The news of catastrophic floods across Pakistan had barely subsided when a similar situation near Bangalore grabbed the headlines. A common strain observed during these natural calamities is an instinct of grabbing the handset or mobile phone first and only then moving to rescue other household goods and items. What is so important about the handheld device that its loss would be devastating and even feel unrecoverable?

When compared to their western counterparts, where the connectivity over desktops or laptops is prized over mobile phones, people in south Asia, perhaps on account of more pronounced economic disparity have a greater tendency to carry out their online businesses and other activities through mobile phones.

Given its significance, a mobile phone getting wet puts an indefinite break on day-to-day life. Replacing the existing model may not be a feasible option for most, and authorised service centres are few and sparsely located. Dubious service centres available at every nook and corner may leave a big hole in your wallet without any significant improvement in the phone's condition.

So what are the options available at hand to deal with a situation like this? Let’s check out a few, highly recommended by experts and alike.

Use the cloth to wipe off as much moisture as you can from your phone. The best option is an ultrafine fibre cloth if you have one. A clean towel, even a paper one, will suffice in a pinch. Be careful not to get the card slots, charging port, or headphone jack wet.

A regular vacuum cleaner will suffice provided you don’t leave it for too long. That is why a wet/dry vacuum cleaner stands out in this situation. You need to turn on the highest level of the vacuum cleaner and cover the area, especially around the phone’s openings with the help of the hose.

Additionally, the steps listed below could help:

An air compressor tuned to low psi (pounds per square inch) settings can be helpful to blow out any residual liquid inside the phone. If you don’t have one, then pressurised air from a can could be used to blow air in quick bursts over your phone's surface and the ports.

Be careful and avoid the high psi setting of the compressor as it might harm the inner parts and components of the phone.

Refurbished phone merchant Gazelle had conducted tests that revealed the superiority of silica gel packets over much popular use of rice and other drying methods. Put your phone along with the battery into a bowl, and cover it with several silica gel packets. Don’t disturb the phone for the next 48 to 72 hours, giving enough time for the gel to soak up any moisture.

Silica gel can be purchased offline or online, and need not be opened. Do remember that time is of utmost essence if you want a wet phone to be saved.

Silica-based crystal cat litter rather than ones made up of materials such as clay goes a long way in taking moisture out of the air. Add a layer of crystal kitty litter to a vessel. Next, open the phone and put it on the kitty litter layer without removing the battery. The phone should not be disturbed for the next 48 to 72 hours and add the remainder of the litter to completely cover it. 

Pour 4 cups or roughly 900 g of rice or couscous, or oatmeal into a large bowl, then put the phone with the battery in it. If all three items are available, then pick oatmeal or couscous since they stand better in absorption than rice. All these food options aid in removing any remaining moisture from the phone.

Put your phone down over a dry towel or other absorbent material while setting up a fan to blast air across the device's surface. The phone needs to stay there for 48 to 72.

Clean and dry up the phone before switching it on. It is crucial to wait until the phone is dry and switched on, improving the chances of a phone’s survival greatly.

Leaving the wet phone on risks a short circuit. Even in the scenario of being functional, unplug the cord at the outlet if the phone is underwater and plugged. There’s always a risk of receiving a shock if the phone is removed while still plugged in.

Nowadays, most of the latest models have "IP6, "ratings followed by the 7 or 8. The IP rating of a phone indicates its water resistance.

Never switch on the phone and check any apps at this stage

Place the phone and other components over some paper towels or fibreless cloths. Any component still connected to a wet phone has the potential to get damaged or to trap more water inside

Take out the battery of your phone if there is an option, by pulling out the lid. Pull out the SIM from the phone's SIM tray. 

Your phone has a high chance of surviving the unfortunate spill if some of the methods discussed above are applied on time. However, if it stays submerged for too long, then the chances of you running out of any possibilities become bleak. Perhaps presenting a perfect moment to purchase a waterproof phone. 

Here’s where a mobile insurance policy, which is available on Bajaj MARKETS under pocket insurance plans, can be very useful. With this kind of insurance, you can enjoy various benefits like claiming accidental damage and more.

Disclaimer: This article is published in association with Bajaj MARKETS and not created by TNM Editorial.