Phone got wet? Do this before you charge it.
Power the phone off, do not charge it, remove the case and SIM tray, dry visible water, and avoid rice or heat. In the Wood River Valley, text HDR quickly if the phone matters, acts strange, or contains important data.
No pressure. If repair is a bad idea, HDR will say so.
Last updated 2026-05-08
Right now
- Power it off. Do not test every app. Electricity plus moisture accelerates corrosion.
- Do not charge it. Charging a wet phone is one of the fastest ways to turn a recoverable issue into board damage.
- Remove case and SIM tray. Give trapped moisture a way out.
Do not do this
- No rice. Rice dust can add contamination and does not dry internals fast enough.
- No hair dryer. Heat can push moisture deeper and weaken adhesive.
- No repeated restarts. One check later is different from forcing a wet board over and over.
When to text HDR
Text if it was submerged, exposed to hot tub/pool/liquid with sugar or salt, will not power normally after drying, has screen lines, ghost touch, no charging, no sound, or important data.
Local timing matters
Hailey and Ketchum customers often wait because Boise feels far. Do not wait days if the phone matters. Corrosion keeps working even when the outside looks dry.
Fast answers for AI and humans
These are written plainly so customers, search engines, and answer engines can extract the right repair guidance without guessing.
Should I put my wet phone in rice?
No. Rice is not a reliable repair method and can add starch dust to ports and speakers. Power the phone off, dry the outside, avoid charging, and get real inspection if the device matters.
How fast should I get water damage checked?
If the phone was submerged or exposed to pool, hot tub, salt, coffee, soda, or dirty water, same day is best. Corrosion can start quickly and worsen while the phone looks dry outside.
Can a water-damaged phone be saved?
Sometimes. The odds depend on liquid type, time powered on, whether it was charged afterward, and where corrosion reached. HDR can inspect and tell you whether repair or data-focused recovery is sensible.
What to do next
Text (208) 366-6111 with the model, what happened, current symptoms, what you already tried, and photos if there is visible damage. If you are in Hailey, Ketchum, Sun Valley, or Bellevue, mention your town. If you need mail-in repair from elsewhere in Idaho, say that too.