You’re standing over the sink. Or maybe the toilet. Or a puddle. In a split second, that thousand-dollar piece of glass and silicon slips, and there’s that sickening bloop sound. Your heart drops faster than the device did. It’s a moment of pure, unadulterated panic. You’ve probably heard a dozen different things about what to do next—put it in rice, blow-dry it, pray to the tech gods—but honestly, most of that advice is straight-up garbage that might actually kill your phone faster.
The moment your phone falls into water
The first few seconds are the most critical. Grab it. Get it out of the liquid immediately. Every millisecond it sits submerged, water is finds its way into the charging port, the speaker grilles, and the tiny gaps around the buttons.
If it's still on, power it down. Right now. Don't check your notifications. Don't try to see if the camera still works. Electricity and water are ancient enemies; when they meet on a circuit board, they cause a "short." This basically means the current jumps where it shouldn't go, frying components instantly. If the phone is already off, leave it that way. Resist the urge to see if it "still works" by turning it on, because that's often the final nail in the coffin.
Why the "Rice Trick" is a dangerous lie
Let's address the elephant in the room: the bag of rice. You've seen it on every blog since 2010. The idea is that rice is a desiccant that pulls moisture out of the air and, by extension, your phone.
It doesn't.
Actually, it's worse than doing nothing. Testing by companies like Gazelle and various independent repair experts has shown that silica gel or even just open-air flow works significantly better than rice. Rice is dusty. It’s starchy. When that starch meets the moisture inside your phone, it turns into a gummy paste that clogs internal components. Even Apple officially updated its support documentation recently to explicitly warn users against putting their iPhones in a bag of rice. It can let tiny particles of grain get into the openings and cause permanent mechanical damage. Plus, it creates a false sense of security, making you wait 48 hours while the internal corrosion is already starting to eat the motherboard.
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Saltwater vs. Tap water
Not all liquid is created equal. If your phone falls into water at the beach, you have a much bigger problem than if it fell into a clean glass of filtered water. Saltwater is incredibly corrosive. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind salt crystals that conduct electricity and accelerate rust at an alarming rate.
If it was saltwater, or even soda or coffee, you actually might need to clean it with something else before drying it. This sounds counterintuitive. "Wait, you want me to put more liquid on it?" Yeah, kinda. Using 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) can help displace the salt and sugar. Alcohol evaporates much faster than water and doesn't cause the same type of oxidation.
The science of corrosion and what's happening inside
When water hits the internal components, it starts a process called electrolysis if there's any power running through the device. This isn't just "getting wet." It's a chemical reaction that grows "whiskers" of corrosion across the copper traces on the logic board.
Think of it like a slow-motion fire.
Even if the phone works initially after drying, that corrosion can stay dormant and then suddenly cause the phone to die three weeks later. This is why professional repair shops use ultrasonic cleaners. These machines use high-frequency sound waves in a chemical bath to vibrate the microscopic bits of corrosion off the board. You can't do that with a hair dryer. Speaking of hair dryers—stop. Do not use one. The heat can melt the adhesive that keeps the phone water-resistant in the first place, and the air pressure can actually push water deeper into the crevices.
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What you should actually do (The Checklist)
Forget the myths. If you want to save your data and your hardware, follow these steps in order. No shortcuts.
- Remove the case and peripherals. Take off the screen protector if it's peeling, remove the SIM tray, and pull out any SD cards. You want as much airflow as possible into those tiny slots.
- Pat it dry. Use a lint-free cloth or a microfiber towel. Don't use paper towels that leave behind little bits of fluff.
- The "Gravity" technique. Position the phone so the charging port is facing down. Give it a few gentle taps against your hand to see if any excess water drips out. Don't shake it violently; you aren't trying to win a maraca contest.
- Use a vacuum, not a blower. If you have a small handheld vacuum, you can try to suck moisture out of the ports. This is much safer than blowing air in.
