just let the phone sit out in a dry place for at least three days while the water evaporates. A variation on this that might speed up the drying process slightly is to leave the phone on top of a low heat source such as a television or cable box.

2. Put the phone in a bowl of dry rice. Many people have had success with this one, and it makes sense because uncooked rice can absorb a lot of water. For most cell phone models, you won’t have to worry about the rice grains getting inside of the phone. The following video provides a quick one-minute demonstration of how this is done.



3. Instead of the rice, you can use other desiccating materials such as silica sand or even cat litter. Although these things can dry quickly, they may contain granules that are small enough to get inside of the phone. In this case, you can use a covering such as a sock or pantyhose to prevent this.

4. Compressed air cans such as the kind that are useful for dusting off keyboards and other computer peripherals can be used for faster drying. Just make sure that you hold the can straight and not too close to the phone because these pressurized cans can release a very cold liquid that could potentially cause freezing damage.

5. Many people like to use a hair dryer, but it is important to use a low heat setting if possible. If the air is too hot, it could overheat some of the phone’s parts and wind up doing more harm than good.

6. Instead of heating it up, some people like to cool down their cell phones by putting them in the refrigerator. Although this seems counterintuitive, most refrigerators have a dehumidifying effect that will draw moisture out of the phone and speed up the drying process. However, it should not be placed in a freezer because this can damage the liquid crystal display.

7. If your cell phone gets wet while you are far from home but still have a vehicle nearby, you can place the phone on the dashboard and let the sun dry it out. By keeping the vehicle’s doors closed, the greenhouse effect can work in your favor. You might even think that global warming isn’t such a bad thing after all.

8. If your phone was dropped in something other than plain water, such as salt water or another liquid that contains mineral deposits, this can complicate matters because the residue left behind after drying will remain inside the phone and could cause problems later. In these cases, you can use a rinsing solution of distilled water or methyl alcohol to remove the contaminants first before completely drying.

All of these methods will require some patience, but after you’re sure that the phone is completely dry, you can try to activate it with a charger and see if it works. In many cases, you may find that the original battery will not work anymore, but the cost of replacing the battery should be much lower than replacing the whole phone.

If you still cannot fix your wet cell phone after drying it out for a week or more, chances are that it was submerged for too long and sustained too much damage. In these cases, it is possible to still salvage some money out of the deal by trading in your cell phone for recycling. Meanwhile, you can try to find a cell phone plan where you can get a new phone for free or for a relatively low cost and perhaps find a better rate on the basic service.

Helpful Resource: How To Recover a Wet Cell Phone



97 Responses to “How Can I Fix My Cell Phone - It Got Wet”

  1. comment number 1 by: Free Cell Phone Repair

    My friends actually told me about #2 but I didn’t believe them because we were drunk at the time. I would have to put this to the test to find out for sure.

    GREAT post!

  2. comment number 2 by: KK

    These are great ideas but what if you are riding on a bike and you have no car and you don’t know it is wet so you don’t take it apart quickly!!!

  3. comment number 3 by: jim

    The best method to dry it out is to use a vacuum. Be patient and try to concentrate the vacuum sucking from every open space. Use your fingers to block the large opening of the vacuum hose end. Spend about 20-30 minutes doing this. This will pull any residual water out and pull air across all the circuit boards for good drying. Place the end of the vacuum right on the key pad and do this for 5 minutes. If you have a desk lamp, place the cell phone under it and place the desk lamp about 6″ above it. Make sure it does not get to hot, just warm. Turn it over a few times and do this for four hours or more. The low heat will help dry out any moisture the vacuum did not dry. Good luck

  4. comment number 4 by: Andrea

    I dropped mine in a pool and its fine just some of the buttons don’t work. What do I do because I dried it off they just don’t work!

  5. comment number 5 by: Anna

    i dropped my cell phone in the toilet. i though about it for like two seconds before getting it out but i did ha.ha. i shaked it, took out the battery,my microship i put it close to the air i used the vaccum of a car wash,the hair dryer,the sun,it worked when i decided to turn it on after i left it like 3 hours in the sun, but it turned off by itself im sad i want my phone to work again what else can i do?

  6. comment number 6 by: dabber

    You can use the oven method, just be sure you follow all the steps or you could have a fire.

  7. comment number 7 by: Delia

    An open bottle of children’s bubbles tipped over onto my cell phone. The LCD screen was fine for about an hour, then just disappeared. The dialing works fine….I just can’t be certain I’ve dialed the correct number. Called Verizon and the tech said to remove battery and sit the phone in the sun. I tried that for two days then put the battery in. Screen showed up, but only lasted for 20 minutes or so. Tried the hairdryer method with no luck. I will give the rice method a shot. Anyone else experience a bubble spill?

