Most of us have experienced the panic of dropping our phone in the water and desperately hoping that it will turn on again. With such an essential device, it can be frustrating that something so accidental can throw our most necessary piece of technology out of commission.
When your phone is covered under a product protection plan, you don't have to worry so much about water damage, because you know you won't be left on the hook for expensive repair and replacement costs. Subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited to protect almost all your electronic devices and online purchases, so you'll never have to think about what life might be like without them.
What to do when your phone gets wet?
There are steps you can take to fix a water-damaged phone. Even more importantly, there are steps you can take to prevent the damage in the first place. Here’s everything you need to know.
Dry it off
First and foremost, it's essential that you turn your device off and remove any case or protective layers that can wind up holding water close to the device. From there, dry off the external areas using a lint-free microfiber towel or cloth to get rid of the water on the outside of the device.
Dehydrate it
The old wisdom always said to place your water-damaged phone in a bag of rice to sit for a day or two. This is an option, but even better is to submerge it in silica gel packets that come in packages you order.
You may not have any on hand, but it could be a good idea to start collecting these in a sealed bag in case your phone does get wet. These work even better than rice, as their purpose in packages is to prevent moisture. Put your phone in a bag full of these gel packets, seal it, and leave it for 24-48 hours.
Check the functions
After you remove the phone from the bag of rice or the bag of silica gel packets, check to see if it works. If it doesn’t, reach out to your phone provider to ask about next steps and professional help.
Preventative steps to take
There are several actions you can take with your phone to reduce the likelihood of suffering water damage. First is to buy a more waterproof phone to begin with. For example, if you're wondering, is the iPhone 13 waterproof? Surprisingly, it is, for the most part. The iPhone 13 is classified as water-resistant with an IP68 rating, which means it can be under water up to 6 meters for up to 30 minutes. Now, don’t go throwing your phone into a pool to try this out, but hopefully this means your phone will survive more minor water-involved incidents.
You can also invest in a waterproof phone case or waterproof phone pouch, like the LifeProof Case, JOTO pouch, or Catalyst Waterproof case. These tools can help protect against accidents and prevent damage on a daily basis.
What should you not do if your phone is water-damaged?
Many people feel compelled to try using an air duster to blow the water out. Do not do this, as it can actually blow the water deeper into the device, causing worse damage.
Furthermore, turn your phone off and don’t turn it back on until you have followed the above steps. Water can fry the device while the phone is powered on, so don’t let impatience get the best of you.
Invest in a product protection plan
Mulberry Unlimited offers comprehensive product protection that covers water damage for nearly all your electronic devices—a feature not usually offered by your standard plan that may come with the device. For example, AppleCare doesn't cover water damage.
When you subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited, you can get coverage for almost all your online purchases under the same product protection plan, to keep your devices lasting a lifetime.
