DIY – Save a Wet Cell Phone using Rice
So, you dropped your phone in water. You are screwed, right Nope, just order some Chinese Food, and you’re good to go – Sort of. Actually, submerging your phone in dry rice or silica gel packets are a simple, effective way to resurrect your phone. Moisture absorbant silica gel packets can be purchased for a few bucks and effectively dry your phone. Dry rice has this same affect as well and helps to unbrick your phone. Read more about saving a wet cell phone.
For further reading, also see What to do if you spill liquid on your laptop.
“One final, perhaps surprising, note: If your phone gets soaked in salt water, you should probably flush the whole thing in fresh water before it dries. When salt water evaporates, it leaves crystals that can damage a phone’s fragile components. Just be sure to remove the battery before flooding the device.”
July 24th, 2009
Thank u i am trying tht right now. I hope it will work!!!
August 3rd, 2009
It so works
September 22nd, 2009
How long must the cell phone stay in the rice? I accidentally washed it in the washing machine.
September 23rd, 2009
Until it’s dry and working
November 27th, 2009
this works i have been using it for years and it has saved my phone from 2 times washed and swam with
December 27th, 2009
i hope this realy works. but how long is to late after its been in the toilet? does it matter? cheers.
December 27th, 2009
If you rescue it after it’s been wet for only a few seconds, you might still have a chance.
February 17th, 2010
how long does it have to be in the water for it to be unsavable? i put it in for like 30 mins b4 i realized
February 27th, 2010
Dropped my phone in the toilet (yuck!) Rinsed it, removed the battery, dried it and tried to turn it on after an hour, but nothing happened. In desperation, I searched the web and found this site. I covered the open phone and battery with dry rice for 36 hours. Just put it all together and it is working fine! Thanks so much!
March 10th, 2010
This does work, sometimes. I’ve saved a couple of phones this way. Then, there were a couple of phones it didn’t work on. It all depends on where the water got and whether or not any components were damaged when things started shorting out.
As for how long the phone can be wet, most people say a couple of seconds, but I’ve saved a phone that went through the washing machine with this tip. That phone was under water for at least 30 minutes. I don’t think the time matters too much. After a couple of seconds, the water would have gotten everywhere it’s going to get anyway. Even if the phone has been underwater for an hour, this certainly won’t hurt to try, and it’s easy enough to do.
I usually put the rice and phone in a zippered sandwich bag. I don’t know if that makes a difference, but it might keep the rice from absorbing as much moisture from the air, which means it can absorb more from your phone. Even if the bag doesn’t actually help, it means the cat’s not going to knock the bowl over and make a big mess.
July 31st, 2010
when people ask how long, they mean after it has been in the water. Like can you save a phone that was taken out of the water 30 mins prior, or do you have to put it under rice immediately?
July 31st, 2010
Good question. The longer it’s been in the water, the less likely it will work when you try and dry it out.