Water got into the phone speaker

In the modern world, the telephone plays a big role in human life. It is an assistant in many matters, so it is often customary to carry it with you in the most accessible places so that it can be taken out and used if necessary. There are situations when a smartphone falls into water or, for example, its user gets caught in the rain.

Despite the presence of moisture protection in all modern gadgets, the ingress of water in varying quantities can disrupt the normal functioning of the device. For example, if your phone fell into water and stayed there for a long time, then the protection will definitely not cope. Water will quickly penetrate all connectors, the speaker is no exception. When working, it begins to make strange sounds, wheezing, or may stop working altogether. What to do in such situations? You will find out the answer in our article.

Water got into your phone speaker - what to do first?

If water or other liquid gets into the speaker, you can take the phone to a service center or use traditional methods to dry the speaker.

First of all, you need to remove the battery from the mobile device and do not put it back for at least a day. It is worth remembering that the elements inside the phone are killed not so much by moisture as by electricity, which oxidizes the parts inside. This leads to failure of the radio elements of the mobile phone.
Next, you need to try to remove moisture from inside the device. To do this, you can put your phone in a bowl of rice for a day, but you need to completely cover the mobile phone with cereal. Rice has the ability to draw out moisture. You can dry your mobile phone with a hairdryer, but here you need a slightly warm stream of air, and you need to act very carefully.
You can use special applications to remove liquid from phones. In this case, sounds are produced at high frequencies, which push the water out.

Of course, these methods do not always work, and the phone continues to work incorrectly. In this case, it is recommended to contact a service center and entrust the repair to specialists. It is worth considering that the sooner you contact us, the less the repair will cost. And in some cases, just preventing the elements of a mobile device is enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqqKWi46Mt8

Stage 3: Getting rid of residual moisture

Any of the previously described methods will get rid of most of the liquid that has entered the speaker connector. It is proposed to blow out the remainder using a special application from the Play Store (you can also find analogues in the App Store, the algorithm for using them is similar to that discussed below). You need to do the following:

Reassemble the phone and turn it on. After that, install the software using the link provided above.

Launch the application, turn the playback volume to maximum and click on the button with three drops. Keep your finger on the screen for a minute. If necessary, repeat the procedure again.

What you should absolutely not do

Some smartphone owners, after their mobile phone gets wet, begin to panic and do everything they have ever heard of, in the hope of drying out the device. So, there are things that you absolutely cannot do, as you can permanently damage your mobile phone.

Do not dry a wet smartphone with a hot hairdryer. In this case, the contacts may melt and the mobile phone will not work. For drying, you can only use a hair dryer with a cold stream of air, and you need to blow from a distance. Alternatively, you can use a bicycle pump or even an inflated balloon;
Don't shake your phone. In this case, you won’t remove a lot of water, but you can make the situation worse. It is better to carefully tilt the device to the side where there are holes so that the water flows out;
You should not put your mobile phone in salt to remove moisture. The grains will get inside the device, and it will be completely disabled. You cannot use small rice to remove moisture, since the grain may get stuck in the technological holes;
You cannot put a wet mobile phone in sugar, as water and sugar create a sticky syrup that will lead to damage to the gadget;
You should not try to disassemble a mobile phone yourself. Most likely, you do not have the skills and tools for such disassembly, so during the disassembly process there is a chance of further damaging your mobile phone.

In addition, you should not try to dry a mobile phone with the battery inserted. The battery must be removed immediately and the device must be dried without it for at least a day.

You should not try to revive your smartphone yourself if it is under warranty. In many cases, after self-repair, the seller disclaims warranty obligations.

What not to do

Several actions that are not advisable to do.

Do not blow dry

Air flow can easily drive moisture deep into the case or under the cracks of soldered components. In this case, subsequent cleaning of the device will be more difficult. Still warm air contributes to the deformation of plastic elements and can lead to irreparable damage.

Do not dry on a radiator or leave in the sun.

A phone left on the heating system or on a windowsill in the sun may overheat and become damaged. In addition to deformation of plastic elements and other parts, there is a high probability of damaging the built-in battery. Temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius accelerate the aging of the battery, and in some cases lead to fire.

How to dry the speaker on your phone correctly

It is best to dry a wet mobile phone in some substance that can draw out and absorb moisture. In any case, you need a deep container where you can pour the adsorbent and put your smartphone.

