My non-water-resistant phone fell into less than two inches of water. I pulled it out quickly and managed to turn it off within about eight seconds. After drying the exterior, I removed the SIM tray and found some water inside. I left the phone in a makeshift airflow setup with a computer fan for 48 hours and avoided using rice. It turned on afterward and everything appeared to work, but I shut it down again because I'm worried about delayed corrosion or hidden moisture damaging the electronics. The phone is from a local brand and doesn't have an IP rating, so replacing it immediately isn't practical. Should I take it to a reputable technician to have it opened, disconnected from the battery, and inspected?
3 Answers
Keep it powered off and take it to a reputable repair technician as soon as you can. Since the battery probably isn’t removable, opening the phone and disconnecting it properly is important. They can check for trapped moisture, clean any residue, and look for corrosion, especially around the corners and connectors. The sooner it’s inspected, the better.
Replacing it would be the simplest option if that were affordable, but a technician inspection makes more sense here. A phone can continue working after a spill and then fail later because of residue or corrosion, so cleaning and checking it now may give you the best chance of keeping it alive.
I’d replace it if I could, but prices and the local economy make that difficult right now. I need to keep this phone working until I can afford a better model with proper water resistance.
You did several important things right: you removed it quickly, shut it down, dried it with moving air, and avoided rice. The fact that it powered on is encouraging, but it doesn’t guarantee there’s no damage. Leave it off until someone can inspect it, because even a small amount of water moving inside could cause a short or begin corrosion.
I’m already trying to contact a friend who works as a technician, and I’ll send it to him as soon as possible. Hopefully I haven’t waited too long.