Wednesday, November 28, 2007

How to Save a Wet Cellular Phone

Ever Dropped Your Mobile in a Puddle?
Usually it means that you have to replace your gadget, but sometimes, if you act fast, you can save yourself from an expensive purchase.

How to Save a Wet Cellular Phone

Step 1
Turn off your gadget and immediately remove the battery. No matter what you do, do not turn it back on. If you dropped your phone and it has a SIM card, remove that too. Some or all of your valuable contacts (along with other data) could be stored on it. To some people this could be more important than the phone itself.

Step 2
Dry it off as much as you possibly can. Even take a Q-tip and get into the cracks and crevices. You can never be too thorough.

Step 3
Put the gadget and battery in a dry, warm spot and wait. Don’t try putting the battery back into see if it works as this would risk damaging the phone with a short circuit. Remember: Water and electricity don’t mix …. don’t let your short patience get the best of you. You will have to wait this one out and your best bet is to let it dry for two to three days and not a minute less.

Step 4
Put your battery back in and cross your fingers. With a little luck, your gadget will be back in working order. Note: This can work for your kids’ electronic toys too.

Tip:
If something other than water ( like coffee or soda) was the culprit, you may need to add another step… after drying you will want to take your Q-tip and clean the gadget with alcohol (use sparingly) and then dry again. Unfortunately, liquid other than water will corrode the inside parts and the longer it dries without being cleaned out, the more concentrated the substance will become.