So you're looking at those hilarious memes while in the toilet and suddenly, poof! You drop your phone in a puddle of filthy toilet water (or worse, pee…or…let's not go there anymore). So what do you do? Do you just scream and hope to god that your smartphone is smart enough to get itself out of the water?
As much as we'd like for it to be high-tech enough to switch to “submarine” mode, most of our phones are helpless when in the water. So when it takes a dive for the first time, it's almost always the end of its life.
So what do we do to resuscitate the precious extension of our lives? Just like in any unexpected situations, keep calm and follow these 6 easy steps:
Step 1: Take your phone out of the water immediately
Stop freaking out and get your act together! Yes, even if your phone fell on your filthy toilet, you need to pick it up ASAP unless you want to spend on a brand new smartphone.
Step 2: Remove the battery
If your phone has an easily detachable battery pack, take it out right away. For iPhone users who can't do this step, you'll just have to carefully turn off your phone and hope to God that the water doesn't short circuit your phone.
Step 3: Dry your phone
Lightly pat your phone with paper towels or lint-free dish towels.
Step 4: Place your phone inside a Ziploc bag
There's a reason why you shouldn't throw that Ziploc bag away after devouring your sandwich. Place your phone inside a Ziploc bag along with a handful of desiccants like silica gel. Silica Gel packs are found inside boxes of new shoes and bags. Desiccants will help absorb all the water collected inside your phone. In the absence of silica gel packs, use rice instead.
Step 5: Keep it sealed for 72 hours
Patience is a virtue many do not have. But if you want your phone to resurrect from the dead, be patient. Keep that bag tightly sealed for 72 straight hours.
Step 6: Turn on your phone
After 72 agonizing hours of not browsing through your Instagram feed, take your phone out of the Ziploc bag and turn it on. If it turns on and appears to be working properly, then congratulations for bringing it back to life! If it doesn't turn on, then it's time for you to mourn your loss and start looking for a new smartphone.
If you're the type who drops his phone in the water regularly, it's high time you bought a waterproof case or better yet, a waterproof smartphone.
Please note that these are first-aid steps to help you lessen the water damage on your phone. It doesn't guarantee that it'll revive your phone after enduring and entire day of swimming in the ocean while it sat idly on your pocket.
Got other tried and tested tips? Please share it in the comments section.
