Water damaged phone after being dropped in the bath or toilet.

What to do with a water damaged phone

Help! I spilled a glass of wine on my phone! My phone fell into the bath! I got caught in a thunderstorm and now my phone won’t turn on! A water damaged phone is certainly an issue that can occur from many different situations.

When water and electricity mix, there are a number of complications that can occur and also a number of parts that the water can damage. No two situations are ever the same.

However, help is at hand. Here is our guide on what to do with a liquid or water damaged phone.

1. Switch it OFF

No matter what, do not power the device on. If you think it’s been in contact with water there is a high chance that any power will only worsen the condition of the phone.

We have seen many cases at We Solve All where people have powered their device on to make sure that it is OK. Initially it may seem perfectly fine. However, as the rest of the water and moisture spreads though the phone and mixes with the heat and electrical components, it can slowly cause the complete destruction of the device.

The best thing to do is to switch it off and certainly do not charge it.

Water damaged iPhone 6 after getting wet.

Water damaged iPhone 6 after getting wet.

2. Remove everything

Previously, we would’ve normally advised you to take the battery out of the phone. However, this has now become an issue, as most modern phones have the backs and the batteries glued in.

The next best thing to remove is the sim tray, the SD card tray – if it has one – and any cases or accessories.

Be extremely careful when removing these to not change the orientation of the phone. This can cause the water inside to move around and affect other components as a result.

3. Dry it

Wipe off any excess water with a microfibre cloth – the kind that comes with glasses. Clean off the inside of the charging port, sim card tray and any other openings you can dry off the excess water.

Occasionally, we see devices with torn off bits of wet tissue paper in the ports. Therefore, we only suggest to dry the interior components off with a cloth that is not going to break up or leave any fragments behind.

4. Leave it

You are going to want to leave your device out in the open. Somewhere it is not going to be disturbed or be exposed to excessive temperatures.

Putting it on a high heat will cause the internal board to melt and may even cause a fire at excessive temperatures.

Exposing your device to low temperatures may cause ice crystals to form. This can crack open vital components as ice takes up more space than water.

5. No really, just leave it

There are a lot of quick fix rumours about remedying water damage. The most common seem to suggest that packing it away in rice or towels will result in quicker drying. We have already produced a video addressing this myth.

In practice, we have found that these can be even more damaging to your phone. By trapping your phone in these materials you are not giving the water the opportunity to evaporate or drain away.

Even worse is the fact that rice will also leave behind micro particles. These can be extremely harmful to your device. Ports can become clogged, electrical overloads can occur and even the water droplets themselves can be carried into other areas of your phone.

6. Seriously, just leave it

Leave it out to dry for 36 hours. Do not power it on to check if it is OK. What’s more, wipe off any excess water that may emerge from the device as it dries.

Only once you are absolutely certain that it has dried can you power the device on. If there is any water left inside when you turn the device on, it is certainly going to cause some damage.

If you are uncertain of whether the device still has water in it, our advice would be to take it down to a reputable phone repair store, like We Solve All.

Water damage can be deadly to any device, even the phones that are water resistant. These handsets can still be damaged from being exposed to salt water or other liquids.

The best thing for you phone is patience. Always ensure that you have given it a reasonable time to dry. Do not be tempted to power your device on to check the damage, as this will always make things worse.

If you are ever worried or concerned about the extent of the damage or don’t wish to gamble on whether your phone has dried completely, book your device in for a liquid damage repair.

How much does a water damaged phone repair cost?

The base cost for a liquid damage repair without parts is £35. We inspect the phone to ensure that it has dried completely and then remove any patches of corrosion from the connectors and circuitry.

We then fully test the device to see which parts have been affected by the liquid and which are fully functional.

Once we have completed our assessment, we get back in touch with you. We’ll let you know what’s wrong and what can be done to fix. Most importantly, how much any new parts will cost.

The cost can vary greatly depending on which device you have and which components may need to be replaced. Perhaps it is an iPhone XR that needs a screen replacement. Maybe a Samsung S7 Edge with a faulty charging port or a Huawei P-Smart that needs a new Sim Card Reader. The quicker we see the handset the higher chance we have of restoring the water damaged phone.

We will do our best to advise you on what the repair will cost. Furthermore, how long it will take and whether it is worth doing in comparison to the cost of a new device.

Water damaged phone screen after being dropped in the rain.

Water damaged phone screen after being dropped in the rain.

What if my water damaged phone cannot be repaired?

If your water damaged phone cannot be repaired or is beyond economical repair, we can still offer a data recovery service for any important pictures, files or contacts you have on the device.

So, even if you phone has sustained a lot of damage from its dunk there are always options to bring it back to some degree of normality and functionality. At the very least we can attempt to recover the data contained on it.

Finally, if we don’t fix it, there is no fee.

So, feel free to book your water damaged phone repair today and be reassured that there are options out there.

Help Repair My Water Damaged Phone

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