Was Your Tablet Accidentally Wet?: Here’s What You Can Do

You’re scrolling through your tablet to look at a recipe while you cook dinner. As you turn to grab an ingredient off the shelf beside you, your arm bumps your tablet into your sink full of dirty dishes. You yank it out pretty fast, but you’re still sure you fried it.

Your tablet getting accidentally wet like this doesn’t have to be a death sentence. As long as you didn’t knock it into salt water, there is still hope for it if you act fast enough. We’re going to walk you through it.

Here is a step by step guide on how to save your tablet if you’ve completely submerged it underwater.

1. Turn it Off

The first thing you should do when you dunk your tablet in water is to turn it off. This will stop your device from short-circuiting at least. You need to do this as fast as you can.

Don’t waste time with inspecting your tablet to see if you fried it. If you can take the battery out, do that quickly.

2. Dry as Much as You Can

You need to dry as much of your device as you can. This doesn’t mean running your shirt over it and calling it a day. Take out your SIM card and dry it off with a paper towel.

A sim card is pretty small, so put it away somewhere safe so you don’t lose it. Not every device has an SD card slot but if yours does remove it and give it the same treatment you did the SIM.

You’re not finished yet. Grab tissue paper and try to dry as much water as you can out of every open slot on the tablet. Check the edges and screw holes and soak up any water.

3. Pick a Drying Method

Your next task is to get rid of the water that you can’t get to with tissue paper. You can use rice, silica packets, or dehumidifying crystals to absorb moisture out of the tablet.

Rice

You’ve most likely heard of the rice method. It’s the most popular because it works the best and you’re more likely to have a bag of rice laying around then silica packets.

Get a container that’s large enough to hold your tablet and surround it with about an inch of rice on all sides. Leave it overnight and then try to turn your device back on in the morning.

Silica Packets

If you’ve hoarded the silica packets that come with your shoes but don’t have any rice you’re in luck. Put your tablet in a box and surround it with the packets like you would do the rice. Leave it overnight and then try to use your device again in the morning.

Dehumidifying Crystals

You can get these in bags or loose crystals. Loose fragrance-free crystals are going to be your best bet. Put your device in a bag with them and leave it in a warm (not hot) place to sit overnight.

4. What Not to Do

You may have a knee-jerk reaction to use your hairdryer to dry your tablet or return it to the manufacturer if it’s still under warranty. Some people have even put their water damaged devices in the microwave. Don’t do these things.

Use the Microwave

This should be self-explanatory, but some people try it. For one, you don’t put metal in a microwave. That’s asking for trouble.

Second, a microwave’s energy will destroy your hardware and you’ll end up looking quite foolish in the end.

Use a Hair Dryer

Using a hairdryer seems like it would be an obvious thing to do but it’s a bad idea. Not only will the heat damage your tablet but the force of the air will push the water further into the device, not dry it up.

Try to Return it Under its Warranty

Most devices have a sticker on the inside that will tell the manufacturer if it’s suffered water damage or not. They will know if you did it, and most warranties don’t cover water damage. You’ll end up wasting your time and the worker’s time.

5. If All Else Fails

If you don’t have access to any of the materials mentioned above, don’t reach for the hairdryer. Leave your device in a well-ventilated room to let it air dry.

This will take much longer than rice or silica packets and it may not even work. It’s better than nothing though. You can also try dunking your device in pure alcohol if you have it.

The alcohol will displace the water. So, when the alcohol evaporates, it will take the water with it.

6. Prevention Methods for Next Time

The best way to save your tablet from water damage is prevention. Don’t use it while you’re soaking in the tub, on the toilet, or if you’re anywhere near a full sink.

Don’t leave it in the bathroom because it can get water damage from condensation while you’re showering. If you don’t want to give up music while you’re in the shower, buy a waterproof tablet.

What To Do When Your Tablet is Accidentally Wet

You never mean to submerge your electronic devices in water, but sometimes these things happen. When your tablet is accidentally wet, you’ll need to use these tips to act quickly and save it. Time is of the essence!

Did none of these methods work for you? You may need to send it to a repair shop. Contact us to get a quote.