Soaked phone or laptop: what to do in the first minutes (and what not to do)
Time matters when liquid gets into a device. Water alone usually doesn't kill electronics, but electric current and the corrosion that starts after a few hours do. These first minutes decide the cost of the repair.
- Most important
- turn it off immediately and don't charge it
- Take it to a repair shop
- within 24–48 hours
- Liquid damage cleaning
- usually 150–400 zł
Never plug a soaked device into a charger “just to try”. Don't dry it with a hair dryer or on a radiator, because high heat damages the screen and the battery. A swollen or smoking battery is a fire hazard. Move the device away from anything flammable.
Step by step
Turn it off right away
Phone: hold the power button and shut it down. Don't check whether it “still works”. Laptop: hold the power button for a few seconds and unplug the charger. Every minute it runs under power speeds up short circuits.
Unplug everything and remove what you can
Take off the case, and remove the SIM card and memory card. On a laptop, unplug USB drives and the mouse, and if the battery is removable, take it out.
Pour out the liquid and dry the outside
Phone: carefully shake it with the port facing down and dry it with a paper towel. Laptop: open it wide and turn it upside down, keyboard facing down (like an inverted “V”), so the liquid drains out and not deeper inside.
Don't put it in rice
Rice doesn't pull moisture out from the inside, and dust and grains get into the ports. It's better to leave the device in a dry, airy place than in rice.
Sugary drink, coffee, sea water? That's more urgent
Sugar, milk and salt leave a residue that conducts electricity and corrodes very quickly. If the liquid was anything other than clean water, don't wait. Take the device to a repair shop as soon as possible.
Take it to a repair shop within 24–48 hours
The repair shop will open the device and clean the board in an ultrasonic cleaner. The sooner, the better the chance that it ends with cleaning rather than a motherboard replacement. Even if the device “works” after drying, corrosion can shut it down a week later.
- Always, if liquid got inside. Home remedies don't stop corrosion.
- Immediately, if the device gets hot, smokes or the battery swells.
- If the device holds important data. Tell the repair shop so they back up your data first.
How much does a repair shop charge?
| Liquid damage cleaning: phone | 150–350 zł |
| Liquid damage cleaning: laptop | 250–500 zł |
| Keyboard replacement after liquid damage (laptop) | 200–500 zł |
| Motherboard repair after corrosion | 400–1800 zł |
Typical prices at independent repair shops in Poland, October 2026. Authorised service centres and big cities can be more expensive.
Repair or buy new?
A device that gets cleaned quickly often returns to full working order for a few hundred złoty. If corrosion has already destroyed the motherboard, repair stops being worth it for older and cheaper models. In that case, use the calculator to see how much your device is worth.
Check if it's worth repairing your soaked device
Pick your model and fault. In 2 minutes we show the repair cost, what the device is worth and an honest verdict.
Open the calculator →FAQ
My phone is waterproof (IP68). Do I need to worry?
Water resistance weakens with age and after every drop, and it doesn't cover sea water, chlorinated pool water or hot drinks. The warranty usually doesn't cover liquid damage. After contact with anything other than clean water, rinse the phone and dry it well.
Can I use it normally once it's dry?
If it works, back up your data right away and keep an eye on it. Corrosion can show up after a few days. With laptops, it's always worth getting it cleaned, because it costs much less than a motherboard repair later.
Will insurance cover liquid damage?
Often yes, if you have device insurance (for example one bought in a shop) or extended home contents insurance. Check the policy terms before you pay for a repair.