Handy nass – was nun?

Phone wet? Act now!

Our phones accompany us everywhere – in the bathroom, on a coffee break and even to the toilet. But what should you do if your phone gets wet? You can deliver effective first aid by following these six golden rules.

1. Act quickly

A lot of mobile phones are designed to withstand brief contact with water. However, you still need to act quickly to minimise any damage. If you have spilt coffee, cola or juice over your phone, wipe it first with a soft, damp cloth.

2. Unplug the phone

If your phone falls into water whilst charging, unplug it from the wall immediately without touching either the water or the cable. This is to protect you from a dangerous electric shock and prevent the battery from short-circuiting.

3. Switch off the phone

As soon as your phone is out of the water, switch it off. This is to prevent any further damage from water ingress. Some phones will switch off automatically if moisture gets inside the housing.

4. Remove the case

Remove the phone case and dry the outside of the phone with a soft cloth. Slowly move the phone back and forth, but do not shake it! Rapid movement may make the water go even deeper inside the housing.

5. Remove the battery and SIM card

If possible, remove the battery and SIM card. Place all the parts on an absorbent cloth and leave for around 48 hours to air-dry. Heat, hair dryers and the like do more harm than good.

6. Seek professional help

It is a good idea to have your phone checked by a specialist before switching it back on to be on the safe side. You can take your Swisscom device to a Swisscom Shop to be repaired.

How to prevent water damage

Mobile phone accidents are sometimes unavoidable. Practical gadgets such as PopSockets give you a better grip on your phone. Invest in a waterproof case to protect your precious device from major damage. And take out Swisscom Easy Protection insurance, which also covers water damage.

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Illustration image of a woman with a laptop

You might also want to pay attention to what IP class it has when buying a cell phone.

2. IP number should always be 7 or higher.

Otherwise just be careful 😉

Table according to DIN EN 60529

1. IP codeProtection against foreign bodiesContact protection2. IP codeScope of protection
0No protection against solid foreign bodiesNo contact protection0No water protection
1Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 50 mmProtection against large areas of contact with the hand.1Protection against vertically falling water drops
2Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 12 mmProtection against contact with fingers.2Protection against drops of water falling at an angle from any angle up to 15° from vertical.
3Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 2.5 mmProtection against contact with tools, wires etc.3Protection against water from any angle up to 60° from vertical.
4Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 1 mmProtection against contact with tools, wires etc.4Protection against splash water from all directions.
5Protection against dust deposits inside.Complete protection against contact.5Protection against water jets (nozzles) from any angle.
6Protection against dust ingress. (Dustproof)Complete protection against contact.6Protection against strong jets of water from any angle.
7Protection against water penetration during temporary immersion.
8Protection against pressurized water when permanently submerged.
9Protection against water at high pressure and high temperatures

Table according to ISO 20653

1. IP codeProtection against foreign bodiesContact protection2. IP codeScope of protection
0No protection against solid foreign bodiesNo contact protection0No water protection
1Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 50 mmProtection against large areas of contact with the hand.1Protection against vertically falling water drops
2Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 12 mmProtection against contact with fingers.2Protection against drops of water falling at an angle from any angle up to 15° from vertical.
3Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 2.5 mmProtection against contact with tools, wires etc.3Protection against water from any angle up to 60° from vertical.
4Protection against foreign bodies ∅ > 1 mmProtection against contact with tools, wires etc.4KProtection against splash water from all directions with increased pressure.
5KProtection against dust deposits inside.Complete protection against contact.5Protection against water jets (nozzles) from any angle.
6KProtection against dust ingress. (Dustproof)Complete protection against contact.6KProtection against strong jets of water from any angle with increased pressure.
7Protection against water penetration during temporary immersion.
8Protection against pressurized water when permanently submerged.
9KProtection against water at high pressure and high temperatures. (Specially related to road vehicles)
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an important thing to do is to turn off your cell phone, fill a container with rice, immerse your cell phone in it and cover it entirely with rice, leave it immersed for at least 12 hours. Experience with my Sony camera which no longer showed signs of life. A year later it still works perfectly. You can also find this advice on Google. Roberto Bontà, Cugnasco

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Thank you very much for the easy-to-understand and everyday help in using cell phones. Swisscom is doing a very good and useful thing. Great free offer. Keep it up! Then Swisscom will remain number 1 in Switzerland. Hans Zaugg

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