Dropped your phone in water? Here's exactly what to do
Sink, pool, toilet, a spilled drink — it happens fast. What you do in the first few minutes makes a real difference, because the damage from water isn't the water itself, it's the corrosion that starts soon after. Here's the right order of operations.
Do this straight away
- Get it out and turn it off. Power it down fully. A phone that's on (or turning on) can short its own circuit board.
- Dry the outside. Wipe it down and gently shake water out of the ports and speaker — without forcing it deeper inside.
- Take the case off. Cases trap moisture against the phone.
- Leave it off. Resist the urge to check if it "still works" — every power-on risks more damage.
Do NOT do these
- Don't charge it. Putting power through a wet board is the single fastest way to kill it for good.
- Don't use rice. It's a myth — rice barely absorbs internal moisture and wastes hours while corrosion sets in (and the dust gets in your ports).
- Don't use a hairdryer or oven. Heat can warp components and push moisture further in.
- Don't shake it hard or press buttons repeatedly.
Why speed matters
Water carries minerals and impurities that start corroding the tiny connections on the logic board within hours. The sooner the board is professionally cleaned, the better the odds of a full recovery — including your photos and data.
What we do
At Five Star Repairs we start with a $49 assessment: we open the device, inspect the board and tell you honestly what's recoverable. If a repair is possible, we clean the board at component level and quote the exact price before going further. Bring it in fast — that's the best thing you can do for it.