The easiest way is to put the gadget with the back cover and battery removed in rice; the device should be completely covered with cereal. The phone needs to be kept in the rice for a couple of days, turning it over every 12 hours. This method is quite effective, the main thing is to take large rice so that it does not get stuck in the holes of the smartphone.
Use silica gel cat litter. This is an ideal solution for drying a wet smartphone. The gadget with the back cover and battery removed is placed in the filler and covered with it. To prevent particles of the substance from getting inside the device, it is recommended to wrap the mobile phone in two layers of gauze.
You can also dry your device in silicone balls, which are found in shoe boxes and new bags. You need a lot of these balls, but in just two days they will effectively draw out the water.
You can put a wet smartphone on the windowsill, in the sun. In addition, you can put it in any warm place for a couple of days, but first you need to remove the battery.
You can use a vacuum cleaner for drying; it will help draw out excess moisture. For this purpose, it is better to use a vacuum cleaner with power control. Another option is to use a compressor.

In any case, the mobile device must be taken out every 6 hours and any moisture that has appeared must be wiped off with paper napkins; this must be done carefully, blotting the surface.

If the mobile phone gets very wet, the adsorbent will have to be replaced with a new one several times.

Stage 2: Drying the smartphone

Due to the fact that the phone speaker is a monolithic part and cannot be disassembled, drying must be carried out using special means. The main advantage of the methods described below is that there is no need to disassemble the smartphone.

There are several effective methods that will allow you to get rid of liquid that has got into the speaker of your smartphone:

Take a shallow vessel, place the phone completely in it and fill it with rice. It is necessary to use large varieties - this will eliminate the possibility of grains getting stuck in hard-to-reach connectors. Leave the device to sit for approximately 12 hours. The rice will absorb most of the moisture, which will prevent the speaker from breaking.

Instead of rice, you can use silicate balls, which are often supplied with new shoes. Due to its properties, this material quickly absorbs moisture, which reduces waiting time to 3-4 hours.

Place your smartphone in front of a fan or small cooler. It is important that the blown air is cold, otherwise there is a risk of completely breaking the device. Drying time depends on flow rate.

Note! If you managed to remove the battery from your smartphone, you can dry the speaker without the methods described above - just leave the device turned off for a long time.

What to do after drying

After drying the phone, insert the battery back and try to turn on the mobile device. They check how correctly the mobile phone works; to do this, you need to call someone and listen to how the speaker works. It doesn’t hurt to clarify with your interlocutor how he hears you.

You need to understand that a wet mobile phone can start to fail even after a while. But this does not always happen; it may well be that the mobile phone will serve faithfully for a long time.

If a mobile device has been lying in water for a long time, then, as a rule, it cannot be restored. In this case, it can be sold for spare parts, but the cost will be minimal.

How to remove water from smartphone speakers online

The beauty of a smartphone is that it can be used as a miniature analogue of a computer, installing on it the applications necessary for work and entertainment, as long as there is enough internal memory. But on outdated and budget models there are big problems with this.

In such cases, to clean the speaker from water, you can use an online resource - the site https://fixmyspeakers.com, which does not require installing additional applications - it is enough to have any browser on your phone, including the stripped-down version built into Android.

The principle of operation of the cleaning function is similar to that used in the Apple Watch: the use of acoustic waves allows you to push all foreign bodies, including particles of dirt and dust, out through the air ducts.

To launch the cleaning function, tap on the icon depicting drops of water and dust particles; an acoustic accompaniment that is not very pleasant for the ear will start, lasting several minutes - this may be enough to remove water from the speakers. If the sound does not work due to water penetration, then the animation of the pressed button will indicate that the cleaning procedure is functioning. The procedure may need to be repeated, especially if your phone has experienced water procedures such as swimming.

If all else fails

If none of the above methods helped and the phone does not turn on or does not work correctly, then all that remains is to contact the service center. You should carefully choose a phone repair shop. It is better to listen to the recommendations of acquaintances and friends. As a last resort, you can read reviews on the Internet.

If the mobile phone was purchased relatively recently and is covered by a warranty, then you should not even try to repair anything yourself. In this case, you just need to take the phone to one of the addresses specified in the warranty card.

How to use sound to push water out of speakers

The acoustic method of cleaning speakers from moisture is based on known physical laws. From the school physics course it is known that sound waves propagate in the environment by vibrating particles. Getting through the protective mesh onto the membrane, drops of water form a dense layer that prevents the normal oscillatory process that generates acoustic waves. As a result, the sound turns out to be muffled, and this is the first sign that water has got into the phone.

How to destroy this layer? That's right, with the help of the same vibration, and if this vibration is used purposefully, the water film will gradually collapse, and it will be much easier to expel individual drops from the speakers.

Therefore, the idea of using sound to clean water from smartphone speakers turned out to be really productive, and many tools have now been developed to achieve the desired result using acoustic methods.

At the same time, methods of drying speakers using a heated air flow cannot be called absolutely safe: it is enough to overdo it a little, and excessive pressure on the membrane can lead to damage. When using sound waves, there is no such danger, however, the energy component of the acoustic method is decent and quite sufficient to remove moisture.

