Happens. The children threw your cell phone into the bathroom. Maybe you dropped it. It does not matter, it’s there inside. But just because the phone was soaked in water does not mean it’s over. There are things you can do to make sure that your phone will work again.

First, DO NOT turn on the phone until it is completely dry. The worst thing you can do with a wet phone is to turn it on before it dries completely. Most likely, your warranty does not cover the damage caused by the water, so do not be afraid to open it and remove the battery. IPhones are at a disadvantage here and may have to expire only with turning off the device. If you have an additional memory card, remove it as well. Even if your phone does not do it, the SIM card should be fine.

Let it dry

The priority now is to dry the phone. Microwave ovens, conventional ovens and hair dryers are bad. You do not want to cook, warp, melt or overheat your phone. The interior is fragile, if nothing else, the adhesives that hold the parts together will not react kindly to the heat.

Instead, use canned air if you have it. Or a vacuum to vacuum excess moisture. You can even use a q-tip to remove stubborn water drops. Do not rub the water on the phone, rub it. Do not use alcohol inside your phone because the adhesives mentioned above can dissolve.

Finally, use a desiccant (which is an elegant word for something that absorbs things) to dry out any remaining moisture. The instant oatmeal, the couscous, those little packets of silica gel and in a hurry even the cat litter has been used and seems to work.

Place at least a half cup of instant rice, or the drying substance of your choice, in a Ziplock bag along with your phone, battery and SIM card. Cover the phone with the rice, seal the bag and let it settle. Spending the night would be good, but the longer the better.

After the phone has dried enough, reassemble the pieces, cross your fingers and turn on the phone again. In many cases the phone will start.

In case your phone ends up in salt water, you should remove the battery and rinse the phone with fresh water. You do not want the salt water to dry out and leave a residue inside the phone. It’s already wet, so do not hesitate. That salty residue can be corrosive.

If none of these options are available, simply place the open phone on a shelf and let it stand. Maybe have a fan blow through it. Over time, nature will follow its course and evaporation will do its magic. The more time the better.

Many of these methods have worked for others and there is no reason why they should not do it for you. Keep in mind that most phones have an inside sensor that will let any service technician know that the phone has been wet and that the warranty has been voided. Since the warranty has been canceled, then you really have nothing to lose.