  8. comment number 8 by: Anonymous

    I dropped mine in the toilet right after a buddy of mine got into a lake with hers… I turned around, realized it, grabbed it out, dried it off and used a hair dryer for about an hour
    phone works fine oddly enough when I pulled it out of the toilet it was still on and working

    oh and it was brand

  9. comment number 9 by: cherelle

    well i just dropped my phone in juice and i took it out quick then tried to turn it off, so then i dried it off as much as i could then i took the battery out and now i have it under a lamp so hopeful i really hope it works….my screen is just all messed up so n e suggestions??? and NO i have no rice!!!! HELP ME PLEASE!!! I CANT LIVE W/O MY PHONE!!! and i cant afford to get a new one!!! some body please help!!

  10. comment number 10 by: Hazel

    My friend knocked a glass of water onto my phone yesterday. I dried it off and it seemed to work fine so I thought nothing of it. Now I can answer the phone but can’t hear the person on the other end. It keeps telling me there’s a headset plugged in, but there isn’t!!! Is there any way to save my phone?

  11. comment number 11 by: annabell alvarado

    just let your phone dry for at least 4 days it does work. use a blow dryer or use the vaccum from a car wash. i tried alot of things and my cell worked again in like 4 days.i tried the rice, i left it outside for the sun to dry it off then i went to the car wash then the blow dryer just wait at least for days.

  12. comment number 12 by: meandmyophone

    i drooped mine in the toilet an i went to take it out but it didnt work so i took it apart and when i came home from skool i tried again but still didnt wrk now its in rice so lets see if it wrks

  13. comment number 13 by: Bongani

    Hi
    My girl friend got Samsung E250 in water now the buttons does not work what shal I do, please help me

  14. comment number 14 by: Nicole

    i dropped my phone in a sink full of water…i took it out took the battery out and dryed it off..but there was water droplets in my screen. it in the rice right now. i really hope the rice works. because i cant afford and new phone and i really need my phone!!i feel lost with out it!! thanks for the tips i really hope the rice works!!

  15. comment number 15 by: judy

    dropped mine in my cup of coffee.. black nothing in it… took it out quickly… dried it off,,, phone brand new lg shine.. ran the hair dryer on it.. took out the battery and chip and wiped it down.. when tried again.. can get calls.. cant look at my mail.. everything is messed up when pushing buttons to various places like compose mail, or address book, cant get to it.. so just took everything apart again and letting it sit for a while hoping it will work again.. :(….miss it..

  16. comment number 16 by: jessica

    my buttons dont work!!!! agggg!
    and i cant get a new phone. what do i do.
    i dropped it in the tooilet and imediantly grabbed it out?
    rice did not work

  17. comment number 17 by: afagag

    DUDE!! this website REALLY helped!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  18. comment number 18 by: mmc123

    THanx this website fixed my phone

  19. comment number 19 by: GOW2

    i dropped my Nokia 6220c in toilet yesterday, took it out straight away, removed battery cover, battery, sim card and memory card, dried it with a towel, left it in the airing cupboard for 20mins, used hairdrier on front and back, left it in airing cupboard over night and it works fine now, before my buttons didnt work but you just have to get the water out of the keypad, also it said that i had headphones in when i didn’t but now it works fine.

  20. comment number 20 by: Trey

    my phone was in the washing machine and it went through a whole cycle

    Is it too late to save my phone?

  21. comment number 21 by: my fone

    my phone fell in the tolilet at skool so wen i came home i took ma fone apart as in took out the sim and battery and now im leavin 2 dry unda the radiator and i am goin 2 use a vacum and put in rice afta buh i jus really hope it works agen..

  22. comment number 22 by: kathy

    Yeah my friend let me borrow her phone and i dropped it in the bath and it started vibrating!! it really wrorried me until i found this website. I am trying the fridge one.. hopefully it will work or i will have a a stropyyyyy mate !!!!!!!!!!!1

  23. comment number 23 by: sal

    i left my lg rumor in my pants while getting washed.i took the batteries out and took the vacum and blow dryer to it. i pluged the charger into it it it workked!!!!!! but the lcd is scwered up and when i put back in the battery it started vibrating so i hope it works

  24. comment number 24 by: Lauren

    ii had my phone in my jeans and my jeans went into the wash and now my phone has water all in the screen!!, i’m drying it out on the radiator, but if that doesn’t work i’ll try the rice thing.

  25. comment number 25 by: sal

    i found out if you dont have rice plain oatmeal works even better i did that to my lg rumor works like a charm again and if u do use oatmeal when u take it out of oatmeal vacum it good so u get out the oatmeal

  26. comment number 26 by: Crystal Roberts

    I just bought my byfriend a LG 160 for his birthday and after only having it for a few days dropped in the toilet i took it out right away and dryed it off after a few mins i relized i should have taken the battery out so i did and dryed it off it turns on but the screen has ” service required” on it and i can’t call anyone. virgin mobile who i got it from doesn’t know how to fix it and i don’t have the reciept anymore if anyone can help me please email me at crystalroberts@live.ca as i really can’t affored to buy a new phone for my boyfriend. thanks

  27. comment number 27 by: JENAY

    I Dropped my phone in the toilet. i dont know wat to do i have the SAMSUNG SGH-t429. its not working, and i dont wanna buy a new one. Can some one please help me. Email me at [ x1princessx@hotmail.com ] Thanks.

