Speaker Cleaner › Phone Fell in Water
Phone fell in water: what to do in the first 24 hours
If your phone falls in water, take it out immediately, wipe it dry, tap it gently with the ports facing down, run a speaker cleaner to clear the speaker, wait at least 30 minutes before charging, and let it air-dry for up to 24 hours. Don't use rice, a hair dryer or compressed air.
In the first minute after a phone falls in water, remove it, switch it off if it was fully submerged, wipe it dry and tap it gently against your palm with the charging port and speaker facing down. These steps remove the water that is easiest to shift, before it spreads further inside.
Minute by minute
- 0Get it outRemove it from the water immediately. Every second counts if the phone has no IP rating. Wipe all surfaces dry with a cloth or clean fabric. Remove the case, as water often collects in the gap between case and phone.
- 1mTap and drainTap the phone gently but firmly against your palm ten to fifteen times, with the charging port, headphone jack and speaker grille facing down. Gravity pulls water toward the openings with each tap. Don't shake it vigorously. That spreads water further inside.
- 5mClear the speakerRun water eject for phone speakers one to three times, grille facing down. The 165 Hz tone vibrates the diaphragm and works water toward the grille opening. Check the speaker sound between runs. Improvement after each run means water is clearing.
- 10mCheck the charging portIf your iPhone shows a "liquid detected" warning, or your Android shows a moisture alert, take those seriously: unplug and don't charge until the alert clears. Apple advises waiting at least 30 minutes before charging, and up to 24 hours for the port to dry fully.
- 24hAir-dryPlace the phone on a flat surface in a dry room with airflow. Don't put it in a bag, drawer or under a pillow, as those trap moisture. Charge only after 30 minutes minimum, or after a "liquid detected" warning clears.
Never do this
These common tips do more harm than good.
- Rice: Apple warns rice particles can damage the phone's connectors, and rice only absorbs ambient humidity. It can't pull water out of the speaker grille.
- Hair dryer or heater: Heat can damage the battery, melt the adhesive holding IP seals, and damage the speaker voice coil. The phone doesn't need heat. It needs the water physically removed.
- Compressed air into the ports: This forces water further inside the phone, past the internal seal, potentially reaching the motherboard. The correct direction is out, not in.
- Cotton swabs in the charging port: Cotton fibres break off and can cause a short circuit or prevent the charging pin from making contact.
Sugary and salty liquids need professional attention. Tea, juice, sea water and pool water leave residue inside the phone once the liquid evaporates, and that residue keeps corroding contacts, so a service centre visit is the correct step even when the phone still works.
Salt water, tea or juice?
If the phone fell in sea water, a swimming pool, tea, juice, soft drinks or any liquid other than plain tap water or rain: go to an authorised service centre as soon as possible, even if the phone appears to work normally.
The reason is that these liquids contain dissolved salts, sugars and chlorine. Once the liquid evaporates, these compounds remain inside the phone and continue to corrode the speaker coil, charging contacts and circuit board. The damage is invisible from the outside and can take days or weeks to cause a failure, by which time it is far more expensive to repair.
Do not rinse the inside of the phone with fresh water at home. This carries debris further inside. Leave it to a technician with an ultrasonic cleaner. Compare drying methods in speaker cleaner vs rice.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a phone to dry out after falling in water?
Water in the speaker grille usually clears with tapping and one to three speaker cleaning runs. Moisture in the charging port and other openings can take up to 24 hours to dry. If water got past the seals, which is more likely on an older phone or one with no IP rating, take it to a service centre rather than waiting it out.
Should I switch my phone off after it falls in water?
If the phone was fully submerged (more than briefly splashed) and is showing unusual behaviour (flickering screen, unexpected shutdowns, erratic touch response) switching it off reduces the risk of a short circuit. If it's responding normally, you don't need to switch it off, but avoid demanding tasks like video or gaming until it's fully dry.
My phone has IP67 / IP68. Do I still need to do anything?
Yes. An IP68 rating means the phone survived a controlled lab test of immersion to a specified depth for 30 minutes. It doesn't mean water cannot collect in the speaker grille. It can and does, even on IP68 phones. The grille is designed to let sound pass through, which means water can pass through too. Always run a speaker cleaner after a phone with any IP rating gets wet, and always wait before charging.
What if my speaker is still muffled 24 hours later?
Water that is still physically in the speaker grille after 24 hours is unlikely. At room temperature it will have evaporated. Muffled sound after 24 hours points to: packed lint or debris in the grille (fix: clean the speaker grill), corrosion on the voice coil from mineral deposits, or diaphragm damage. The last two need a service centre. Read the full decision guide on when to repair.