Water Damage Repair: Deep Rescue or Lost Cause?
"It fell in the toilet." That is the dreaded sentence for every smartphone owner. Even though many modern phones are "water-resistant" (IP68), water damage remains one of the most common and destructive killers of electronics. But not everything is lost. Acting quickly is crucial.
Which products does this apply to?
Everything with a battery and a circuit board.
Applicable: Smartphones, Smartwatches (often after swimming), Tablets, Laptops (spilled coffee), and in principle any electronics.
Not applicable: Devices that have been completely corroded (rusted) for weeks; the chance of success decreases every hour.
What is the definition of a water damage repair?
This is not a standard replacement of a part. It is a cleaning and diagnostic treatment.
Disassembly: The device is completely opened.
Ultrasonic Cleaning: The motherboard (the heart of the device) is placed in a special ultrasonic bath with isopropyl alcohol (99.9%). Sound waves vibrate the liquid, causing corrosion and minerals to "vibrate loose" from microscopic components.
Drying and Testing: After cleaning, everything is dried and the repairer tests piece by piece what is still functional (screen, battery, charging port).
Note: A water damage treatment is never a guarantee that the device will work again. It is a rescue attempt.
What could be the reasons for water damage?
Salt water (Sea): The worst enemy. Salt corrodes (eats away) metals and circuit boards almost instantly.
Chlorinated water (Pool): Also very aggressive towards rubber seals.
Fresh water (Toilet/Rain): Less aggressive, but still causes short circuits.
Steam (Bathroom): Showering with your phone in the room creates condensation inside the device, even without direct water contact.
In which case can a water damage treatment help?
The incident just happened (less than 48 hours ago).
The device doesn't turn on anymore or has strange "glitches".
Data Recovery: The main goal is often: get the device working long enough to backup photos and data, even if the device is not reliable for daily use afterwards.
When is a repair unnecessary (or useless)?
The Rice Myth: Putting your phone in rice DOES NOT WORK. Rice absorbs moisture from the outside, but does nothing for the water inside. Moreover, rice dust (starch) gets into your charging port and creates a sticky paste.
Late corrosion: If the device got wet a month ago and kept working until now, the corrosion has often eaten away internal circuits irreversibly. Cleaning comes too late then.
Do you need a water damage repair yourself?
Did your device take a dip? Do NOT try to turn it on and do NOT put it on the charger! Electricity + water = immediate short circuit.
Check and compare our independent repairers in our marketplace. Bring the device to them as soon as possible. Every hour counts to save your data (and your phone).