  28. comment number 28 by: sumwun

    umm I dropped ma fone in da toilet && it took me a while to take it out cuz it qot stuck in da hole. it was vibrating && after 3 minutesz,wen I took it out da screen was white. itsz a samsung messenger frm metropcs. I’m dryinq it rite now on top of da dryer. I need ma fone!! can sumone help me?? jennyc422@yahoo.com

  29. comment number 29 by: ghgjfgf

    the rice works but not fro my wet screen help me plzzzzz.

  30. comment number 30 by: shifty swifty

    Yup….Rice worked a treat but the screen is ruined, everything is dull and grey…HELPPPPPPP !!!

  31. comment number 31 by: shifty swifty

    Phone is only 7 days old also !!

  32. comment number 32 by: mamamia

    My phone got wet a few weeks ago, and the display is working and the phone will place calls, but there is a lot of static. Any chance that will go away w/time or is the phone shot?

  33. comment number 33 by: Chloe

    Well the city I live in had a flash flood and a few of my friends and I where boogie boarding the currents then I realised that my lg shine was in my pocket…. I took it out and it was still working so I just nwrapped it in a towel… when i got home I took the battery and sim card out and then dryed everything It is now sitting in a bowl of rice… I really can’t afford another one..:(

  34. comment number 34 by: shifty swifty

    Yes, bowl of dry rice done the trick, I put it in the airing cupboard and left it
    The important part is NOT TO RUSH IT AND DO NOT SWITCH ON until you are 100 % sure all of the water has gone

    The screen is fine now, but battery was knackered so it needed a new battery, thats all.

    phone in washing machine for an hour….took phone out….sim card took out, battery took out and memory card took out….put the lot in dry rice, after a week there was still water in screen….put lot back in some fresh dry rice….put in airing space (or somewhere nice and warm)…..another week later all water gone, new battery fitted and it now works a treat !

    Allow a FULL 2 weeks before trying

  35. comment number 35 by: missin my phone

    hey yesterday at school i dropped my phone in the toilet in gym it was in it for about 2 minutes till one of my brave friends got it out for me i got a towel and dried it off. when i took it home my dad took a hair dryer to it and it turned on and i could do things with it. but the screen was negative then on the bus this morning i was texting then my phone started to flash different things. so i took the battery out and tried to turn it back on but it wont. when i got home i put it under the hair dryer again and tried to turn it back on but it started to flash red on one of the side lights. its a sony Ericsson from at&t and i am going to a feild trip to miami saturday and i NEED my phone to keep in touch in case of emergency can any one help me im trying the rice trick hope it works please help me!!! :\

  36. comment number 36 by: shifty swifty

    OHH DEARRRR !!!

    You MUST NOT switch it on in ANY circumstances
    The rice trick WILL work but you need at least a week and a half, but I think that you may have damaged it by switching it on when it was still wet….It may seem dry to you but believe me it will still be wet….I think you may have shorted out the board.

    Now, take out the sim card, battery and memory stick and put them ALL back into the DRY rice and place the rice in a warm place to draw out ALL of the moisture

    You will be tempted to put it all back together and try it after a few days…DON’T !!!!

    Forget the field trip with it, it won’t be ready, after a week and a half to 2 weeks put it all back together and maybe, just maybe it might work after a charge

    Mine worked after a charge but it only works for a few seconds because the battery was ruined beyond repair, so I spent £6 on a new battery and everything is fine now….this was after it was put in a washing machine on full spin for an hour

    PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT TURN IT ON AGAIN UNTIL NEXT WEEK !!

  37. comment number 37 by: max

    i have a samsung t-429
    when out of the room my son stuck my phone in a cup of soda. i took it out in under a minute. i dried it off and let it stand, without the batt or sim, now it turns on but the buttons dont work…. WHAT DO I DO?
    IF YOU HAVE A GOOD FIX PLEASE SEND IT TO ME AT maxcorson@yahoo.com

  38. comment number 38 by: some1

    Pllllzzzzz help. my phone fell in the toilet yeasterday around 2p.m. i got it out in 2 seconds on falling in. i think i probably screwed it up worse b/c i kept turning it on to c if itd work. i had never dropped it in any water substance b4 so did not know the steps to make sure its completly dry. i took it out took out the battery and sim card and dried it off with a paper towel but and left it out to dry for a while but then put it bac together and turned it on. it wouldnt quit vibrating and my screen was blue. im leaving it in my pocket and hoping itll dry like that since we dont have any rice or litter and im afraid to try the other options. (the phone is an LG but its Very old. not on market anymore). plz any1 help. email me at elizabethcarr7@yahoo.com.

    have a facebook and myspace.

    please i really need my phone thanks.

