Joenel Umal

What to do if your iPhone gets Wet

Getting your iPhone (or any other cellphone) soaked in water or in any kind of liquid can really be bad news. You are almost sure that your phone is done, not if you know what to do if the unthinkable happens. First you have to make sure that the phone is off, dry it up with a piece of cloth and do the following immediately.

• Put your iPhone in a tub or bag of uncooked rice and let it sit for several hours (up to 2 days).
• Place your iPhone in a plastic bag with a few silica packets.
• Put your iPhone in a hearing aid dryer for several hours.
  The point with all of these methods is to draw all moisture out of the phone as quickly as possible. Just air-drying the unit is an option, but won’t act as quickly as the aforementioned methods.

If none of these tactics prove effective, and your iPhone loses significant or all functionality, an Apple FAQ states that if you own an iPhone and it requires service for any reason other than the battery (which costs $86 total to replace), Apple will repair your iPhone for the service fee listed below, plus $6.95 for shipping and handling:

4GB: $199
8GB: $249
Presumably this includes liquid damage, though Apple states “Service may not be available if your iPhone has been damaged due to accident or abuse.”

These steps are just ‘first aid’ and we can just hope that the worst won’t happen. Still, taking care of your iPhone and making sure that such accidents won’t happen is still the best step in the long lasting relation between you and your phones.