The Rice Trick Doesn’t Work (Well)—Try This Instead for Wet Phones
You drop your phone. There’s a splash. Time slows down. You fumble like it’s the final play of a championship game, and when you finally fish it out of the sink, toilet, or puddle, the horror sets in. Water + phone = very bad news, right?
First, don’t panic. You’re not the first person to baptize your device. We’ve tested all the classic phone-drying methods—both the smart and the straight-up sketchy—so you don’t have to guess. Here’s the real deal on what works, what’s a waste of time, and which method gave us the best shot at saving a soaked phone.
What Not to Do
Before we get into solutions, let’s quickly talk about what not to do—because you can make things worse if you react the wrong way.
Do not try to power your phone on. If it was off when it got wet, keep it that way. If it was on, turn it off immediately. Electricity + water inside your phone = short circuit city.
Don’t shake it violently or blast it with a hairdryer. That can push moisture further inside or cause heat damage. Also skip the microwave, oven, and anything else that sounds like a dare from the internet.
Option 1: The Old “Rice Trick” (Not So Magical)
Let’s start with the go-to advice you’ve probably heard a million times: drop your phone in a bowl of uncooked rice and wait. We tried it. It’s not totally useless, but it’s also not magic. Rice absorbs moisture slowly and unevenly. After 24 hours, our test phone still had some lingering condensation under the screen.
Verdict: Better than nothing, but not the best. Works best as a backup if nothing else is available.
Option 2: Air Drying with Patience
Next up, we tried the minimalist approach: gently patting the phone dry, removing the SIM card, and letting it sit upright in a well-ventilated room. This method works over time, especially if you leave the phone off for a full 48 hours, but it’s slow and gives water more time to corrode your internal components.
Verdict: Surprisingly effective, but risky if you’re in a hurry. Best combined with other moisture-absorbing materials.
Option 3: Commercial Desiccant Packs (Best Overall)
The MVP? Commercial desiccant packs—the little silica gel packets that come in everything from shoe boxes to electronics packaging. These are made to absorb moisture rapidly and efficiently. We placed our wet phone in an airtight container with several packets and left it for 24 hours.
The result: no condensation, no weird screen behavior, and a phone that powered on without issue. The silica drew out moisture much more reliably than rice or air drying alone.
Verdict: The best option, hands down. If you can plan ahead and keep silica packets or desiccant pouches on hand, do it. They saved the day.
Option 4: Vacuum Seal Bags (Bonus Points for Innovation)
We also tested a vacuum-sealed bag—placing the phone inside with a paper towel and sucking the air out with a vacuum sealer. It worked decently well, especially at removing surface moisture quickly. But without a drying agent inside, it wasn’t as effective at reaching water inside ports or under the screen.
Verdict: Cool trick, decent backup, but still not as thorough as desiccants.
Side-by-Side Comparison: Drying Methods for a Wet Phone
| Method | Drying Speed | Effectiveness | Availability | Risk of Further Damage | Overall Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silica Gel Packets | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ (if prepared) | ★☆☆☆☆ | Best overall—fast, safe, effective |
| Air Drying (Room Temp) | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ (anytime) | ★★☆☆☆ | Works slowly, best with other methods |
| Uncooked Rice | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ (pantry-friendly) | ★★☆☆☆ | Old standby, but less effective than silica |
| Vacuum Sealing | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ (requires gear) | ★★☆☆☆ | Cool idea, not a full solution alone |
| Hair Dryer / Oven | ★★★☆☆ (fast!) | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | Do not use—heat can fry your phone |
Quick Notes
- Silica Gel Wins: Absorbs moisture fastest and most thoroughly when sealed in a container.
- Rice Is Overrated: Popular, but not especially effective—mostly folklore at this point.
- Air Drying Is Slow: Works if you’re patient and leave the phone powered off the whole time.
- Vacuum Sealing Is Niche: Better than air drying, but needs backup moisture absorption.
- Avoid Heat Tools: They often cause more harm than help, especially with modern phones.
What to Do After Drying Your Phone
Once you’re confident your phone is dry (usually after 24–48 hours), power it on and watch closely for glitches. If anything seems off—camera fogging, battery draining fast, or screen flickering—get it checked out. Water damage can linger or cause delayed failures.
And if your phone won’t power on at all, it might be time to file a warranty claim or consider a trade-in with a service like BuckUp, which accepts phones with minor damage and still offers fast payouts.