  39. comment number 39 by: taylor

    i dropped my phone in a bowl of soup and it was too hot to take out so i left it in thwere for about 2minz when i took it out it was black i let it dry but all it does is say samsung and then go black again i am trying the rice trick hope it works please help!!!!! mai phone is the samsung rant

  40. comment number 40 by: 123

    my phone fell in water and everything is working except the screen has gotton a little darker cause of the water. i might use rice

  41. comment number 41 by: adam

    What if I did all of that with have a lid on the thing? I just got a bowl and covered the phone in rice..

    also, does wheat rice work too?

  42. comment number 42 by: kaytee LOVES tyler

    I was texting in the shower and my phone screeen got wet so i kept wiping it off and the keyboard got wet so i wiped that off to and then i worked fine until i blew on it with a hairdryer (might just be coincedence) and the 3 button stopped working but thwen it started working again and i was in the middle of texting my bf and it just turned off and i wont turn back on and i love my fone and i have evry1 i know on there and its like 100 contacts plz!!!!!! HELP ME!!! i have anxiety without my beloved fone!!! PS—my fone is the Nokia 5086 plz plz plz help me i would be VERY grateful!!!!!!

    my email is kaytee4bs@yahoo.com if u hav any suggestions…

  43. comment number 43 by: haley

    phone fell in water but not completely, it was still on and the screen entirely messed up. i took everything out and dried it and put it back in a few times. the screen is unreadable.

    its been on all day, and ive been making calls.
    i didnt know to leave it off, i cannot tell my mom
    i also cannot afford a new cell.

    help?

  44. comment number 44 by: corrie

    i dropped my phonee in the toilet and it worked agern but it wos abit damaged on the screan, today i went out in the rain and it got wet again noww it is saying it cant connect to my network i really need to text someone how can i get it working agen ?

  45. comment number 45 by: AndrewLeong

    I was at a amusment park and then i had my phone in my backpack and i had it there for like an 20 before i noticed my backpack was wet. So i tried turning it on but it didnt work and then the screen had watr inside it. after like 2 hours later my phone vibrated for like 30 seconds and i take out the battery and sim. But it didnt work and it was like that for like 8 hours and i didnt have any of these around? What do i do??

  46. comment number 46 by: BIG-B

    I recently went fishing and i had it on the rocks when i wasnt looking it had fell into the water about 1 metre down onto another rock lucky i could see it i grabbed it but i didnt wash it off with fresh water, i am now trying the rice in a container method hopefull it works out….by the way my phone was not even one month old and it was $600 outright….BLOODY HELL…i would be over the moon if worked…[: it is a hiptop Q700 plz email me if anyone no’s how to fix it at cgk_graf_kreww@hotmail.com

  47. comment number 47 by: JAMES HIRST

    I was drunk last year and jumped in the sea with my nokia n95.
    Will the rice method fix my phone despite the 1 year wait?

    thanks, please email me at james.hirst.92@hotmail.com

  48. comment number 48 by: Blaze

    also dry it with blow dryer and put in frezer for 10 min. !!!!!!!!!!

  49. comment number 49 by: justine

    i had my phone in my board shorts pocket and went swimming because i forgot it was with me! so i swam back to my boat and tried to get as much water out of it as possible. i let it sit in the sun and now there is water in my screen! im trying the rice thing now does anyone know how long it could take possibly around less than 10-12 hours?

  50. comment number 50 by: brandon

    i have a smasung alias. i dropped it in the pool but they used some type of salt water thing it is weird. i tried to turn it on about ten times i have it rice over night. it seems like its getting better. it acts like its turning on like norrmal then goes black and then repeats again and again. i need my fone. if u can help email me at

    sniper94b@yahoo.com

  51. comment number 51 by: Jesse

    Well i dropped mine in the toilet about a year and a half ago And it hant worked since— it is a nokia 6670 and need to know how to fix it!!!

  52. comment number 52 by: Debbie

    I accidentally flushed my Samsung Blackjack 2. We had to call a plumber to retrieve it. It was in the water for about 6 hours! We took it apart, dried it as best as we could, then put it in a bowl of rice for 24 hours. It actually still works! Had to use the battery and charger together to get it to come on, but everything is working. Still some water in the camera. Sim card is fine! WOW!

  53. comment number 53 by: Debbie

    update: june 28th - phone is now completely back to normal, charges fine and camera works perfectly.