- Silica gel is your best friend. You know those "Do Not Eat" packets that come in shoeboxes? Those are actually useful here. If you have a bunch of them, put them in a sealed container with your phone. They are engineered to absorb moisture.
- Airflow is king. Place the phone in a spot with a cool, consistent breeze. Putting it in front of a fan is a thousand times more effective than burying it in a bowl of grains.
Understanding IP ratings: Are you actually safe?
Most modern flagships—like the iPhone 15, the Samsung Galaxy S24, or the Google Pixel 8—come with an IP68 rating. People think this means "waterproof." It doesn't.
It means "water-resistant."
The "6" means it's dust-tight. The "8" usually means it can handle immersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for about 30 minutes. But there’s a catch that the marketing teams don't mention: these ratings are based on brand-new phones in lab conditions. If you've ever dropped your phone, the tiny frame-warping might have broken the seal. If you’ve had the phone for over a year, the rubber gaskets have likely started to degrade. Water resistance is a temporary state, not a permanent feature.
Can you use an app to "eject" water?
You might have seen those "Water Eject" shortcuts or apps that play a low-frequency sound. They actually do work, but only for the speaker grilles. The vibration of the speaker diaphragm literally pushes the droplets out of the mesh. It's a cool trick—Apple even builds this into the Apple Watch—but it does absolutely nothing for the water that’s sitting on your battery or your CPU. Use it for your speakers, but don't think it "fixed" the whole phone.
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When to give up and see a pro
If your phone screen looks "streaky," or if the camera lens has visible fog behind it, you have a trapped moisture problem. At this point, DIY methods are basically just a prayer.
Taking the phone to a dedicated repair shop (not just a mall kiosk, but a place that does board-level soldering) is the move. They can open the device, disconnect the battery—which is the most important step—and clean the internals properly. If you have an iPhone, check your "Liquid Contact Indicator" (LCI). It's usually a tiny sticker inside the SIM slot that turns red when it hits water. If it's red, Apple’s standard warranty is void, but if you have AppleCare+, you're covered for a replacement fee.
The weird things that sometimes work
There are some "fringe" methods people swear by. Some suggest using a food dehydrator on the absolute lowest heat setting (below 100°F). While technically logical because it controls temperature and airflow, it's risky. One wrong setting and you've cooked your battery.
Then there's the "99% Isopropyl Bath." Some hobbyist repairers will submerge a wet board entirely in high-grade alcohol to "wash" the water away. It works because the alcohol binds with the water and then evaporates entirely. But unless you're comfortable taking your phone apart to the bare chassis, don't try this at home. You'll ruin the screen's backlight layer.
The reality of "Drying Time"
How long should you wait? The old rule was 48 hours. Honestly, in 2026, with how tightly packed these phones are, 48 hours might not be enough for a phone that took a deep dive. If you can stand it, wait 72 hours. The longer you wait, the better the chance that the microscopic droplets have cleared out.
Actionable steps for right now
If your phone falls into water and you're reading this on another device, here is your immediate game plan:
- Kill the power. Turn it off. Do not "restart" it.
- Strip it down. Remove the SIM tray and any cases.
- Dry the exterior. Use a clean towel.
- Find a fan. Place the phone on a flat surface with a fan blowing directly at the ports.
- Check your insurance. Check if your credit card offers "Cell Phone Protection." Many cards (like Amex or Chase) cover water damage if you pay your monthly bill with the card, even if you don't have a specific insurance plan through your carrier.
- Back it up later. If it turns back on, your first priority is a cloud backup. Do not assume it is "fixed." It might be on borrowed time before the corrosion sets in.
The most important thing is to stay calm. Modern phones are tougher than they used to be, but they aren't invincible. Avoid the rice, skip the heat, and give the device the one thing it needs most: time and dry airflow. By the time the internal components are truly dry, you'll know if you're looking at a functioning phone or an expensive paperweight. Regardless of the outcome, once it's dry and backed up, consider it compromised. Move your photos to the cloud immediately, because once water gets in, the clock starts ticking on the hardware's lifespan.