Dropped your smartphone in water? Fear not, here's how you can salvage it

In case you jumped into a pool, oblivious that your phone was still in your pocket, or were caught in a heavy downpour without an umbrella to protect your device, or worse, you dropped it in a toilet... Don't worry, if you act fast, you could save it from permanent damage.

If you do not have one of those fancy waterproof smartphones, liquid elements are some of the worst elements a device can be exposed to. For instance, if some water is splashed on the phone, it will not get damaged, but if it gets submerged in it, then your device may end up being useless.

However, assuming that your device did get submerged, here are some things you should firstly avoid: Blowing air into the ports of the phone, checking if the device and its buttons still work, or using a hair dryer on it.

Remove the device from the water as fast as you can as the longer it stays under water, the slimmer the chances of saving it from permanent damage.

You should immediately power the device off, and if it has a detachable battery, remove it. This will protect the device from short circuits, which can happen in case a button is accidentally pressed. If possible, take the phone to a service centre, if not, empty all electronic peripherals such as SIM card(s), memory card, etc.

Note: Do not connect a wet phone to a power socket. It could give you a fatal shock.

Use a clean dry cloth and soak the water if any is in it and make sure no water drops enter exposed ports.

The best way to ensure that the handset is free of moisture is by leaving it along with a few packets of synthetic desiccants -- a hygroscopic substance that induces a state of dryness -- in an airtight plastic pouch for about 24-48 hours.

You could leave the device in an airtight pouch filled with rice as it acts as a good desiccant and can absorb moisture in the phone. However, leaving a wet phone with rice can be messy as it may clog the device’s ports or damage it in the longer run. Rice should be considered if there are no synthetic desiccants available.

One the phone is completely dry, remove it from the box and power it on. Chances are, your handset will come right back to life.