How do I fix a wet cellphone?

wait it out. i once had a cell that got rained on and it didn't work for three days and then it just started working again. i think the water just evaporated on its own and voila!

the freezer seems like a bad idea.

I've heard that it is current+water that is the danger, so avoid turning it on for a few days, until it is fully dried, I'd say

Take the battery out ASAP

then let it dry (maybe near something warm but hot), for a long while before you try putting the battery back in

Actually putting your your cell on a cookie sheet into the oven on low heat for a couple minutes will do the trick!

I have dropped my cell phone in the pool so many times, and that is my fool-proof solution

DO NOT PUT IT IN THE OVEN.

take the battery out and wait at least 3 days. you might have to replace the battery.

agree with ezra: PHONE IN OVEN LEADS TO FIRE! supergirl, you've been very lucky. time to get a new technique. overheated batteries can explode easily, and even small batteries can cause serious fires. a dell laptop recently burned down a house due to battery failure, seriously. the only good solution is to take the phone as far apart as possible (battery out, cover off, etc.), put the phone in a very dry place not warmer than about 90 degrees fahrenheit, and wait as others have said. if the phone works three days later, great, if not, do not try to get clever. replace the phone.

my brother discovered the BEST solution that has worked every time for everyone with whom I've shared this tip: place the wet electronics in a bowl/cookiesheet of rice and wait 3 days - week (depending on size of object). leave a comment for me if this DIDN'T work for you after trying : )

sarahclif has a good one. rice is a serious moisture sucker. nice!

I dropped my phone in the water while in the field doing research. I happened to have a bottle of 90% alcohol that I soaked the phone in. The alcohol quickly evaporated drawing the water out as well. 151 might work well. Take the battery out first.

You can buy used phones on ebay for very low prices- like $10

You just have to make sure you get the hexidecimal code on the back and call your service provider to make sure the phone wasn't stolen

take apart as many pieces as you can (like the cover, battery, keypad, etc.) and let them dry on paper towels. Put it back together in a day or so.

btw...the oven? seriously?

The first thing to do if you drop your cell phone in water is to remove the battery immediately without even hesitating to turn off the power. This reduces the risk of a short circuit which would render your phone useless. Dry the batter with a towel and set aside to dry thoroughly. The battery itself may or may not work again, but fortunately batteries can be replaced fairly inexpensively. Even if the battery does work, it is a good idea to get a new one so as not to risk it leaking battery acid in the future.

After you have removed the battery, dry off the cell phone with an absorbent towel as best as you can. Use cotton swabs to soak up water in crevices and on any fragile, exposed circuits. If you have dropped your cell phone in water, it is also helpful to disassemble it if you can and let all the parts dry separately. Just be sure that you know how to put it back together. If it is a flip or sliding cell phone, leave it open for maximum evaporation.
see What Should I Do if I Drop My Cell Phone in Water?

bigfish: rubbing alcohol is good, bacardi 151 has sugar in it (not a lot, obviously. but rum comes from sugar cane) and the sugar will remain when the alcohol evaporates.

i didnt ask this question but i looked up things to do when your cell phone gets wet and i have a lot of great ideas. i dont think the oven thing is one of them. but i will get back to you guys too tell you if the rice thing works (no matter how strange it is.lol) another tip i tired on my own was if (like me) you left your cell in the rain and were not able to take the battery out asap, try blow drying it with a blow dryer! evaporation somehow comes back but it soaks up the puddles!!! good luckk! ps should the rice be warm,normal temp, or cooled. thanks for the tipss!!

OK, FYI, just tried the freezer thing. My wife left her cell phone out in the rain all night friday night, went and got it in the morning, soaking wet. It is an LG8600 Flip and it was open. Shook the water away, dried the outside and put in the freezer for a few hours. Took it out, let if thaw and it works like new. I can’t believe it. Personnaly, I would try anything before I have to go drop $50 to $200 on a new phone. Good Luck

Let it dry then try to turn it on

Rice is reasonable, but I’ve heard cat sand works well as it is slightly more absorbent.