# I washer my iPhone! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 26, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505 "2007-09-26T02:11:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/1 "2007-09-26T02:11:54Z")
In the washing machine. Dang. Now what do I do? I’ve rescued a couple other cell phones for friends by simply opening them up and letting them dry, but the iPhone has no accessible battery cover, and I can’t see how to easily open the thing up. I don’t want to make it worse. I’ve shaken some water out of it, but that’s all. Right now it’s just sitting there on my nightstand. Help! Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/2 "2007-09-26T02:25:19Z")
Get some rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl is better than nothing, 90% is better) and dunk your phone into it thoroughly. Then shake as much of the excess out as you can and let it dry for at least a day or so before trying to turn it on. The alcohol displaces water and evaporates faster. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/3 "2007-09-26T02:27:09Z")
Yeah, that’s a tough one. Ordinarily I would recommend removing the battery, discharging all capacitors, and otherwise removing all power, then rinsing it in distilled water and carefully drying it, and even that might not work, but if you can’t remove the battery… ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/4 "2007-09-26T02:38:36Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Get some rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl is better than nothing, 90% is better) and dunk your phone into it thoroughly. Then shake as much of the excess out as you can and let it dry for at least a day or so before trying to turn it on. The alcohol displaces water and evaporates faster. [/QUOTE] A sunny spot near a window might help with that as well. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/5 "2007-09-26T03:09:23Z")
Bring it to a school with a “Bell jar” and a vacuum pump. Pull a vacuum and the water will “boil” out. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/6 "2007-09-26T03:20:21Z")
[really bad advice] Microwave it. [/rba] ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/7 "2007-09-26T03:27:16Z")
Put it in the dryer? Ok, I got nothin. I toasted 4 cell phones in 3 years doing brilliant things like that so I’m not going to be much help. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/8 "2007-09-26T03:34:56Z")
Put it in a bag of rice. Rice absorbs moisture like crazy. AND DON’T TURN IT ON, WHATEVER YOU DO ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/9 "2007-09-26T03:53:08Z")
[QUOTE=drachillix] A sunny spot near a window might help with that as well. [/QUOTE] Be careful if you do this: iPhones seem to have a particular lack of fondness for heat; there have been several reports of folks melting them in hot cars (although it’s not clear what "melted, the iPhone being metal and glass on the outside.) I’ve doused a large number of electronics in my time. Washing machines are uncertain: if soap got in it, it’s probably toast. Just water? They’ve come back every time, although sometimes it takes a couple weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/10 "2007-09-26T04:08:45Z")
[QUOTE=Booker57] Bring it to a school with a “Bell jar” and a vacuum pump. Pull a vacuum and the water will “boil” out. [/QUOTE] This is actually not a bad idea. At 75F (25C) water boils at 27" of vacuum. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/11 "2007-09-26T04:39:10Z")
But I eated it. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/12 "2007-09-26T05:05:50Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] But I eated it. [/QUOTE] I think a better title would have been: iwasher my iphone. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/13 "2007-09-26T05:38:39Z")
I second the alcohol idea (for the phone, not you, though they’re pretty pricey… you can have some too). My digital camera had some problems after being used in a downpour; after a week of ineffective drying by the register, a shot of alcohol fixed it in minutes. It didn’t work on the iPod nano that my brother’s gf put through the washer _and_ dryer, but if you just washer it, it couldn’t hurt. Now if you burning your dog, you’ll have to ask someone else. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/14 "2007-09-26T06:08:10Z")
If there’s an Apple Store close by, go in and ask at the Genius Bar. I’m sure you aren’t the first. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/15 "2007-09-26T08:24:13Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] This is actually not a bad idea. At 75F (25C) water boils at 27" of vacuum. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure it is really a great idea. Some of the components might be damaged by exposure to vacuum. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/16 "2007-09-26T08:38:41Z")
Are you telling me that the iphone won’t work in space? I’m so disappointed all over again now. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/17 "2007-09-26T12:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] But I eated it. [/QUOTE] I’ve been meaning to address that little mistype. Here ya go; “I washe **d** my iPhone”. Better now? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/18 "2007-09-26T12:50:53Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] If there’s an Apple Store close by, go in and ask at the Genius Bar. I’m sure you aren’t the first. [/QUOTE] I’ll use them if they restore my warranty. Otherwise, I found a site that has a disassemble video for replacing the battery. I have the site bookmarked at home. I can post it if anyone’s interested. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/19 "2007-09-26T13:53:05Z")
[QUOTE=mangeorge] I’ll use them if they restore my warranty. Otherwise, I found a site that has a disassemble video for replacing the battery. I have the site bookmarked at home. I can post it if anyone’s interested. [/QUOTE] I assume you didn’t purchase the insurance on your iPhone? ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505/20 "2007-09-26T14:18:13Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] I assume you didn’t purchase the insurance on your iPhone? [/QUOTE] Here’s the fun part - AT&T’s insurance does not extend to the iPhone. I guess the only option you may have it the Apple Care program. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-washer-my-iphone/420505.md?page=2)