It’s a moment many of us have experienced – you accidentally drop your phone in water and pick it up to find the screen glitching or unresponsive. In a panic, you recall hearing that rice can help dry out wet electronics and save them from water damage. You pack your device in a bowl or bag of rice and hope for the best.
Placing wet electronics in rice is a very common practice people attempt to rescue water-damaged devices like phones, tablets, remote controls, or other gadgets. The thought is that the rice will act as a desiccant – absorbing moisture from the wet device and allowing it to dry out fully. However, whether rice truly works or helps at all is up for debate.
What Happens When Electronics Get Wet
Water can cause severe damage to electronics in a few key ways. First, water can cause corrosion, which is a chemical reaction that occurs when water contacts metal components and circuit boards inside devices (https://telamcoinc.com/why-does-water-destroy-electronic-devices/). This corrosion eats away at the metal over time, eventually causing components to break down and stop functioning properly.
Second, water can cause short circuits. This occurs when water bridges connections between components that are not normally connected, allowing electricity to flow where it shouldn’t. These shorts can instantly fry components and render devices unusable (https://blog.acsindustrial.com/electronics/how-does-water-damage-affect-electronics/).
Finally, water can interfere with the touch screens and other input sensors used on many modern electronics. When water seeps under glass touch displays, it can disrupt the capacitive fields used to detect finger touches and taps. This is why touch screens often go haywire after getting wet.
In summary, through corrosion, short circuits, and input interference, water exposure can rapidly damage electronics and render devices unusable. Quick action is required to dry out waterlogged devices and prevent permanent failure.
Why Use Rice to Dry Out Electronics
Rice is commonly recommended as a desiccant, or drying agent, for wet electronics because it absorbs moisture through a process called adsorption. When exposed to moisture in the air or water, rice grains attract and pull water molecules from the surrounding environment into their pores. This makes rice effective at gradually removing residual moisture from the inside of wet devices.
Another advantage of using rice is that it’s inexpensive and readily available in most homes. You don’t have to buy any specialized drying products to give the rice method a try. Just put your wet device in a sealable bag or container with dry, uncooked rice, making sure the device is fully surrounded. The rice will work to slowly extract moisture over time.
Recommended Drying Time
Most sources recommend leaving wet electronics in rice for 24-48 hours to allow sufficient drying time. According to How long should wet electronics sit in rice? on Quora, about two days in rice is recommended, unless you live in a very hot climate where drying may occur faster. Additionally, an article on BusinessWire states that the optimal window to dry electronics is less than 48 hours.
The general consensus is to leave electronics submerged in rice for 24-48 hours for the best chance of drying out any moisture. Some people may recommend longer times of 3-5 days, but extending beyond 48 hours doesn’t seem to provide much additional benefit. The most important factors are acting quickly to dry electronics and allowing 1-2 days immersed in rice to slowly draw out any liquid.
Tips for Maximizing Effectiveness
To get the best results when using rice to dry out wet electronics, follow these tips:
Use uncooked, dry rice. Cooked rice will be damp and less effective at absorbing moisture. Make sure the rice bag or container has been securely sealed and stored in a cool, dry place before use (Source).
Place the wet device in a sealable plastic bag or airtight container together with the rice. The bag or container traps the moisture and allows the rice to absorb it. Make sure the bag or container is large enough to completely bury the device in rice (Source).
Fully surrounding the device in rice ensures maximum surface contact for moisture absorption. Try to avoid having any exposed parts of the device outside the rice.
Add some silica gel packs to the rice if you have them. The silica gel will boost the drying power. Just don’t eat them! (Source).
When Rice May Not Work
While rice may help dry out some mildly wet electronics, it is not a foolproof method. There are certain situations where rice is unlikely to be effective at reviving water-damaged devices:
If the device was submerged in water for an extended period of time, the internal components may be too saturated for the rice to sufficiently dry them out. Rice works best for quick splashes or drops in water, not lengthy submersions.
If corrosion has already begun to develop on the device’s internal metal components, rice cannot reverse this damage. Corrosion occurs rapidly, so time is of the essence when drying out electronics.
If the device was exposed to liquids besides plain water, such as saltwater, soda, coffee, etc., these substances can leave behind sticky residues or corrosive deposits that rice cannot remove. The sugars and minerals in these liquids complicate the drying process.
Overall, rice is not a miracle cure for waterlogged devices. If an electronic has been thoroughly doused or already begun corroding, rice likely will not save it. Quick action with more powerful drying agents offers the only hope.
Other Drying Methods
Rice is a popular drying agent, but there are alternatives you can try as well. Here are some other options:
- Desiccants like silica gel work similarly to rice. They absorb moisture from the air and device. Silica gel packets work quickly and are reusable. Just be sure not to eat them as they can be a choking hazard.
- Placing the device near a fan or sunny window can help accelerate drying time. The moving air or heat helps evaporate moisture.
- Disassembling the device allows moisture to evaporate from all components. This is effective but requires technical skill and risks further damage.
There are pros and cons to each method. Rice is readily available, but specialty desiccants work faster. Fans/sunlight are convenient but weather-dependent. Disassembly dries effectively but very carefully. Evaluate options based on your situation.
Preventing Water Damage
There are a few key ways to help prevent water damage to your electronics according to experts (see source):
- Use a waterproof case – Investing in a good waterproof case like LifeProof or OtterBox can protect your device from getting wet in the first place.
- Avoid exposing electronics to moisture – As much as possible, keep electronics away from water, rain, splashes, etc. Don’t use electronics in the bathroom or kitchen where they are more likely to get wet.
- Turn off and unplug devices when wet – If your device does get wet, make sure to turn it off and unplug it immediately to prevent short circuiting and further water damage.
- Store electronics in dry areas – Don’t leave electronics in basements, garages or other areas prone to moisture and humidity.
- Allow wet devices to dry thoroughly – Follow proper drying techniques and allow sufficient drying time before turning electronics back on after water exposure.
Taking preventative measures to avoid exposing electronics to moisture in the first place can go a long way towards preventing costly water damage.
When to Give Up and Replace Device
If you’ve left the water-damaged device in rice for over 48 hours and it still isn’t working properly, it may be time to give up and replace the device. Rice can only absorb so much moisture, so if significant water damage occurred, it may be beyond repair.
According to iFixit, once corrosion sets in on the electronic components, the damage is likely irreparable. If you open up the device and notice any white or blue corrosive residue, it is probably too late to save it. Corrosion can quickly spread through electronics and cause components to fail.
Likewise, if the device was exposed to water long enough that visible internal damage occurred, such as burned-out circuits or warped components, rice will not be able to fix these physical problems. Your best option is to replace the device once physical water damage is noticeable.
While rice drying can sometimes recover electronics after minor water exposure, once corrosion sets in or actual component damage occurs, the device will need to be replaced. If rice drying does not work after 48 hours, it likely requires repairs beyond DIY methods.
Conclusion
To summarize, submerging electronics in rice can allow you to rescue a wet device. The key is to act quickly, disassemble the device as much as possible, bury it completely in dry, uncooked rice, and leave it for at least 24-48 hours. Gently shaking the rice and device every few hours can help speed up moisture absorption. While rice is very effective at drying out small amounts of liquid, it does have limitations. If the device was soaked for a long time, immersed in another substance like soda, or has remained wet for days already, rice may not fully work. The sooner you can remove power from the device and start the rice method, the better your chances of recovery. Hopefully with these tips, you can successfully rescue your next water-damaged device and avoid an expensive repair or replacement.