What to do if Water Gets into Your Cell Phone, iPad, iPhone, Mobile Device, Camera, or Other Electronic Item

A very common accident is water getting into an iPad, iPhone, cell phone, mobile device, or other electronic item. What may surprise you is that there is a way to possibly rescue it. Read on to find out how.

Most of us know someone who has lost an electronic device to water damage. You know, the poor fellow who has dropped his camera or iPad into a lake or puddle. Or perhaps you, yourself, have been caught in an unexpected torrential downpour with your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device with nowhere to protect it. Then when you try to use it again you see a couple flashes, hear a few beeps-then nothing. Your device has died a sudden death due to water damage.

The worst thing is dropping your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device into salt water while strolling along the beach. It is unlikely that the below-described recovery instructions will bring your beloved device back to life because of the highly corrosive and conductive nature of salt water. However, try the below instructions anyway, because there is a very slim chance that it could still work.

There are two reasons why your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device stops working after it gets wet.

1. Water conducts electricity. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. This means that electricity travels to parts of your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device where no electricity should be, burning out random components in your device.

2. Water corrodes. Metals inside of your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device may corrode if water is present for more than a few minutes or hours.

What to do if your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device gets wet:

1. Turn it off immediately. It if is off, do not turn it on. It is important to stop any electrical current flowing through your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device if water is present.

2. Place your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device in a warm, low-humidity place, such as a temperature-controlled food dehydrator (110-135 degrees Fahrenheit) for 6 to 24 hours, depending upon how much water got into your device. Or, if your oven is capable of temperatures below 140, then place it in your oven on the lowest possible setting. Exposing your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device to temperatures above 140 could actually melt any soft plastics inside. Even if your oven is too hot, it may still work if you leave the door open and set a thermometer next to your electronic device to ensure it does not get too hot. If you do not have a food dehydrator or an oven capable of a low temperature, then here are some other alternatives: Out in the sun on a warm day, next to a hair blower on low-heat setting, on top of a heat register or duct, next to a fireplace or wood-burning stove (alongside a thermometer to ensure your device does not get too hot), or inside a closed car which is setting out in the sun. Although most people do not have immediate access to a sauna, a dry sauna is perfect for quickly drying out your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device. Another possibility is placing your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, or mobile device in front of your car's heater. The amount of gas burned is no doubt less than the value of your electronic device. Once the device has completely dried out, inside and out (anywhere from 6 to 24 hours), then try turning it on.

The above instructions may not work 100% of the time in rescuing your iPad, camera, iPhone, cell phone, mobile unit, or other electrinic device, but these steps do work sometimes, even in seemingly hopeless cases where the device has been immersed in water and completely saturated. What have you got to lose? It is definitely worth a try.