A phone in the sink, the bath, a puddle or a pint is a horrible moment. What you do in the next few minutes can make a real difference to whether it recovers. Here's what to do, what not to do, and what to expect.
What to do straight away
- Get it out of the liquid quickly. The longer it's submerged, the more chance liquid has to get past the seals.
- Switch it off if it's on. Don't switch it on to "see if it still works". Power running through wet components is what causes the most damage.
- Don't plug it in. Don't charge it or connect it to a computer until it has been checked.
- Take off the case and remove the SIM tray and any memory card, so trapped water can escape.
- Dry the outside with a soft, lint-free cloth. Gently tap the phone against your hand with the charging port facing down to let liquid drain out.
- Leave it somewhere dry with good airflow, at room temperature, and get it professionally assessed as soon as you can.
What not to do
- No heat. Hairdryers, radiators, ovens and microwaves can damage the battery, screen and adhesives, and can be dangerous.
- Skip the bag of rice. Rice doesn't draw water out of the inside of a phone, and its dust and starch can end up in the ports. Apple specifically advises against it.
- Don't push things into the ports. Cotton buds and paper towels pushed inside can leave fibres behind.
- Don't shake it hard or blow into it. This can push liquid further in.
- Don't keep pressing buttons to test it, as this can force liquid deeper.
Not all liquids are the same
Clean fresh water is usually the least harmful. Salt water, chlorinated pool water, sugary or fizzy drinks, coffee, beer and toilet water are all worse, because they leave residue and speed up corrosion. When you get the phone checked, tell the technician exactly what it went into and for roughly how long. It genuinely helps.
"Water-resistant" doesn't mean waterproof
Many phones have an IP rating such as IP67 or IP68. Those ratings come from laboratory tests in fresh water, under controlled conditions. In real life, seals weaken with age, after drops and after previous repairs, and they aren't designed for hot water, pressure from jets or soapy and salty liquids. Manufacturer warranties often don't cover liquid damage, so it's worth checking your terms.
Why a phone can fail days later
A phone that seems fine after a soaking isn't necessarily out of danger. Liquid left inside can corrode contacts and components over days or weeks, leading to problems such as the phone not charging, the speaker sounding muffled, the screen showing marks or the phone not switching on at all. That's why a professional check is worthwhile even if everything appears to work.
If the phone has already stopped responding, our guide on troubleshooting a phone that won't turn on may help, but don't try to charge it if it has been wet.
Getting it assessed
Not every liquid-damaged phone can be saved. How well it recovers depends on what it was in, how long, and what happened afterwards. An honest assessment will tell you what's damaged, whether a repair is realistic and whether it's worth the cost.
If the phone still works, back up your photos and messages as soon as you can, before anything else changes. Our guide on protecting your data before a phone repair explains how.
