# A watch, a washer, a drop of water: a question about condensation
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 31, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824 "2006-05-31T02:42:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/1 "2006-05-31T02:42:01Z")
Assume someone is less than vigilent when doing laundry, and doesn’t check pockets before tossing a load in the washing machine. Assume said person also doesn’t remember putting her watch in her pocket.
Assume that said person doesn’t discover that the watch has taken a treacherous journey through the washing machine _and_ the dryer until the journey is completed.
The watch still works, but there is a lot of condensation under the glass on the face of the watch. How would someone go about drying out the watch?
---
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/2 "2006-05-31T02:49:10Z")
> [@Campion](#):
>
> Assume someone is less than vigilent when doing laundry, and doesn’t check pockets before tossing a load in the washing machine. Assume said person also doesn’t remember putting her watch in her pocket.
>
> Assume that said person doesn’t discover that the watch has taken a treacherous journey through the washing machine _and_ the dryer until the journey is completed.
>
> The watch still works, but there is a lot of condensation under the glass on the face of the watch. How would someone go about drying out the watch?
Assuming the water got in through the barrel of the adjustment crown stem hole remove the rear battery cover of the watch and place it in a box with a drying agent. If the watch is highly water resistant the moisture may be trapped unider the crystal for some time and further disassembly of the watch may be necessary for full drying. A fan set on low directed at the watch (after being opened) may speed the process.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/3 "2006-05-31T02:51:32Z")
> [@Campion](#):
>
> Assume someone is less than vigilent when doing laundry, and doesn’t check pockets before tossing a load in the washing machine. Assume said person also doesn’t remember putting her watch in her pocket.
>
> Assume that said person doesn’t discover that the watch has taken a treacherous journey through the washing machine _and_ the dryer until the journey is completed.
>
> The watch still works, but there is a lot of condensation under the glass on the face of the watch. How would someone go about drying out the watch?
Depends on the watch. Is it digital or mechanical?
Mechanical: Carefully take apart and use a blow dryer on low heat.
Digital: Maybe someone else can answer, I cannot suggest anything from experience.
If valuable, get it to a jeweler as quick as possible and let a Professional take care of it.
Jim {Good luck on with the hypothetical watch}
---
### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/4 "2006-05-31T03:01:09Z")
> [@What Exit?](#):
>
> Depends on the watch. Is it digital or mechanical?
> Mechanical: Carefully take apart and use a blow dryer on low heat.
> Digital: Maybe someone else can answer, I cannot suggest anything from experience.
> If valuable, get it to a jeweler as quick as possible and let a Professional take care of it.
>
> Jim {Good luck on with the hypothetical watch}
I’m not sure if this applies to watches or not\*, but you may want to keep it wet (as in throw it in a zip lock bag) if you are going to take it to a repair shop. It may have a better chance of survival if you let the jewler dry it since air drying will allow minerals and salts from the water to crystalize and cause problems. If you’re not going to take it to a jewler then I would follow the other advice.
\*If you ever drop a camera in the water, DON’T throw it away, DON’T try to dry it yourself. Put it into an airtight bag and take it to a camera repair shop or devolper. Even if they can’t save the camera they can probably still save the film…unless you’ve already tried to dry it yourself and things start shorting out.
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### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/5 "2006-05-31T03:06:53Z")
> [@What Exit?](#):
>
> Depends on the watch. Is it digital or mechanical?
> Mechanical: Carefully take apart and use a blow dryer on low heat.
> Digital: Maybe someone else can answer, I cannot suggest anything from experience.
> If valuable, get it to a jeweler as quick as possible and let a Professional take care of it.
>
> Jim {Good luck on with the hypothetical watch}
As a caution hairdryer level heat (even low) if applied close enough can damage the interior components of a watch esp modern watches that often have synthetic and plastic materials as part of the mechanism.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/6 "2006-05-31T03:12:00Z")
> [@astro](#):
>
> As a caution hairdryer level heat (even low) if applied close enough can damage the interior components of a watch esp modern watches that often have synthetic and plastic materials as part of the mechanism.
Oops, good point, I did this on an old all metal watch {Caravel?} that my Mom accidently washed. It was about 20 years ago. :smack:
You really just want the airflow and not the heat.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/7 "2006-05-31T03:19:46Z")
> [@What Exit?](#):
>
> You really just want the airflow and not the heat.
Which is really kind of a shame. I was hoping that the heat from my sunburn would dry it out…
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### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/8 "2006-05-31T03:26:42Z")
We did this recently with a wet cell phone,
> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> You can speed up the drying process considerably, if you’re willing to go against your intuition. Drop it into some liquid _again_. Only this time, use rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl) or better still, pure anhydrous isopropyl. This will do two things: First, the alcohol will displace much of the water particularly in tight spots, like underneath IC chips, where water would tend to sit for a while. Second, it will help flush out any corrosive chemicals which may have been present in the water, like chlorine. Iso is used heavily in the electronics manufacturing industry for cleaning freshly-soldered circuit boards and assemblies because it is fairly benign to most surfaces and it does an excellent job of cleaning. After you’ve dunked the phone thoroughly in the alcohol, shake it out as well as you can and let it sit in a warm, dry place for the rest of the day. It should be all dried out by tomorrow afternoon or so, at the latest.
