Water got into your phone — don't panic, act fast
Toilet, sink, puddle on the road, a glass of tea on the table — there are plenty of ways to drown a phone. Over seven years of work, we've seen it all: iPhones after swimming in the sea, Android flagships that survived a washing machine, and even a phone from an aquarium. The outcome depends not just on luck — what you do in the first few minutes matters.
Why water is so dangerous
Water alone doesn't kill electronics instantly. The real problem is a short circuit. As long as the board is powered, current flows where it shouldn't and burns out components. Charging controllers, power ICs, and ports suffer the most. A phone might look alive for another day or two, but inside, a board trace is already burned out.
Saltwater, coffee, and sugary drinks are a different story. They leave conductive deposits that keep doing damage even after completely drying out. "Dropped it in the sea, but it still works" is no reason to relax.
What to do right now
- Turn off your phone immediately. This is the most important step. Don't check if it works, don't make a "test call" — just turn it off. On an iPhone, press and hold the power button and volume button; on Android, hold down the power button. Every second under voltage is a risk.
- Remove the case and pull out the SIM tray. Water doesn't evaporate under a case. An open SIM tray allows excess water to drain out at least partially — which is better than a wet, tightly sealed body.
- Pat dry the exterior. Use a dry cloth or paper towels — gently, without pressing hard. The main thing is not to shake it violently, or water will flow into areas where it hasn't reached yet.
- Don't use a hairdryer. Hot air pushes moisture deeper inside and overheats the board. No radiators or microwaves either — sounds like a joke, but people actually bring us those.
- Place it in a dry spot at room temperature for 24–48 hours. You can put silica gel nearby — the kind that comes in shoeboxes.
Will rice help?
No. Rice is a persistent myth: it barely absorbs moisture from inside the case, but starch dust clogs the ports. Silica gel works better. But honestly, neither rice nor silica gel can replace an ultrasonic cleaning of the motherboard.
When to see a technician
If the phone turns on and works — that's great, but it's not the end of the story. Corrosion develops slowly. In a week or two, you might get charging issues, screen spots, a quiet speaker, or sudden reboots. It's better to show it to a technician right away while the board is still clean.
If it doesn't turn on, the screen flashes, or the phone gets very hot — don't wait. Turn it off and bring it in.
Two cases from our shop
Recently someone brought in an iPhone 13 — the owner dropped it in the bath, pulled it out in a few seconds, turned it off immediately, and brought it to us a day later. We cleaned the board with ultrasound and dried it in a chamber — everything worked. No major repair was needed because she did everything right.
Another case was a Galaxy S22 after a swimming pool. The owner didn't turn off the phone, kept scrolling through his gallery, and checking messengers for another hour. By the time it reached us, the charging controller was burned out and the board had corrosion — requiring a repair that cost several thousand rubles. Those crucial first minutes made all the difference.
If doing it yourself didn't help
Come to iClub at 35 Kommunisticheskaya St. in Novosibirsk. Diagnostics are free. We will disassemble the phone, clean the board with ultrasound, and tell you honestly what can be done and how much it will cost — with no unnecessary charges on the bill and no promises we can't keep.