4 tips for saving, preventing wet phones

NEW YORK - The current streak of hot weather is a great excuse to find a pool for some swimming. But remember to take out your cell phone before making the plunge.

Unfortunately, there are many ways that phones get wet, and there don’t seem to be nearly as many solutions. Here are some tips from ABC News about how to make your iPhone a dry phone or to make your BlackBerry a bit less juicy.

Bowl of rice

The most important (and obvious) thing to do when your phone gets wet is to dry it off as completely as possible. Use a towel to pat down the surface and maybe even use a straw to extract extra moisture.

Take apart your phone as much as possible. Remove the battery and any other memory devices and dry them as well. But do not use a heat source, such as a hair dryer, because that can melt or otherwise damage the phone.

You’ll probably need to get a bit more creative to get your phone completely dry. A bowl of uncooked rice might help, because rice absorbs water and can be effective when a phone is buried in it for 12 to 24 hours.

Bheestie Bags

One company is making money by saving your water-logged gadgets. Bheestie has released a bag that contains silica gel packets, which are an alternative to rice. For about $20, you can buy a bag with the hope of drying your phone within 24 hours.

Bheestie claims that its silica gel packets are 700 percent better than rice, and the bag is available through Amazon.com and other retailers.

No method is guaranteed to save a phone, so the best alternative is keeping the phone dry in the first place. Here are some tips for gadget protection.

Waterproof case

A Lifeproof cell phone case is one of the best ways to keep your device out of harm’s way. The case makes phones waterproof in water up to a depth of six feet, and it also makes the phone shockproof and dust-proof. Just make sure the charging port is closed if you intend to take photos underwater. But it’s still best to play it safe and keep the phone on dry land. Companies such as DryCASE and Otterbox also make useful phone cases.

Liquipel

But if you don’t like clunky cases, your best bet might be Liquipel . You can mail your device to the company, and it will put a clear coating on it that makes the phone completely waterproof.

The best part? You won’t notice a difference in the phone’s weight or appearance.

The price for Liquipel treatment starts at $59.