Water damage can ruin almost any electronic device. With today’s new technology, there isn’t much room in the box for parts, much less for foreign substances. Water can wreak havoc on an iPhone in no time if it is not cared for properly.

This particular article focuses on liquid immersion in fresh water. This is a purely voluntary procedure on your behalf and we are not responsible for any damages that may occur due to following this process. It works and is a tried and tested method, but not in all cases of water damage, as some cases can be more serious than others.

Please note that liquids other than fresh water may require additional cleaning to remove any residue from products such as cola, coffee, syrup, etc.

This process works for iPhone 3G and 3GS.

There are 6 steps to get rid of the water and have the most success in getting iPhone working again.

Step 1. Take your iPhone out of the liquid immediately and make sure it is turned OFF. Dry the iPhone and shake it across the headphone jack and bottom connector area. I’m talking about a shaking motion with decent power like you’re trying to get ketchup out of a bottle. This will pull any loose water droplets out of the cracks and away from the board and connectors. The iPhone won’t break, but don’t let it slip out of hand.

Step 2. Get a zip-top bag of white rice. You may have heard this before. Take the bag and put the iPhone in the bag. Seal the bag.

Step 3. Place the bag on top of something warm, NOT hot, for 24 hours. The top of a computer case will suffice. Even on top of a cable box it should work.

Step 4. Take the iPhone out of the zip-top bag and place it back on the heat source for another 24 hours. Put it back in the desktop box, cable box or something like that. You’ll want to flip the iPhone on either side (front glass and back plate) multiple times during this 24 hour period.

Step 5. Open iTunes on your computer (your iPhone should still be off). Step 6. Connect the iPhone to the computer before turning it on. Most likely, the data is corrupted and the iPhone needs to be restored. Step 7. When the computer recognizes the iPhone in iTunes, select “restore”. Step 8. After restoring the iPhone, you should be able to use it as usual. Step 9. Most likely the screen has dark spots. This is because moisture collects behind the LCD screen. It can be cleaned, repaired or replaced if necessary by an iPod or iPhone repair center. Using a third party repair center will help you keep the cost down while providing you with OEM quality repair parts and services.