  54. comment number 54 by: Sammie

    I have a Venus phone from Verizon and I was texting some of my friends when I got out of the shower and I didn’t think anything was gonna happen cause I would always do that, but then later on my phone shut down completely. So I dried it out for about two days now and I tried turning my phone back on every now and then today and it worked for a little bit and i could see all of my stuff. Then finally it turned on again on its own and it says “Service Required” i have no idea what i can do to fix it! I told my mom and she didn’t know either and i dont have money for a new phone or battery. All my files are deleted my contacts, videos, pictures everything! I anyone know’s how to fix this problem let me know just email me at samantha_scholting@yahoo.com
    Thank you

  55. comment number 55 by: LaLa

    This helped so much!!!
    i dropped my phone in my dog’s water dish on accident. (its an lg chocolate). I immediately took the battery out, and dried it off. I put it in oatmeal for about an hour and a half, then used the vacuum cleaner. after i left it sitting under my desk lamp, i put the battery back in, and it worked the same as ever! I was worried because I had turned it on without it being dry in between the vacuum cleaner and the lamp. but it still worked. =) and its only been a few hours, not a few days.
    but thanks so much to all the tips here!

  56. comment number 56 by: carlos herrera

    i was going swiming and i forgot to empty out my pokets so my samsung messanger got wet can you please help me i only lasted a week with it the screen got white nothing would show bu a bunch of white i took out the battery and then when i turned it on the got all white and nothing will show

  57. comment number 57 by: Anonymous

    I turned it on right after it was wet -_-
    blame it on the a-a-a-a-lcohol.

  58. comment number 58 by: Sam

    Hey. I did something very stupid with my phone. Well, there is a river by my house and it was very hot so me and some friends went down there. Loads of us were swimming, and some of the guys were going to throw me in so to preserve my dignity I got in myself, and spent about ten minutes diving around. Only then did I realise my phone was in my pocket, and had been totally submerged the entire time. I threw my phone up to shore. Try as we might, we couldn’t make it work again. We turned it on and off many times,which was also stupid. But now, it is working. It was Thursday when this happened. It has been friday, saturday, sunday, monday, tuesday, wednesday, thurday, friday, and now saturday. On saturday my dad used high-preassured air to suck water out. It worked until about tuesday. Then it stopped. And NOW, after leaving it to dry for like four days, EUREKA! IT WORKS!
    I just wrote this to give people hope. YOUR PHONE STILL HAS A CHANCE!

  59. comment number 59 by: Daniela

    Hi:) first of all i have reallyyyy bad luck with phones, i lost two phones in the same mall and when i got my thrid my mom told me it was my last chance and if that i lost this one i wasnt goin to get it anymore. so i take very good care of it, but me and my friend decided to go to this store and try clothes on, then since the line was huge to try on things we went to the bathroom, the first thing she said was ewwww which scared me and my phone went flying in the air and fell in the unflushed toilet of the bathroom. i took me about a good minute to take it out since i the pee wasnt even mine,since that my phone has gone blank and when ever i put the battery or connect it vibrates and doesnt stop. HOW CAN I MAKE IT STOPPP!! i need help, this is my last phone and i dnt want to get my crappy old one. i put it in rice and am waiting to c if it will hopefully work. HELP!

  60. comment number 60 by: Jessica

    I decided to wrap my phone up in my towl, in efforts of it not getting stolen as I went wading in Wekiva Springs, fl. Well, I decided to grab my towel and open it by the waters edge. Stupid dedicion. Took a second for me to realize it was my phone, as I went diving in after it. It only submerged for maybe 3 or 4 seconds. I would not try the idea of putting it in the oven as the smalls wires connecting alot of your main components to the mother board, are covered by a thin strip of plastic, that isint heat resistant to the heat from an oven. It would be a complete catastrophe. WAIT IT OUT!!!!!!! IT SUCKS IF YOUR ADDICTED AND IT’S YOUR LIFELINE….BUT, WAIT 2 DAYS, OR WAIT 2 MONTHS TILL YOU CAN AFFORD ANOTHER ONE…….BE PATIENT……..DO NOT PLACE IT ON TOP OF YOUR TV OR CABLE BOX, THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING YOU CAN DO, BESIDES THE OVEN IDEA!!!! It causes a tri-effect with the tv, any other components attactched to your tv, and your cell phone. It just like putting 2 house phones next to each other and listen to them scream. Or a magnet on top of your tv, as your screen begins to ingulf it’s self in the color red……JUST WAIT IT OUT!!!!!!! THE SUN CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR SCREEN BECAUSE OF THE UV RAYS…………

  61. comment number 61 by: justin samms

    can anyone tell me how to fix my phone i had it in my pocket as i went swimming in the ocean for about 30 minutes when i realized it was there jumped out of the water and took the battery out now it is a day later and when i turns it on the screen stays blank. please help me!!!!

  62. comment number 62 by: Robert

    My cell phone, a Panatec, got wet for a short time when I forgot it in my pocket. It froze and started to buzz. I used the rice method and think its pretty dry, but when I attach the battery, it will not go on but it sez “upload ready”? Can’t turn on the phone, but saw my home page briefly before the message above came on. Have any suggestions? I have insurance but do not know if that covers this. The phone does not show a color change…it is white, not red, so it does not look like its been damaged. apopreciate any suggestions. Thans.

