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dropped iphone4 in toilet

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xalex

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 15, 2010
12
0
picked it up in less than a second :(, i wasnt able to turn it off, the screen was on but it was just black, now its off. but im freaking out cause it just started doing a ticking sound!? exactly like a watch, does anyone have an idea what that is, the water sensors on the outside werent tripped, no idea on the inside. advice?
 
Do not turn it on. Turn it completely off, wipe if off with a cloth and let it dry in the sun, or use a hair dryer. Wait a few days so it's completely dry. I've had a phone work after this, although it was a long time ago, Motorola Nextel phone. Good Luck.
 
redbotsoftware said:
Do not turn it on. Turn it completely off, wipe if off with a cloth and let it dry in the sun, or use a hair dryer. Wait a few days so it's completely dry. I've had a phone work after this, although it was a long time ago, Motorola Nextel phone. Good Luck.
Click to expand...

i wouldnt use a hair dryer, it could damage the phone more than it is, put it in a bag or rice
 
Did you wipe the data before you flushed it?

Anyway I hear you can put it in in a sealed bag with uncooked rice for a couple days to dry it out then try it again.

xalex said:
picked it up in less than a second :(, i wasnt able to turn it off, the screen was on but it was just black, now its off. but im freaking out cause it just started doing a ticking sound!? exactly like a watch, does anyone have an idea what that is, the water sensors on the outside werent tripped, no idea on the inside. advice?
Click to expand...
 
any idea what the ticking sound is? lasted for like 20 seconds, just like a watch ticking
 
Haha...

I read turning it off and putting it in rice for a few days gives it a chance.
 
i tried to turn it off, failed cause it wouldnt slide, then the screen just turned black, i left it like that, thought it was off, i put it in a bag of rice, 40 mins later the screen was on but all black, no idea wth that is, it lasted like that for about an hour and a half (the phone got really hot on the top right corner while this happened) then the screen just turned off. havent touched it since.
 
xalex said:
any idea what the ticking sound is? lasted for like 20 seconds, just like a watch ticking
Click to expand...

Don't know what the sound is, but I recommend that you turn it completely off, get a zip lock bag, fill it with dry rice, and pack your iPhone in there for at least 2 or 3 days. This will allow the rice enough time to absorb most of the moisture, and hopefully cut down on the amount of damage that the water will cause.... Good luck. :)

Edit: I see from your post before mine that you did the rice thing.
 
The clicking sound sounds like autofocus part of main camera. If you press down the home button and hold button down at the same time for 10 to 15 seconds and the phone will turn off completely.
 
washed a cell phone once--

xalex said:
picked it up in less than a second :(, i wasnt able to turn it off, the screen was on but it was just black, now its off. but im freaking out cause it just started doing a ticking sound!? exactly like a watch, does anyone have an idea what that is, the water sensors on the outside werent tripped, no idea on the inside. advice?
Click to expand...

We had a cell phone go through a full washing cycle.

I opened the case and let it dry, it worked after that.

There are sensors inside that show that it has been wet, so you can't return it.
 
richard371 said:
Did you wipe the data before you flushed it?

Anyway I hear you can put it in in a sealed bag with uncooked rice for a couple days to dry it out then try it again.
Click to expand...

make that a couple of weeks. it varies im sure, but i had an old lg phone that i tried after a couple of days and it didnt work. i assumed it was fried but left it in the rice for another week and a half and when i tried it again it actually worked.
 
you only left it in the rice for 40 minutes? i would definitely leave it off and in the bag for at least 2 or 3 days before trying it again.

off and in the bag.
 
Rinse it in the highest grade rubbing alcohol you can quickly get your hands on. Then let it sit in a rubbing alcohol bath for a night. Then let it dry in rice for a few days.

^From experience.
 
Okay, as a slight aside, does anyone mind explaining how this problem is so common? I don't get how it happens so often; it seems like half the iPhone water damage cases are from toilets? Does everyone else just have really shallow pants pockets? Perhaps someone can tactfully explain the logistics of the situation.
 
Jay42 said:
Okay, as a slight aside, does anyone mind explaining how this problem is so common? I don't get how it happens so often; it seems like half the iPhone water damage cases are from toilets? Does everyone else just have really shallow pants pockets? Perhaps someone can tactfully explain the logistics of the situation.
Click to expand...

Texting while using the restroom. Checking a message or answering a call while in the restroom. There are many ways.
 
well i was standing up and i was listening to music, set the iphone down on the counter next to the toilet, someone knocked on the door went to get it, forgot i had the earphones in, and the phone flew straight into the toilet. an actually uncommon way of it happening im sure.
 
Jay42 said:
Okay, as a slight aside, does anyone mind explaining how this problem is so common? I don't get how it happens so often; it seems like half the iPhone water damage cases are from toilets? Does everyone else just have really shallow pants pockets? Perhaps someone can tactfully explain the logistics of the situation.
Click to expand...

TMI but I've had my phone slide out of my back pocket when bending to sit. Caught it before it fell in. Now I keep my phone on top of the toilet paper holder but once it slipped and almost went into the toilet. IMO if you've got your phone in the bathroom, there is a chance it will end up in the toilet.
 
+1 on the rice in the bag thing. 40 minutes is not gonna help at all.

Back when I first got a 3G, I fell into a lake with the phone in my pocket. It would not turn off, was calling all kinds of random people.... I thought it was toast. A friend suggested the rice method, so I gave it a shot. I left it in there for 5 or 6 days.

It worked perfectly for over a year afterward. It was as if it never even happened.
 
Jay42 said:
Okay, as a slight aside, does anyone mind explaining how this problem is so common? I don't get how it happens so often; it seems like half the iPhone water damage cases are from toilets? Does everyone else just have really shallow pants pockets? Perhaps someone can tactfully explain the logistics of the situation.
Click to expand...

I'm going to guess the iPhone has replaced the newspaper, magazine, or book as a time killer while, you know, people do their business.
 
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