OT: Dropped mobile phone in water

Remove battery immediately. dunk it and the battery in surgical spirits or at a pinch methylated spirits. That will absorb nearly all the water.

Then shake it and dry in airing cupboard for at least 24 hours, maybe 48.

Shove it in a large bag of rice in an airing cupboard.

GB laid this down on his screen :

If the water was clean tap water and a the area is a soft water area, just dry it out, otherwise give it a good rinse through with demineralised water.

To dry it out, shake out as much as you can, then put it in a bag dried rice to draw the moisture out and/ or play an hair dryer on it for a few hours.

More or less the right answer. Best way is to use a small resealable (eg sandwich) bag and change the rice in it a few times over several days. I would also use white rice rather than brown, and don't be in a hurry to turn the phone on again. If necessary, get a very cheap temporary replacement and use the sim from the dunked phone in the replacement for a few days.

I saved my mobile by drying it with rice. I didn't think it would work, but it did.

Thanks all, and I've put it in a coffee jar with some white rice.

It's been dunked in hard water, unfortunately, but I'll try drying it rather than taking the risk of dismantling it.

Actually, there are probably far better desiccants than rice available.

Tim

I have 5kg of Silica Gel that I got from work when I retired.

Translation: I have 5kg of Silica Gel that I stole from work when I retired.

It's not stealing, it's embezzling, everybody does it. Are you telling me you don't have a few CO2s lying about that you didn't pay for?

I have a large bag sitting right next to me, as it happens.

I installed a lot of Brother printers before I retired (on Monday) Each one came with a bag of Muslim deviants, which I collected.

Correction. A *muslin* bag of *desiccant*.

Along with 0.5kg of Mercury, 2.5l of conc. HCl, staplers, road grit, wine making carboys, lab glassware and Ammonia test gear for my fish pond.

Don't you have a room where you can get away from your wife?

Bung it in a bag of rice, or if you have any handy silica gel

It is probably knackered. You had better get an Iphone 7 next time if this is a tendency of yours. Brian

Why? This is free, has no contract and works anywhere in the world.

Except underground, in long tunnels etc.

Mr Pedantic :-)

I was in my bathroom at 0430 today and rang my downstairs phone using it via an Iridium satellite.

Thanks, Tim. That's very helpful.