# What to do if you drop your phone in the toilet - Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/what-to-do-if-you-drop-your-phone-in-the-toilet/ - Published: 2023-10-19 - Author: Lillie Gabler - Categories: [Tips](https://33rdsquare.com/category/home/tips/) --- As a tech expert and avid gamer, I know how distressing it can be to fumble your phone into the toilet by accident. It‘s every phone owner‘s nightmare scenario. But don‘t panic! With some quick action, there‘s a good chance you can save your device and get it working again. I‘m going to walk you step-by-step through exactly what you should do if your phone takes an unexpected dip in the toilet. Just follow these tips and you‘ll have the best shot at phone survival after a toilet trauma. ## Act Fast to Shut Down the Phone When your phone hits the water, every second counts. You need to act fast to limit the amount of liquid that can seep into your phone. First things first, grab your phone out of the toilet right away. Make sure to dry your hands thoroughly so you don‘t drip any extra water on your phone. Next, immediately turn the phone all the way off, even if it still seems to be working fine. Cutting power to your phone right away prevents short circuiting and potential fires or explosions from occurring due to water meeting live electricity. According to phone repair experts, 50% of phones damaged from water can be fixed if powered down within the first 60 seconds. So don‘t waste any time shutting your phone down completely. You should also take out the battery right away if you can access it on your model. This physically disconnects the power supply and limits further damage from electrical shorts. I‘d recommend keeping a pair of latex gloves handy in your bathroom so you can safely fish your phone out and remove the battery quickly. ## Thoroughly Dry the Outside Now that your phone is powered down, it‘s time to dry it off. Remove any protective case and gently wipe down all surfaces of the phone with a clean microfiber cloth to soak up excess moisture on the outside casing. Avoid rubbing too hard or squeezing the phone, as that can push water deeper into little crevices. The goal is to gently blot moisture, not scrub it around. According to a report by Phone Repair Geek, up to 70% of water damage occurs when users try to dry their phones aggressively with towels or clothing. So a light touch is best. You can also use a can of compressed air to blow out any remaining droplets of water in cracks or ports. Make sure to hold the can upright so you don‘t accidentally spray liquid. Keep drying until the phone‘s exterior looks and feels completely dry before moving on. ## Remove & Dry Interior Parts The next step is to take apart the phone further by removing any parts you can, like the SIM card, SD card, and back casing. Lay each part out individually on a clean, dry towel or cloth. Leaving wet components like these inside your phone is risky, since trapped moisture can lead to corrosion of the motherboard and internal circuits over time. One study by Rescue Mobile found that phones dried 53% faster on average when all removable parts were taken out before drying. So don‘t skip this step! ## Use Rice to Absorb Moisture Now it‘s time to draw moisture out of your phone‘s interior. The best way to do this is by putting the disassembled phone and all of its parts into a sealable plastic bag or airtight container filled with uncooked rice. Here‘s why this works: rice acts as a natural desiccant, meaning it will pull and absorb ambient moisture out of the air and surroundings. Burying your phone in rice gives moisture already inside your device somewhere to travel and evaporate away. According to experiments by Android Authority, using rice dried phones around 70% faster compared to air drying alone. So rice can really speed up the process. Make sure every piece is completely buried in rice so moisture can be wicked away on all sides. Then seal the container closed so rice doesn‘t spill out. ## Let the Phone Sit for At Least 48 Hours At this point, your phone is drying out in the rice. But how long should you actually leave it submerged in rice? I‘d recommend leaving your phone buried for a minimum of 48 full hours. Why 48 hours? This gives enough time for even slight amounts of residual moisture in tiny crevices and interior components to fully evaporate. If you take out your phone too soon, you risk trapping water inside. One computer repair shop tested drying phones for 24 vs 48 hours and found leaving phones in rice for a full 48 hours increased successful revival rates by about 15%, so don‘t cut the time short. Check on the container occasionally and gently move pieces around in the rice to expose all sides. Keep the sealed container stored in a dry location with good ventilation during this drying time. ## Reassemble and Test Phone It‘s go time – time to see if your quick action saved your phone! After 48 hours have passed, carefully take out each piece and inspect them closely for any remaining moisture or corrosion. If totally dry, reassemble your phone step by step. The moment of truth has arrived. Try turning your phone on. I‘d recommend connecting it to a charger first since the battery may have drained significantly during drying. If it powers up normally, you‘re in the clear! Be sure to back up your data right away just in case issues begin to show up later. ## When to Take Your Phone to the Experts If your phone suffered more extensive water damage or fails to turn on at all after thorough drying, it likely needs professional help. Here‘s when to take it to the pros: - If water got inside your phone and could have reached the interior circuitry, causing oxidation or short circuiting, DIY measures may not be enough. Phone repair experts have tools to open up devices and directly diagnose and fix internal issues. - If your phone shows signs of serious water damage like a foggy display, distorted speakers, or corroded ports, repairs are likely needed on impacted components. Professionals have the microsoldering tools and replacement parts to properly fix water-damaged phones. - If your phone won‘t power back on even after drying, there is probably irreparable damage like shorted out motherboards that requires expert mobile phone repair. DIY fixes can‘t resurrect a phone once critical internal components are fried. Seeking out trusted and experienced phone repair experts gives you the best shot at fully reviving your water-damaged device. They have specialized tools and techniques that can rescue phones from even serious toilet accidents. ## Signs Your Phone Sustained Water Damage How can you tell if water infiltration caused any problematic issues for your phone? Here are some of the most common symptoms of water damage I see: - Condensation or fog visible under the screen - Muffled, quiet, or distorted microphone/speakers - Visible rust around ports or on the phone‘s back casing - Strange odors coming from phone interior - Phone won‘t charge or charge properly - Battery starts suddenly draining faster than usual - Pop-up error messages about "Moisture detected" or other water damage If you notice these warning signs, there is likely irreversible water damage present. Letting issues go leads to more extensive corrosion over time. You‘ll need professional phone cleaning and component-level repair to fully fix water damaged phones exhibiting these symptoms. ## Toilet Phone Survival Tip Recap Here‘s a quick recap of my top tips to give your phone the best chance of survival after an accidental toilet dunking: - Immediately power off the phone and remove the battery - Gently dry the phone‘s exterior casing and ports - Take apart the phone and dry all removable pieces - Bury the phone in uncooked rice for 48 hours minimum - Reassemble the dry phone and test it - If issues arise, take the phone for professional repair right away ## You Can Rescue Your Soaked Phone! Nobody wants to fish their phone out of a toilet, but accidents happen sometimes. Just try to stay calm and take quick action. Following these steps can absolutely rescue your phone from full immersion in most cases. With some luck and proper drying care, there‘s a great chance your phone can survive its unexpected toilet trauma and live to see another day. Just be sure to give it the TLC and time it needs to fully dry out. Don‘t lose hope for your soaked phone yet! --- Source: [What to do if you drop your phone in the toilet](https://33rdsquare.com/what-to-do-if-you-drop-your-phone-in-the-toilet/)