Switch off the phone immediately
A lot of people tend to panic as soon as the phone hits water. Remember, the thumb rule is not to panic. When you drop your phone into water, take it out and switch it off immediately. This may stop damage or help spot any potential damage to the internals. While a lot of people are a little hesitant in following this, it is an important step to begin with.
Remove whatever you can
After switching off the smartphone, the next step is to remove the cases, covers, SIM card, memory card and stylus, if any. While a handful of phones today don’t have removable batteries, if your phone does, immediately remove it. Once all these things are removed, take a tissue paper and wipe off wherever bit of moisture and water you can, including the battery compartment, screen, connectivity ports, etc. (Image credit: ifixit.com)
Gently shake the device
Next, go ahead and gently shake the device. This way you can get rid of water stuck in the headphone jack, charging ports, etc. If you have a vacuum cleaner, use it from a safe distance or use a blower. Remember, we are talking of a blower and not a blow dryer. Some people use hair dryers to dry out the water, but its heat can melt some parts and the circuit. We don’t recommend using it.
Bury the device in rice or in an air tight container
Burying the phone in uncooked rice is the most commonly used and affordable technique to absorb moisture. Another option is to put the phone inside an air tight container along with some silica gel sachets. They have the ability to absorb moisture better than rice.
Wait for at least 48 hours to let the device dry out completely and then try turning it on. If the damage is minimal, your device should start functioning again, or at least boot. However, if that does not happen, you’ll have to take it to the authorised service centre. You can also contact our very own ResQ support teams at our Reliance Digital stores to check if they can help guide with what needs to be done.
Some precautionary measures
A lot of people have the habit of talking on the phone while going in the bathroom or while washing clothes and utensils. However, these are places where you should ideally avoid taking your phone to. Also, when it’s pouring outside, ensure that you don’t talk on the phone while getting drenched.
When you consider buying an expensive feature rich smartphone, you should also think about investing some money to safeguard it. Using cases and covers to protect your smartphone from external damage will be a good idea. The protective cases offer a perfect grip to hold your phone and also protect it from scratches. With the rainy season nearly here, you can buy waterproof cases and pouches for your phone, thus keeping water away from entering in it.
Waterproof smartphones
With newer technologies and better handset designs, manufacturers are now making smartphones with certain level of water resistance.
While this does not mean that you can take these phones for deep sea diving, but decent enough to withstand minor water splashes and rain. The IP certification for water and dust resistance allows you to take the device under 1 meter of water for at least 30 minutes. So, if you’re looking for a smartphone that you can take in the rain, look for some of these features.
If you’re interested in buying any of the above phones, you can head to any of the nearest Reliance Digital stores. In case you’re confused on how the water resistance works in these smartphones, our well trained store staff will be happy to help you.
