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Call nowWe get calls about water-damaged phones every week. The toilet, the kitchen sink, a puddle, the dog's water bowl. It happens. And the first thing you do in the next 60 seconds matters more than anything a technician does later.
Here is the step-by-step guide we give every caller.
What to do right now
1. Get it out of the water immediately
Every second counts. The longer it sits in water, the further the water travels inside the phone. Grab it now.
2. Turn it off
If the phone is still on, power it down straight away. Water and electricity do not mix. The damage happens when water touches powered circuits. A phone that is off has a much better chance of surviving.
3. Remove your case and SIM tray
Take the case off so trapped water can drain. Pop the SIM tray out with the included pin (or a paperclip). This opens a small channel that helps water escape instead of pooling inside.
4. Shake it gently
Hold the phone with the charging port facing down and give it a few gentle shakes. You want gravity to pull water out through the openings, not further into the phone.
5. Pat it dry
Use a lint-free cloth or paper towel to dry the outside, the charging port, and the speaker grilles. Do not push anything into the ports.
What NOT to do
Do not put it in rice
This is the most common myth in phone repair. Rice does not dry a phone any faster than leaving it on a towel. Worse, rice dust and starch get into the charging port and speaker, creating a sticky mess that can cause more problems than the water itself. Apple has officially warned against it.
Do not use a hair dryer
The heat can warp internal components, melt adhesive, and push water further into the phone. A hair dryer on a wet phone is a recipe for a more expensive repair.
Do not charge it
Plugging in a charger while there is water in the charging port can short-circuit the charging chip. Wait at least 24 hours, or until a technician has inspected it. If you see a "liquid detected" warning, take it seriously.
Do not try to turn it on "just to check"
You turned it off for a reason. Powering it on while there is still moisture inside is the single most common cause of fatal water damage. Leave it off.
When does water damage need professional repair?
If you followed the steps above and waited 24 to 48 hours, there is a chance the phone will work normally. But water damage is sneaky. Even if the phone turns on, corrosion can build up on the circuit board over the following days and weeks.
Call a technician if you notice any of these after a water incident:
- The screen has dark spots, lines, or a faint glow that was not there before
- The speaker sounds muffled or crackly
- The phone gets unusually hot
- The battery drains much faster than normal
- The charging port does not work or only works at certain angles
- Face ID, Touch ID, or the cameras stop working
What does a water damage repair involve?
A proper water damage repair means opening the phone, disconnecting the battery, and cleaning every connector and the circuit board with isopropyl alcohol in an ultrasonic bath. This removes minerals and corrosion left behind by the water. It is not a quick job. We usually need the phone for 3 to 5 days.
The success rate depends on how quickly the phone was powered off and how long it sat in water. Phones that were turned off within a few minutes have a much higher survival rate than phones that were left running underwater.
💡 Quick tip: Modern phones (iPhone 7 and newer, Samsung S7 and newer) have water resistance seals, but these degrade over time and are not waterproof. A 3-year-old phone has significantly less water protection than the day it was bought. Treat water resistance as a safety net, not an invitation to swim with your phone.
Water damage? Call us now.
The sooner we look at it, the better the chance of saving it. We collect your phone and return it once it is clean and dry.
Call 027 662 4537 Book a repairRelated reading: common phone problems and fixes, signs your battery needs replacing, and how to back up your phone before a repair. View repairs we offer.