Water Damage Phone Repair: What to Do in the First Hour

The first 60 minutes are critical

If you just dropped your phone in water — pool, toilet, sink, lake — what you do in the next hour determines whether it can be saved. As a repair shop in Denton, we see water-damaged phones every week. About 70% can be recovered if the customer follows this checklist immediately.

Do this RIGHT NOW (first 5 minutes)

1. Get it out of the water immediately. Every extra second matters.
2. Power it OFF. Hold the power button and shut it down completely. Do NOT try to use it to "check if it works." That's how short circuits happen.
3. Remove the case and SIM tray. Anything that traps moisture comes off.
4. Wipe it dry with a soft cloth — exterior only, don't push water into ports.

Do NOT do these (please)

• ❌ Do not put it in rice. This is a myth. Rice doesn't pull water out, it just delays you getting real help while corrosion spreads.
• ❌ Do not use a hair dryer. Heat warps the screen and can push water deeper into the motherboard.
• ❌ Do not plug it in to charge. This is the #1 way to permanently kill a wet phone.
• ❌ Do not keep turning it on to test. Each boot attempt risks frying components.

The next 60 minutes

1. Keep the phone OFF and upright in a dry, room-temperature place
2. If you have silica gel packets (the "do not eat" things from shoeboxes), put the phone in a sealed bag with them
3. Call a repair shop and bring it in same-day — the longer water sits inside, the more corrosion damages the motherboard

What we do at the shop

A proper water-damage repair is NOT just "drying it out." We:

1. Disassemble the device in a clean room
2. Inspect for corrosion on the motherboard with magnification
3. Ultrasonically clean affected components with isopropyl alcohol
4. Test each component individually before reassembly
5. Replace anything corroded beyond repair

Most water damage repairs run $49 for diagnostic + $99–$249 for repair depending on what was damaged.

Don't wait

If your phone is wet right now, call (214) 403-5533 — we'll talk you through the next steps and get you in same-day. Serving Denton, Argyle, Highland Village, Lake Dallas, and Sanger.