  63. comment number 63 by: Lauren

    My cell went through the laundry. After I realised it went through, I quickly tried it off with a paper towel, then, took my hair-dryer and set it to: Warm and low. I dried it off a bit. And now… I’m letting it sit. But it has turned on. Most phones do not survive, but luckily, mine did. I’m trying the rice thing!! Great ideas!!

  64. comment number 64 by: kyra

    my phone got wet while i was playin in the pool so i used method #3 nd it took awile maybe 2 or 3 days nd its working just fine now

  65. comment number 65 by: CWWJ

    I have joined the apparently thousands of folks who have dropped their cell phone in the toilet. I retrieved it immediately, took out the battery, dried the phone and battery with a soft cloth, and left both overnight under a very warm table lamp. I did not remove the SIM card. Next morning the phone was working perfectly and has ever since.

  66. comment number 66 by: Sean

    Had not long had my phone out the box and was having my first play and dropped the thing in my pint of beer…..fortunately the beer was ok. But I think my phone is knackered, it’s in a bag of rice now - I aint too hopeful though!

  67. comment number 67 by: ep.xx

    i left my phone on in my school bag for the weekend and then i noticed my floor had a stain on it, i then opened my bag and my blackcurrant juice had spilled all over it, i havee tried the hairdrier method and i can’t put it in the sun coz there isn’t any. the screen comes on but it just shines blue and nothing else.
    i don’t know if anything else will work coz it was on in the juice for a whole weekend…
    any suggestions
    thanks
    ep.xx

  68. comment number 68 by: johny

    so my phone got wet…i took the battery out..i turned it on.. and it worked for like a month but now my screen went completely black, i can get calls and hear music but the screen doesn’t work!! i dnt know what to do! help !!

  69. comment number 69 by: Samantha

    After work one day I went over to my mother’s house and she asked me to move the water hose for her. The water was still on, and my work uniform includes an apron. My phone was still in the front pocket of it and my whole leg got splashed with the hose. I realized it immediately and took the phone out and wiped it off. The screen was completely blank. I tried turning it on several times (yea I know by now that was the stupidest thing to do) and the screen would just flash ‘Motorola’ repeatedly. I’ve had it sitting in rice for the past couple hours, but now it won’t turn on at all. It previously had problems with holding a charge, so I’m thinking the battery’s done for?

  70. comment number 70 by: carmen

    i have a samsung behold and yesterday morning it fell face down in a small amount of water in my bathroom, i wiped it off bc like i said it was only a small amount. I turned it on and it worked perfectly fine. When i got off work around 3 it started acting all weird and then when i got home i took it apart and let it sit for about 5 hours but now it wont turn on. what should i do?

  71. comment number 71 by: nicki

    last sunday i was washing thee dishes and my samsung metro pcs fell in the dishes the screen is white but the fone still works and i cannt see anything my fone still vibrates when ppl snd mhe messages and i can recieve calls what do i do to see thee screen again???? i really need my fone badd HELP PLEZ

  72. comment number 72 by: Amanda

    Alright, so I accidentally got my phone wet because I answered it while I was in the shower… it really didn’t get all that wet, it seemed, but the buttons on it were being really weird and either would not work or did something they shouldn’t have. Then I took the battery out and dried it off, as well as the SIM card, and turned it back on (stupid, yeah). Nothing changed. I left it on my oventop (we have a gas oven, so I thought the pilot light would heat it and get the water out). I tried this about three times, checking every now and again to see if it would work. Finally, it did, but a few minutes later, it randomly shut itself off (it went through the shutdown process and everything). I have it on the oven again (I put the battery and SIM card on a separate spot), but I was wondering if anybody could give me better advice?

    please email: vivalanutcase@yahoo.com

  73. comment number 73 by: jordan

    Just dropped mine in the toilet about two hours ago. Took the battery out immediately, dried it with a towel the best I could, put it in a bowl of rice on top of my heater (set to low) for about 20 minutes, then vaccuumed each port/keypad/inside of the battery port for about 3-4 minutes each. Works good as new.

  74. comment number 74 by: Brianna

    I am so screwed! I turned on my G1 after I dropped it in the toilet!

  75. comment number 75 by: Katie

    Hey guys!! i just dropped my phone in the toilet :( it is not sitting in rice. hopes it works :). for those of you who cant get it working and are in verizon go on their website, and you will notice some fones that are REALLY cheap if u buy online. one tht I liked was the razzke. well I hoped I helped :)

  76. comment number 76 by: manda

    i have a excaim samsung … i was eatin/and drinking , wearing a snuggie,textin, and watching t.v. and my g2 wasnt closed all the way and it made a puddly around my phone in my snuggie i hurried go up and took the battery out and blow dried it ,i tried turning it on but it just had a white screen and vibrated i told my dad and he told me to let it sit out i was been like 14 hrs and i put it in the fridge … i love my phone and cant aford another … any advice??? to i have any hope???? so please help me ????

