Cell phone got washed today, what now?

[Saphire]

Our cell phone went through the wash today and I dried it all out. It is acting wacky though and I was wondering if it is fried for good or maybe it would respond to a new battery? Has anyone else done this... any advice? Thanks.

 

[funhouse8]

my DH dumped his in a glass of water one day and it worked after he replaced the battery. Good luck!

 

[BethanyF]

my old phone went through the washer. Note I said OLD phone.
You guessed it, it was fried and I had to replace it.

 

[Kimberly]

Chances are the circuitry is fried, and you will have to get a new cell phone. I dropped mine in my pool earlier this summer, and even though I dried it out entirely, cell phone companies will know if a phone has been water damaged due to a small white inicator that turns a different color when exposed to water.

Best advice I can give you is that to send it in to get fixed, unless you can fix it yourself. Chances are your warranty will not cover it too, just like mine, and you'll have to pay entirely for a new cell phone. Sorry.

 

[monarchsfan16]

My dad dropped his in a wastewater treatment lagoon. He was in Texas and it was a month before he could get home to NH and get a new one. He managed to use it for that month, before it completely died too He did have to get a new one though.

 

[minkydog]

Can you take it to a cell phone store and try out a battery first? I don't know how much a battery costs, but if they are expensive i'd check it out at a dealer.

 

[Saphire]

Can you take it to a cell phone store and try out a battery first? I don't know how much a battery costs, but if they are expensive i'd check it out at a dealer.

That is a great idea, thanks minkydog. What an expensive mistake. Thanks everyone for your responses.

 

[Michie]

This has happened to my Dh. He turned on the oven, and placed the phone on top of the stove to dry out.

 

[DebbieB]

Can you take it to a cell phone store and try out a battery first? I don't know how much a battery costs, but if they are expensive i'd check it out at a dealer.

Be sure to check it at the dealer, don't take the battery home. I bought a battery at Walmart to see if that was the problem with my phone. It wasn't the problem and they refused to take it back.

 

[Mermaid02]

Mine went through the wash too. It was toast. Sorry.

 

[bballmom56]

DS never knowingly got his wet. However, when it stopped working and we took it to the dealer, they said it had been wet because of the indicator. So whatever little amount of moisture got in there was enough to kill the whole phone.

 

[hemispheredancer]

Buy a new one, I guess!

 

[aprilgail2]

I lost mine and couldn't figure out where it was for almost 3 weeks....It slipped out of my pocket and into a big mound of snow next to my car...a few weeks later we got heavy rain that washed the snow away and there it was...my cell phone! I rook it in the house, opened it up and dried it out and it lasted me another year until my contract was up and I got another free phone.

 

[Aimee K]

My dd, then 3 'washed' my phone for me in a glass of water. It was very clean, but not in working order. I donated it to the police station who takes used and broken cell phones to refurbish and give to battered women's shelters. I hope they were able to get it working again

 

[transparant]

My husband's went through the washer too while we were away on vacation this past summer. He put the oven on warm and put the phone on the top rack for a little while. It thouroughly dried it out and has been working fine ever since.

 

[minkydog]

My dd, then 3 'washed' my phone for me in a glass of water. It was very clean, but not in working order. I donated it to the police station who takes used and broken cell phones to refurbish and give to battered women's shelters. I hope they were able to get it working again

those crazy kids

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Go to E-Bay! Last year my DD phone broke before six monthsbefore the contract was up.It would cost at least $150.00 for a new one. I bought one on E-Bay for $50.00 which was fine for those months.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I was able to dry my phone out successfully. I actually put it in the dash of my van so that the sun would help dry it out.

We did end up getting a new phone as we changed services.

ETA: It took several days and as time past--different things got better. At one point it was a functioning phone that decided to call people on its own. As it dried it stopped doing that.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My nephew used to work for a pool company and he told my sister that the key to reviving a wet phone is to NOT turn it on until everything is dried out. I've also heard about drying them out in a low temp oven. Of course my sister told me about drying the phone totally before turning it on AFTER I dropped my phone in my glass of iced tea while driving (I didn't want to take my eyes off the road before putting my phone down). I was able to get a new phone without paying full price since the phone was fairly old.