CMC fnord!
---
### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/9 "2006-05-31T03:30:28Z")
Oops, here’s the [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=354922).
---
### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/10 "2006-05-31T05:46:05Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#):
>
> We did this recently with a wet cell phone,
>
> > [@Q.E.D.](#):
> >
> > You can speed up the drying process considerably, if you’re willing to go against your intuition. Drop it into some liquid again. Only this time, use rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl) or better still, pure anhydrous isopropyl.
I am all about the science. I may sacrifice my watch to the greater good, assuming I can lay my hands on some of that pure anhydrous isopropyl, whatever that is. If I do, I’ll let you all know how the experiment goes.
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### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/11 "2006-05-31T07:46:33Z")
I can tell you what _NOT_ to do. Don’t put the wet watch near the heating element in an infant warmer (It looks like a table with a roof over it) The crystal will melt. (It didn’t feel that hot…) :smack:
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### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/12 "2006-05-31T08:39:35Z")
> [@Campion](#):
>
> …pure anhydrous isopropyl, whatever that is…
Anhydrous isopropyl alcohol = 99% isopropyl
rubbing alcohol =70% isopropyl/30% water (you can sometimes find 90%)
you can get [denatured alcohol](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denatured_alcohol) at hardware stores (from what I’ve read don’t use this unless your in the US, the rest of the world adds some weird extras you don’t want in your watch)
and you could use [Everclear](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_(alcohol)) 95% grain alcohol (ethanol (190 proof) which has an added benefit, if your watch IS dead, you can use it to drown your sorrows 😉 .
CMC fnord!
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/13 "2006-05-31T09:01:02Z")
No Everclear for me, thanks; I’ve met his cousin Jagermeister, and that’s a family I’m not going to mess with.
If I can find some IPA, I will conduct my experiment. What’s the worst that can happen? 😉
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### Author:  [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/14 "2006-05-31T11:52:41Z")
get some HEET for your car. It comes in small containers; is intended to be used to remove water from gas tanks and cars. I think it costs a dollar or so. HEET, I believe has methanol in it and will work well, iso-HEET contains isopropyl alcohol. Look on the labels for the ingredients.
You might (put probably won’t) dissolve some plastic parts with this stuff, but you probably will dissolve some oil based lubricants from the watch.
Sounds like a fun experiment, maybe I should run my watch through the wash just so I can try out HEET on it.
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/15 "2006-05-31T13:11:28Z")
> [@Campion](#):
>
> Assume someone is less than vigilent when doing laundry, and doesn’t check pockets before tossing a load in the washing machine. Assume said person also doesn’t remember putting her watch in her pocket.
>
> Assume that said person doesn’t discover that the watch has taken a treacherous journey through the washing machine _and_ the dryer until the journey is completed.
>
> The watch still works, but there is a lot of condensation under the glass on the face of the watch. How would someone go about drying out the watch?
If I were that someone and the watch was an expensive one I’d take it to a watch repair service. If it were my watch I would wear it until it quit and then go down to Wal\*Mart and spend $6 for a new one.
But then I’m pretty unimginative.
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### Author:  [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2006, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/16 "2006-05-31T13:31:22Z")
Take it to a High school phisics lab and ask if it could be put under a strong vacuum till the water boils away. Let us know what you did.
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/17 "2006-06-01T03:35:17Z")
I was too chicken to use those methods reputedly likely to corrode the watch (HEET, for example). I went to my neighborhood Rite Aid and found their IPA. Unfortunately, all they had was 70%, so we’ll have to make do.
The watch is sitting in a cup of IPA, where it will sit for about ten minutes. I am, at various intervals, sloshing the IPA around in the cup, to sort of simulate the washing machine and make sure it gets into all the watchy bits.
After ten minutes, I’ll take the watch out, shake it off, and let it spend a day in the sun on the window ledge. I’ll report back tomorrow night and let you all know its status.
To assuage any concerns **David Simmons** may have, while the watch did cost more than $6, it wasn’t that much more. Besides, isn’t science worth a sacrifice or two?
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/18 "2006-06-02T04:17:20Z")
Sadly, it appears that 70% IPA is ineffective. Or at least not totally effective. There is still some condensation inside the watch face, although not as much as there was before. Maybe I didn’t leave the watch in the IPA long enough.
At this point, I’m torn. On the one hand, I do want to see if this stuff works. On the other hand, I’m too lazy to go out and find anhydrous IPA and too chicken to try HEET. (And the other suggestions are _way_ too practical for me.)
Sorry, kids. This may be as far as I go for science.
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### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2006, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/19 "2006-06-02T04:28:30Z")
Did/can you take the back off the watch?
CMC fnord!
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [June 2, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-watch-a-washer-a-drop-of-water-a-question-about-condensation/358824/20 "2006-06-02T04:33:19Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#):
>
> Did/can you take the back off the watch?
I’m sure I _could_. Just like I could become President, cook a pot roast, or avoid sarcasm as a form of communication.
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