  77. comment number 77 by: OH nooo!

    Ugh my phone is an lg dare ( a good touchscreen phone) it went through the washer in my sheets poor things sittin in rice now.

  78. comment number 78 by: manda

    oh man i just fixed my phon… i spelt juice on it and thought all hope was lost .. but i did give up .. it didnt work for two days … so i rall hot .. thinking what could it hurtt. so after i did that i put oatmeall and burried my fone … i let it dry out for like 5hr then took it out and vacuumed it and then let it dry out with out turnin it on … IT WORKED … i turned it on in the morning and it was like it never got wet …. try it

  79. comment number 79 by: Adriiiiiii

    i just dropped my fone in the toilet last night and im rlly upset. ive tried the blow dryer and now im letting it air dry under a lamp. i hope it at least works so i can save all my stuff (if its still on there)!!! and its a blackjack II, the most amazing fone in the world. im goin crazy without it!!

  80. comment number 80 by: rachel

    I just washed and dried my boyfriends pants, along with our other clothers to be nice while we stay at my parents house for Thanksgiving weekend. I even checked his pockets, yet somehow I missed his phone which he lives on and not only did I wash it, I dried it as well. I’ve been reading all the different comments and will pray that I am one of the lucky ones out there that can get this phone to work again. I FEEL horrible about it!! Thanks for the rice idea, I’m giving it a shot before I even try to turn it on and assess the damage.

  81. comment number 81 by: hph

    In the process of drying out the roomie’s brand new LG Chocolate Touch.
    Another toilet story, but thankfully, it didn’t touch chocolate! Gotta have humor here. I immediately took the battery out and dried it best as could, then grabbed a can of compressed air (computer cleaner kind) and blew out everything and all orifices. (the phone, not mine!) let it air dry overnite then powered it up. works ok, but suspect more moisture. now submerged in rice, and will let it stay that way for at least another 24 or more hours.

    But while doing that, I’m humored by some other stories here. Texting in the shower? You are WAY too addicted and need a life, not a cell phone. I suggest 2 tin cans and some string as at least that can get wet. Another is trying rice after your phone was in salt water a year ago? Dude, the rice will wick up inherent moisture, not salt residue a year old. Can you say corrosion? You must have been stoned in science class. And had to wait for the soup to cool before you fished it out? Geez, what about the SPOON you planned to eat your soup with? Throwing your phone in the freezer? A freezer water = ICE!!! The tip is RICE, not ICE. Electronics like to be cool, not frozen. And when the ICE thaws, guess what? You’ve got water again. Tell the rest of us, thou that sits in Darwin’s classroom, are you in the same row as Mr. Year Old Salt Water and Miss My Soups’ Too Hot? At least tell her to put the soup in your freezer for a couple minutes, then all of you can have lunch and a nice nap.

    Best hints of the stories- quickly power down the phone, take out battery and any other components that you can, and gently dry your toy out. Perhaps try the canned air, a hair dryer on low or rice rice baby!
    Then wait it out for 2-4 days. Be patient. Water gets into some mighty small places, and only time will help you.

    Finally, if it was anything other than fresh water, you are probably out of luck. Salt water is corrosive and deadly to electronics. Juices have sugar, which when dry will leave a sticky residue and make buttons not function. Do not use med/high heat. low heat or no heat settings. Oven min temp is usually 140 farenheit. way too hot. dry it best you can, and be patient for a few days, you may be rewarded with luck, or you may be out several hundred dollars. ALSO BOYS AND GIRLS, DONT TEXT IN THE SHOWER!

  82. comment number 82 by: rachel

    UPDATE FROM NOV 28- phone and battery are fully functioning after a full wash and dry, screen and all! I threw it in a box of oats for three days. WORKS! It’s a Samsung Gravity.

  83. comment number 83 by: Ed

    Some of you tards should stop playing with your phone, go back to school, and learn how to spell.

  84. comment number 84 by: steph

    i just dropeed my phone in the sink today, im so angry. its my moms birthday and alomst xmas! HELP ME!

  85. comment number 85 by: larry

    i dropped my phone in the toilet and took it out asap and let it dry out for like 3 weeks and then it worked but now it shuts off when i text sometimes what can i do to fix this problem could there still be water or something in the phone?

  86. comment number 86 by: jen

    alright. i dropped my phone in the toilette. ugh. ive had it in rice for about 3 days and it turns on now but the screen stays black. :/ i really have no idea why it turns on but wont light up the screen. i have important numbers and messages on my phone that i would like to retrieve but i cant do that if the screen aint workin! please help. i suppose ill leave it in rice for a few more days but idk wat else to do….email me if you have any advice. and please no spam

  87. comment number 87 by: priscilla morlaes

    wen i was about to go in the shower i had my phone under my towel and then when i put the towel down it fell in the toilet i took it very fast but the phone wasnt that wet. so it still wrked . 2 hrs . later it turned off i guess cause the water absorbed into the phne. but then the phne wrked but not the si card so i put it in front the heater to dryt as long as with the phone the phne still wrk but not the phone its been 2 dyas what do i do? please i ned help?

