Why rice is not the best option to dry a wet device (and what is the best alternative)

We’ve seen it loads of times: placing a wet phone or a laptop in a container with rice promises to be a magical solution.

However, this is not the most reliable method.

The main issue with using rice as a drying agent is that even though it is true that rice has the ability to absorb some amount of moisture, the fine dust present on rice grains tend to enter the device forming a goo that can cause additional problems when interfering with sensitive components or connectors leading to malfunction.

Additionally, a device exposed to water or moisture needs to be dried as quickly as possible to minimize the chances of damage. Rice may not provide the necessary speed for efficient drying and the longer it takes to dry, the higher the risk of corrosion and irreversible harm to the device.

What to do if my laptop gets wet?

Well, as a person who last week ended up emptying almost an entire glass of water on my 2nd Life Laptop....here’s what you have to do.

So the key here is acting fast.

1. 1. Turn the device off immediately and disconnect it from any power source and other peripherals.
2. 2. Turn it upside down to help out any amount of liquid still on the surface.
3. 3. Dry the exterior of the device using only a paper towel or a cloth to gently pat the device. Avoid using heat guns, hair dryers, rubbing or applying excessive pressure.
4. 4. Take the device to a professional technician or your tech support team as quickly as possible to have them inspect it for damage and dry further.

Chances of survival?

That will depend on so many factors like the amount of liquid spilled over, the TYPE of liquid, the ability to dry most of the moisture, etc

The “best-case scenario” is dropping water, because it dries better and it's less corrosive. The worst-case scenario is spilling coffee with milk and sugar, or a soft drink, or beer. These types of drinks are more corrosive than water and can cause permanent damage much quicker.

Business Tech Repair Solutions

Liquid spill is one of the most common support calls we receive related to end-user damage. Manufacturers are aware of this problem, so they are starting to introduce some models with spill-proof keyboards. Here you can check our recommendations on how to look after a corporate device

We provide an In Life Support service to our clients to help them look after their corporate devices. We have the experience, the parts and our own on-site engineers to look after your business’ devices.

InnoVent Leasing’s shared ownership model means that at the end of the lease, we really want the equipment back so we can refurbish it to as good as new standard and offer it a Second Life. That's why no-one else will look after your business’ devices and make sure they are repaired to corporate standards, as InnoVent. Even if you are in need of repair services for devices that you don't have on lease with us, we can still help you out.

Check out our In Life Support service here.