How to Dry Out Wet iPhones

You've heard the horror stories from friends who've dropped their iPhones in the pool, toilet or cereal bowl, or left them out in the rain. Unbelievably, it has happened to you, and your treasured iPhone is sopping wet. While there are no guarantees, you might be able to save your iPhone with simple supplies and a lot of patience.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• iPhone that is wet

1. Turn off the iPhone immediately and do not plug it in. Remove any power cords or accessories. Dry the exterior of the device with a soft cloth.

2. Resist the urge to apply heat to the iPhone, which is filled with sensitive adhesives that can degrade if you apply heat.

3. Take out the SIM card by pressing a paperclip into the hole next to the slot on the side or top (depending on model) of the iPhone.

4. Hold a small vacuum to the SIM card hole and let it run for several minutes. Repeat this process with the speaker holes and power port on the bottom of the iPhone.

5. Place the iPhone in a container filled with either rice or silica gel packets and cover the container loosely. Don't seal it.

6. Leave the iPhone in the rice or silica gel packets for at least a week. It may take less time than this but the longer the better. Replace the rice or silica get packets after a few days.

7. Attempt to turn on the iPhone. If it still won't turn on after a week, take it to an Apple Store for repair or replacement.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient, the iPhone is expensive and it's worth the wait for it to dry out.

• There are also electronics/cell phone shops that charge around $75 to disassemble and dry out your iPhone. Check your local listings for this.

References

• The iPhone Guru: How to Fix a Wet iPhone