Dropped Your Phone in Water? Do These 5 Things in the Next 10 Minutes

It happens in an instant. One moment your phone is fine, the next it’s at the bottom of the toilet, the kitchen sink, a puddle, or — the classic — a glass of water on the nightstand. Your heart sinks. You fish it out and stare at it, hoping for a miracle.

Here’s the truth: water damage is one of the most recoverable phone problems — but only if you act fast and do the right things. The next 10 minutes are critical. Here’s exactly what to do.

Why the First 10 Minutes Matter So Much

Water itself doesn’t fry your phone — the electricity passing through wet components does. The moment water bridges a circuit, it causes short circuits that permanently damage the logic board, charging circuits, and cameras. The faster you act to stop that process, the better your chances of saving the device.

Modern phones have water-resistance ratings (like IP67 or IP68), but these degrade over time and don’t cover submersion beyond test conditions. Don’t rely on it.

5 Steps to Take Immediately

1. Power it off straight away

This is the single most important step. If your phone is still on, hold the power button and switch it off immediately. Do not plug it in to check if it charges. Do not try to unlock it. Every second it’s powered on with water inside increases the risk of short-circuit damage.

If the screen is unresponsive and you can’t turn it off, hold the power and volume buttons simultaneously to force a restart or shutdown.

2. Remove the SIM card, case, and any accessories

Pop the SIM tray out and set it aside. Remove your case. Unplug any accessories like headphones or charging cables. The goal is to expose as many openings as possible to allow drainage and airflow.

If you have a phone with a removable battery (older Android phones), remove it immediately.

3. Gently dry the exterior — but avoid heat

Use a clean, dry cloth or paper towel to blot (not rub) moisture from the surface. Pay attention to the charging port, speaker grilles, and SIM slot. Tilt the phone gently to encourage any pooled water to drain out of the ports.

Do NOT use a hairdryer, oven, microwave, or any heat source. Heat warps internal components and causes more damage than the water itself.

4. Do NOT put it in rice — here’s why

The rice trick is one of the most persistent myths in phone repair. Rice is a poor desiccant — it absorbs very little moisture and does so very slowly. Worse, rice dust and starch particles can get inside your phone through the ports and cause additional problems.

If you want to use a desiccant, silica gel packets (the ones you find in shoe boxes and packaging) are significantly more effective. But ideally, skip the DIY drying entirely and get to a repair shop as fast as possible.

5. Get to a repair shop as quickly as you can

The professional treatment for water damage involves ultrasonic cleaning of the logic board and internal components — something you cannot replicate at home. The sooner a technician can clean and assess the internals, the higher the chance of full recovery.

At Phone Heroes, we offer water damage treatment for iPhones, Samsung devices, iPads, and other smartphones. Walk in — no appointment needed.

What Our Technicians Do for Water-Damaged Phones

When you bring a water-damaged phone to us, here’s what happens:

1. We open the device and visually assess the damage, looking for corrosion, burn marks, and saturated components.
2. We use an ultrasonic cleaner — a device that uses high-frequency sound waves in a cleaning solution to remove mineral deposits, corrosion, and residue from the board at a microscopic level.
3. The board and components are dried in a controlled environment.
4. We reassemble and test all functions — screen, cameras, speakers, microphone, Touch ID/Face ID, and charging.
5. If specific components are damaged beyond recovery, we’ll tell you clearly and give options.

Can All Water-Damaged Phones Be Saved?

Honestly — not always. The outcome depends on how long the phone was submerged, what type of liquid it was (salt water and sugary drinks are more corrosive than clean water), and how quickly you acted.

Phones brought in within a few hours have the best outcomes. Phones that were left wet for days, or that were powered on repeatedly after getting wet, are harder to recover. But we’ve successfully revived devices that seemed completely dead — it’s always worth bringing it in for assessment.

We always give you a free diagnosis before quoting for any repair. If we can’t fix it, we’ll tell you honestly.

How Much Does Water Damage Repair Cost in London?

Costs vary depending on the extent of the damage and which components need attention. A diagnostic clean for a recently dropped phone typically starts from a reasonable flat fee. More complex repairs — where the charging board or camera has been damaged — will cost more. We’ll always give you a clear quote before starting any paid work.

Dropped your phone in water? Don’t wait. Walk into Phone Heroes, Earl’s Court Station — we’ll assess it immediately. +44 20 3397 7407