Why Using Rice to Save Your Wet Phone Is a Horrible Idea

CNET

07-06-2025

Summer is full of beach vacations and lounging near the pool. But if you drop your phone in some water, it could result in an expensive trip to a phone store. While many smartphones are water-resistant, that doesn't mean they're waterproof so it's still important to dry out your phone. Here are a few ways to get your phone dry after dropping it in water or getting it dirty, and hopefully these tips can help save you from having to buy a new phone.
None of these methods are guaranteed to work, however, and while there's a lot of anecdotal evidence, there are very few scientific studies on the subject. The most recent study we could find was from 2014 by Gazelle, a company that buys and sells used and broken phones. According to that study, the make and model of phone were found to influence whether a phone could return to working order, with Android phones typically faring better than iPhones.
Phone manufacturers agree that removing your phone from water as quickly as possible helps to minimize how much water comes into contact with your device. That means you have a better chance of saving your phone but don't put your phone in rice after removing it from water because that could damage it.
Here's what you should do if you drop your phone in water. If you follow these instructions and your phone won't turn on, or it turns on and has some issues, you should take it to an associated phone shop to see if they can help.
What Apple and Samsung recommend
The two biggest phone manufacturers have some tips in case you drop your phone in water.
Apple says that many iPhones are splash, water and dust resistant when tested in controlled lab environments, but these resistances aren't permanent. If your iPhone gets wet, it might display a warning that there's water in your phone's charging port. If you see this warning, or your iPhone comes into contact with water, lotions, soap or other potentially hazardous material, here's what Apple says to do:
1. After removing your iPhone from the material, turn it off and dry it with a soft, lint-free cloth.
2. Tap your phone gently with the charging port facing down to get excess water out of the port.
3. Place your iPhone in a dry area with good circulation and wait at least five hours. Pointing a fan at your iPhone's charging port might help the process.
After five hours, try turning your iPhone back on and plugging it back in. If you're still having issues, you can try the other methods mentioned in this article, or you can take your phone to an Apple store for further assistance.
Apple also says don't put your iPhone in rice. "Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone," the company writes online.
Drop your smartphone in water? Don't panic.Samsung has similar instructions for drying your phone:
1. Remove your phone from the water, turn it off and dry it off with a dry towel or a clean cloth.
2. Place your phone in a well-ventilated area or in the shade with cool air from a fan. Samsung doesn't specify a length of time to wait, though.
Samsung says even after you've followed these steps that there might still be water inside your phone so you should bring it to a Samsung Electronics Service Center.
Both manufacturers also say if you drop your phone in a liquid other than clean water -- like soda or pool water -- you should quickly rinse your phone using tap water before drying with a towel and then air drying.
Apple and Samsung say to never use a heating source, like a blow dryer or oven, to dry off your phone. The heat could damage it.
Silica gel beads could help
You could also try silica gel. According to Gazelle, silica gel beads are a good option to absorb moisture out of phones. Silica gel beads can be found in those white packs labeled "Do not eat" that many products come packed with. You can save these packs from packages you've received, or buy packs through online stores like Amazon or companies like Dry & Dry.
Once you have your silica, here's what to do after dropping your phone in water:
1. Get your phone out of the water and turn it off.
2. Dry the outside of your phone with a lint-free towel.
3. Place your phone in a large container.
4. Fill the container with your silica gel beads and seal the container.
5. Gazelle recommends waiting 72 hours to let your phone dry.
6. Remove your phone from the container and try turning it back on.
Other household items might help
If you don't have silica gel beads on hand, you could try other household items. Gazelle found couscous and instant rice both work well as drying agents.
Follow the steps in the above section, but replace the silica beads with either of these, wait for the same amount of time and then try restarting your device.
Gazelle also tested conventional cat litter, oats, chia seeds and uncooked white rice but doesn't recommend these products because they leave behind debris that could damage your phone.
For more tips, check out how low-frequency sounds can get rid of water from your phone's speakers, how to get two days out of a single iPhone charge and how to easily manage your Android permissions.