  88. comment number 88 by: George

    I had a few yukks with the tales of woe, and was surprised at the lack of Penthouse Forum stuff - bodily fluids could do a job on most vibrating devices except those made especially for the job!

    Toilet troubles seem to be linked to poor spelling?!?

    Our story - a phone (Virgin Kyocera XTC) was dropped in one foot of snow and retrieved 7 days later after torrential rain. The phone seems to have been dragged by the plow, as it’s scuffed up. I couldn’t taste any salt on the phone, so the rain probably flushed it all out.

    The phone had been turned off when it was dropped - good news I guess. I dried it off and now have it in rice. It has a keyboard that has to dry out, so I’ll leave it for a week.

  89. comment number 89 by: PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE I JUST BOUGHT MY PHONE TWO DAYS AGO

    Its new years eve and I just dropped my brand new LG rumour in the tolite and it flushed, around 10 seconds later i took it. I tried to turn in on about 3 times then called my dad, he told me to take out the battery. As i did i proceeded to put it underneath the hair drier for 10/15 minutes. Realizing this might not work, I ran to my room and tried turning it on. The phone turned on with a blank screen for a moment then started vibrating and dialing *4*4*4*4*4 and calling. Then for a few seconds it was normal the screen went back and i accauly read a message from my friend, though the creeping ringing/dialing/vibrating parade started again shortly after. It has been around 4 hours since the accident and i decided to let it rest in a tupperware continer filled with dry rice…is there any hope for my new phone?

  90. comment number 90 by: littlefoot

    I dropped my phone in the tolite a few days ago. I let it dry in rice. Everything seems to be working but the keypad. I cannot access my phone as there is a security or “unlock” code on it and with the keypad not working I cannot use the phone. The phone was missing one screw and now there are 2 screws missing so it is a little lose. Holding it together doesn’t seem to help. Please help!!!

  91. comment number 91 by: jenna loohoo

    i droped my phone in the toilet while i was drunk, so it took a few miniuts to realize what it was that i had just done. so about 10 miniuts later i took it out and tried to dry it off. i took it all apart and dyed it peice by peice. after that i put every peice in a bucket of rice for a day. after that it ended up working and i havent had problems since

  92. comment number 92 by: keehan

    :(( my 5530 nokia (touchscreen mobile) :((
    Help it fell on our sink a while ago and i turned it on and it still works but i still removed the battery the sim card and MMC and even the stylus i blow dryed it with our blower and put it on my bed for a while
    i searched on the internet and looked for solutions then i found a website that told me to put it in a bowl of rice when i was about to put it in the bowl of rice i saw that there was water in the screen :(( will it still work? it’s already in the bowl of rice for 30 mins now.
    I prayed to God that it will still work :(( i just bought that mobile with my savings on my birthday which was 3 months ago :((

  93. comment number 93 by: alysha

    i have a samsung BEHOLD. it fell on the drive way for at least 3 min and it was raining hard. now there is a watter bubble on my screen , i can see everything but i cant touch. please tell me wat to do. i just put it in a bowl of rice.anything to do? this is my 5 phone in a year, i need help.

  94. comment number 94 by: brandy

    okay so i droppped my phone in the toliet..its and lg rhythm. i put in a bowl of rice but i dont think i kept it in long enough. i tried to see if it would work and it almost did but then it shut off. now if i try to turn it on it just stays on the white us cellular screen. does anyone have any suggestion?? this happened sunday nite and today is tuesday..i would SO appreciate it!!

  95. comment number 95 by: maize

    i left my phone in the pocket of my jeans and it went half way through the cycle. did the soap ruin my phone? i dried it out with a fan for 5 hours. can someone pleas help me!!!???

  96. comment number 96 by: Allie

    I just sat my phone on my sink as I was getting ready and apparently there was water on my sink and I realised my phone had shut off and I know it was fully charged so it couldn’t of died… Then realised it had gotten a little wet so I took the back off, took the charger out dried it off with a dry rag.. Then blow dried the phone without the battery in it and blow dried the battery and put it back together. I tried several times to turn it on without it shutting back off and It wasn’t working, Then all the sudden It started working and thank god has been for a few days.. I’m just hoping it stays working because I can’t afford a new phone :( But my best advice is to hold it upside down blow drying it and wiping it off with a DRY towel.. obviously.. Getting your cell wet sucks!!

  97. comment number 97 by: brit

    ugh i just got a gravity about 2 days ago yesterday i came home and droped it in the toilet it still works perfectly fine but i have water in my screen will it eventualy go away or is there any way i can get it out????

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