Helpful tips that work if you drop your phone into water!

Helpful tips that work if you drop your phone into water!

Last week my daughter accidentally dropped her iPhone into the toilet, something I have since been told is a common occurrence. Luckily she had the sense to retrieve it quickly. However, once externally dried the phone began to react to its recent dipping! The screen flashed different colours and information came and went as different applications were accessed by the phone on its own –a major tantrum ensued. Unfortunately it didn’t end there and completely shut down.

Luckily my 16 year old son, being a self-taught tech, took the phone from her removed the sim card, case and turned the phone off. He then checked all access points for moisture with some paper kitchen towel and an ear bud before placing the phone into a large zip lock bag of normal rice, ensuring full coverage! (I was later told that it was a good substitute for silica gel) He sealed the bag leaving some air in it.

At this point my daughter was beyond hysterical demanding to know what he was doing. He then calmly placed the phone and rice onto a single thickness towel on a warm, not hot, radiator and told her to leave it there.

The following evening he tested the screen and could see significant change, but felt a further 6- 10 hours would dry the phone out completely. He placed the phone back into the bag of rice, making sure he had turned it off and removed the sim card first.

By the morning my daughter’s iPhone was running as before, without glitches. My very smug son was thanked by a very grateful older sister – he had earned immeasurable brownie points and a new respect, which he knew would come in very useful for the future!