It happens to the best of us. A splash of drinking water, an unlucky situation with the toilet bowl; and just like that, your most prized tech possession is in a critical condition. Never fear! Although you probably should have searched for some reasonable online insurance quotes with Dial Direct at this stage, all is not lost. This is the ultimate guide for drying procedures:

The 30-second rule

You have 30 seconds before the water can do any damage to the device. If you can get it out of harm’s way in this time, you’re in safe territory. If not, read on.

Take everything apart

For the device to dry as quickly as possible, remove any covers and batteries and unplug any external connectors in order to increase the device’s exposed surface area. Make sure to remove memory and SIM cards to save any data you may need. These can easily be toweled dry, they’re quite durable.

The drying process

Gently shake any remaining water off the device, pat dry with a soft towel and use a hand vacuum cleaner to suck out any residual moisture (without letting it get too close!) or place the device in a dry substance that absorbs moisture, like rice.

Forget what you saw

Don’t try to dry your device with a hair dryer or in the oven, as it will damage the device, particularly LCD screens. Leave it in a well-ventilated area to dry through.

The defining moment

If you’ve completed all the steps above, and have waited for at least 24 hours and the device is dry, put everything back together and test the device. If it doesn’t turn on, take out the battery and insert the charger, then test again. If it works, the battery may be damaged or still wet, so give it a little more time to dry.

If there is discolouration on your LCD screen, this may indicate residual water in the device. This discolouration should go away after a short time. If not, take to the tech specialist.

If your device is working, but is acting strangely, it usually indicates some water left in the device. Switch the device off and continue efforts to dry it. If it still doesn’t work, in a last ditch attempt, take it to the tech specialist.