Water Logged Cell Phone? Cat Litter!

Dunked that cellphone in the drink?  Here's a new solution:  Cat Litter!

Getting wet is just not good for electronics, cellphones, PDAs, iPods.  Yet they just seem to be drawn to water!  One of my dear friends coming back from way too long on the road for a business trip stopped in the airport bathroom.  Leaning over, his cellphone went "Plop!"  So surprise, he took a step back..."Flush!"  He didn't even have a chance to try soaking his cellphone with alcohol and burying it in rice.

Now another take:

I remembered a tip I heard about sticking the phone in cat litter to help absorb the moisture. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I wrapped the phone in a towel and stuck it in our half-full cat litter container. Two days later I pulled out the phone, inserted the battery, crossed my fingers and turned it on. To my delight the screen came alive and was functional again - well almost functional. Everything seemed to work except I could tell the screen wasn't quite right. There looked to be a few bubbles which I assume was water inside the display. I removed the battery and stuck it back in the cat litter for a few more days. When I turned it on this time, everything looked good and the water under the display was gone.

Obviously none of these things are a sure thing.  Often they don't work, or don't work for long.  Nonetheless, it's worth a try - at least if you don't step back after the "Plunk!"

For the full Lifehacker article:  Use Cat Litter to Save Your Doused Cellphone.

- Peter H. Berge

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