Has your phone been dropped in the sink, pool or toilet (it happens more often than you might think)? All is not lost, there is a good chance of recovering it and putting it back into operation again, the important thing is to understand above all what NOT to do as soon as the crime happened.
Beforehand, you should know how much your phone can resist water. If it is very high-end it is likely to be totally waterproof, but even if it is not certified to go underwater it is likely to be constructively more sealed than the old models: in summary, a new phone is still more resistant to water than one from a few years ago.
The phones have an "IP" certification that certifies whether or not they are water resistant: IP53 phones are only partially resistant to water and shouldn't even be subjected to splashes, such as using them in the rain. Phones with IP67 and IP68 certification are instead waterproof, but immersion for a long time is never recommended. Phones with IP67 and IP68 certification include: Samsung Galaxy S9/s9+/Note 9, Google Pixel 3/3Xl, HTC U12, Huawei Mate 20 Pro, LG V40 ThinQ, iPhone XS/XS Max/XR.
The smartphone it ended up in the water, now what?
And now don't panic. As mentioned above, using the mobile phone in the rain could also be enough for it to show clear signs of malfunction due to water, it is not necessary that it is completely immersed.
The first thing to do is of course remove it from the water immediately: without mincing words, if it has fallen in the toilet it must be taken out immediately, the hands can be washed even afterwards.
The second thing to absolutely do is turn it off immediately if it is turned on. Even if it works it is better to turn it off and dry ito.
At this point it is necessary remove as many pieces as possible: a possible case, the original cover and the battery if possible must be removed, as well as the SIM card and the memory expansion. If present, it must be kept open the flap where the SIM and MicroSD card is inserted.
Some bad behaviors need to be avoided. You don't have to blow, you would risk pushing the water even further inside, for the same reason shakes should be avoided, paradoxically compressed air could instead help (see below). Do not place the telephone on a hot radiator, nor use a hair dryer or other sources of heat: the circuits and the display could be damaged by the heat.
Do not try to plug in charging "to see if it turns on", nor obviously try to turn on the phone: it must be kept off until the end of the drying attempts. Don't rub the phone with a rag, for the same reason you shouldn't blow on it. Do not try to put the phone inside a sock and then in the dryer (this has also been done), as it is very easy to damage it beyond repair.
Things to do
First, dab (as already mentioned without rubbing) the whole phone with a soft tissue, focusing on cracks and crevices. Paper towels, tissues, or kitchen rolls are not recommended as they could easily leave residue in your phone.
Use a vacuum cleaner to try to drain the water also from the inside: using a tip with which you clean the corners it is possible to vacuum in a concentrated way to try to remove as much as possible any liquid present. The vacuum cleaner is a very good system and should be used as soon as possible.
In parallel, the use of compressed air can also help expel the internal water, especially if you manage to open the phone. More than the blow of air done with the mouth, which, as mentioned above, can push the water further inside, the compressed air concentrated in one point should vaporize the damp, making it come out of every crevice. Once all the "external" remedies have been used, the problem of how to dry the internal dampness well remains. An easy fix is to put the phone in a cup full of (uncooked!) rice, which attracts a lot of moisture, and leave it buried in the rice for at least a day or two. You can also use the sachets of "silica gel” which are generally present in newly purchased electronic devices, but it is unlikely to have enough of them on hand and rather than ordering them online it is better to act immediately with rice.
Other absorbent materials that can be used instead of rice, often with excellent results, are: cat litter (as long as it is coarse-grained), cereals such as rolled oats and couscous.
But wasn't the rice a hoax?
Attention: on the use of rice there is considerable literature on the net and it is often seen as a hoax: some experiments testify to its scarce effectiveness. The truth is that rice, like all hygroscopic materials, ie which attract water, can have different results depending on many imponderable factors, but it is certainly not harmful. The important thing is to act promptly with what you have on hand to limit the damage as soon as possible.
The best advice is still to leave the phone in a well ventilated place for at least two days. Only after this period can you try to turn on the phone, first with the battery alone, then with the battery charger connected. All functions should be tested, including the speakers (playing music), the headset plug and the camera.
But if my phone falls in the tub, will I be electrocuted?
No. Any portable device, be it a phone, tablet or even a laptop, has a battery with a voltage that is not dangerous to humans even if the device is totally submerged in water in which you are bathing.
The situation is different if the recharge is connected to the current: although it is equipped with safety devices, the battery recharger is connected to the domestic socket with a 220 Volt current, and it is theoretically possible for dangerous current to return to the water, even if it should enter the lifesaver is in operation. In any case, it is better never to use the phone connected to the charger when taking a bath or with wet feet.
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