Smartphones are a major part of our lives, and accidents that lead to accidental water damage are among the primary issues that users face. To this end, accidents caused by water damage are the most frequent problem users experience. A man can drop his phone in a sink, spill a beverage on it, or get caught in the rain, but, regardless, moisture can do severe damage to delicate electronic parts.

The method of application using rice has been one of the most widespread home remedies over the years. As the story goes, wet phones can be saved by putting them in uncooked rice to wring out the water in the phone.

Nevertheless, does this method work? Is it a myth that will not die? This paper will detail how the rice method came to be and will analyze scientific research and experts' reviews on the same, outline the dangers of the rice method, and provide a superior method for rescuing a phone sunk in water.

The Origins of the Rice Method

The concept of rice as an aid in repairing wet electronic devices is probably due to the natural property of rice to absorb water. Rice has also been used in most cultures to preserve salt or spices by having a few grains in storage containers so that they would not get wet. This homemade trick slowly spread into the field of electronics, and people believed that rice would also remove internal moisture in electronics.

The myth was magnified by the use of the internet. YouTube tutorials, social media posts, and tech forums all made the rice technique a reliable recommendation to anyone with a wet phone. It goes without saying that it is popular: rice is affordable, can be found in nearly any single home, and does not demand technical skill.

What Happens When Water Enters a Phone?

It is more effective to ask how the problem of water damage is so grave by examining the construction of smartphones.

Internal Vulnerabilities

Motherboard and circuits: The Circuit board of the phone is saturated with fragile electrical circuits. A slight drop in water will bring short-circuiting.
Battery: Lithium-ion batteries are prone to being destroyed by moisture or damaged forever.
Display and touchscreen: Water may creep into the layers of the display, making it turn discolored, or even become insensitive to touch or shut down forever.
Speakers and microphones: These are particularly prone to damage as the sound produced by them is usually muffled or distorted

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