Imagine you just dropped your phone in your toilet. Quick — what do you do?
If you said race to the kitchen to throw your phone in rice, you’re probably like most people. According to a new study from TekDry, though, using rice to dry your phone doesn’t actually get the job done. In fact, it’s LESS effective than just letting your phone air dry. According to TekDry, “The only thing rice should ever be used for is cooking!”
“The optimal window of opportunity to restore a wet electronic device is less than 48 hours and it’s always best to act as soon as possible,” said Adam Cookson, TekDry’s co-founder. “The study clearly demonstrates that consumers should think twice before wasting crucial time with rice.”
Here are some tips from TekDry on saving your wet phone WITHOUT rice:
- DO NOT plug in your phone – Electricity and water just don’t mix.
- DO power off the phone – This will help prevent a short circuit.
- DO remove the battery if possible –Separating the battery from the phone helps to keep electricity away from the waterlogged components. This minimizes the chances of irreversible damage.
- IF it was dropped in salt water, DO rinse it in fresh water – Salt water will almost certainly corrode and short the phone and will do more damage than fresh water, so it is best to remove any traces of salt water quickly.
- DO dry with paper towel or washcloth – Removing any visible water from the phone will keep it from seeping into the phone and doing more damage.
- DO NOT use rice – This method is ineffective as demonstrated in the study announced today.
- DO NOT use a blow dryer or oven – The heat from these methods often warp and damage the sensitive equipment inside your phone.
- DO NOT use a microwave – A major component of electronic devices is metal and metal in a microwave is a recipe for disaster.
- DO call TekDry – TekDry’s technology is most effective when implemented as soon as possible within the first 48 hours. If your phone can’t be restored, you pay only a small portion of the shipping cost.
A detailed description of the rice experiment design, methodology, and results, a video demonstration of TekDry’s technology, and an infographic illustrating the study and including device rescue tips and statistics regarding wet mobile devices, are available on TekDry’s website. TekDry’s device-rescue service completely restores within 30 minutes wet mobile devices including smartphones, laptops, tablets and cameras, saving you time, money and the hassle of dealing with high insurance deductibles and costly device replacement fees.
More than 22 million people drop their phones in water each year – so you’re not alone. If it happens to you, your phone doesn’t have to be lost.
