soggy cell phone

Friday 11/24/08
UPDATE for anyone who cares...

Cell phone is kaput. I did get it to power up, but there was no picture on the screen, and it was always on vibrate.

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Good grief! Last night I WASHED my cell phone in my pant pocket. On hot. With a second rinse. Let's just say I was an in a big hurry to get those pants off. Ingrid had thrown up all over me -- twice.

Not surprisingly, cell phone baptism is a common occurence; hence, there are lots of helpful tips on the web to possibly restore life to my mobile lifeline. Right now, it is submerged in rice after a rubbing alcohol bath. Yep. That suggestion was echoed many, many times, not just on some random wierdo's site. The alcohol evaporates faster than water, and takes the water with it. It also helps clean out any residue from the detergents in the wash (or whatever water bath the phone could have experienced: toilet, tub, mucky lake). The rice acts as a dessicant (I learned that word last night) and kind of "pulls" the water out.

So if this ever happens to you, take the battery out as quickly as possible -- and for sure do not try to turn it back oh -- it can short it out; dry it off as much as you can with a towel, and then dry it as thoroughly as you can via "baking" it on the lowest setting in your oven (I wasn't brave enough to do that), submerging it in dry rice, or sealing it into a ziplock or container with some of those silicone packets that come in dry foods and vitamins. Finally, after 3 days (that seems to be the magic rice number) it should be dry. But wait another day just to be safe.

I'll update you on Tuesday. Just don't call me.