How to Revive a Wet Cell Phone

Sooner or later every cell phone goes in the drink. For some it may be the bathtub, for others a glass of scotch. For many, the toilet. (No need to explain.)

Hey, you spent hundreds of dollars on that handset, so it's understandable that you might decide to attempt to rescue it. But how?

The Cell Freak has all the collected wisdom on the topic, including some advice I'd never heard, like soaking the phone in 95% alcohol to dissolve all the water trapped inside. I've personally had good luck with low-level heat for wet phones and laptops: A few hours on the lowest setting inside an oven (150 degrees or thereabouts) can dry out a gadget and make it good as new.

Regardless of which method you try, remember to remove the battery from any device you attempt to salvage. If this hasn't been made clear by now, batteries are deeply susceptible to damage from heat and foreign substances. They're also relatively easy to replace, so don't even try to save a battery if it's been compromised. However, batteries are by design well-sealed to prevent water or other materials from getting inside, so a quick wipe with a towel should be all you need to save a power cell.

Remember that these methods are not foolproof; in fact, they're far from it. Water and electronics just don't mix. My personal record on saving wet gadgets is about 50-50, but those are pretty good odds in my book, and with this advice, they're even better.