But here it is necessary to clarify that ordinary low-frequency sound, which is a source of oscillatory processes with a large amplitude but a small operating frequency, may not be enough for this. But if high-frequency ultrasonic waves, inaudible to the human ear, are used to remove water from the speaker, the expulsion effect will be excellent.

Where can I get this sound? For example, on YouTube. Here is an example of a video in which ultrasound is actively used with frequencies up to 2.4 KHz. Its duration is 2 minutes; if one viewing is not enough, try playing the video again after 1-2 minutes. You can take some additional measures to get your smartphone in order - for example, remove dust and moisture from the case with a cotton swab.

In addition to the popular video service, tracks for cleaning speakers from water can be found on other sites. Moreover, it is advisable to use them regularly for preventive purposes.

How to save your phone from moisture

To prevent your smartphone from getting wet and damaged, you must follow these recommendations:

Do not use a mobile device while eating or drinking tea. In this case, there is a high chance of dropping your mobile phone into a bowl of soup or a mug of tea;
Do not use your smartphone in the bathroom. Even if you are not talking on the phone while sitting in the bathroom, it is still in a room with high humidity, which negatively affects electronic elements;
No need to make and receive calls during the rain. You can wait a couple of minutes until you go to the store or get home;
You should not carry your mobile device in your pockets in summer. At this time of year, the body sweats a lot, which can lead to your cell phone getting wet;
The mobile phone should be placed in a place where water cannot be accidentally spilled on it.

These seem to be all the rules for careful handling of a mobile device. You can also recommend using covers and protective glasses. They will not save you from getting very wet, but they will be able to retain a small amount of water.

Tatiana

I follow news on the mobile services market. Always up to date with the latest events

Ask a Question

Question to the expert

A few days ago I got caught in the rain, the phone was in the back pocket of my trousers, it didn’t get very wet, but it was damp. When I got home I put it in a warm place. It worked fine right away, but now it’s started to glitch, what’s the reason?

Most likely, the reasons lie in the oxidation of wires and microcircuits. The mobile phone should be taken to a service center where it will be cleaned. If you have the skills to disassemble mobile phones and have special tools, you can disassemble the device yourself and wipe all parts with medical alcohol.

I accidentally spilled sweet tea on my iPhone, what should I do?

I dropped my smartphone into a bathtub of water, but got it out instantly. I took out the battery and left it to dry in rice for two days, as recommended. After that I inserted the battery, but the phone does not turn on. What to do?

You will have to take your mobile phone in for repair. Most likely, the contacts and microcircuits have oxidized.

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Author

Tatiana

I follow news on the mobile services market. Always up to date with the latest events

How to use

To remove dirt and water from smartphone microphones, you can use the following programs:

Speaker Cleaner;
Clear Speaker.

The second utility is under development. However, this program can be downloaded from GitHub. But due to the fact that the developer did not have time to debug Clean Speaker, after launching this utility, conflicts with different versions of the operating system are possible. Both programs are distributed free of charge.

Regardless of the type of application, dirt and moisture droplets are removed from the speaker using a single algorithm. Before starting the program, you must prepare the device.

Preliminary preparation of connectors

To prepare the speaker for cleaning you will need:

vacuum cleaner with fluffy nozzle;
alcohol;
cotton buds;
masking tape;
Toothbrush.

To remove large particles of dirt from under the speaker mesh you need to:

Vacuum the speaker. At this stage, do not press the nozzle on the device and avoid contact with the display. A vacuum cleaner will remove large particles of dirt.
Clean the mesh with a toothbrush. In this case, it is recommended to use one with pointed and hard fibers. The latter penetrate deeper into the hole.
Clean the mesh with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. After the procedure, the speaker should dry for three minutes. It is recommended to lightly moisten the stick with alcohol so as not to flood the device.

You can use hydrogen peroxide instead of alcohol. This liquid also removes traces of grease, thereby speeding up cleaning of the device.

If the grille is flush with the smartphone body or display (depending on which speaker is being cleaned), then masking tape is used to remove any remaining dirt. The latter needs to be glued to the device, pressed tightly against the mesh. In this case, you can additionally level the tape with a cotton swab. This will allow the sticky base to penetrate deeper into the small holes in the grate. Often the described manipulations are enough to improve sound quality.

Program operation

Speaker Cleaner has a clear interface. To clean your smartphone speaker using this application you need to:

Select the required mode. The program supports two cleaning methods: static (sound frequency increases smoothly) and rhythmic (frequency increases in waves). The second option is suitable for cases when the smartphone has fallen into water.
Select the speaker you want to clean (top or bottom).
Increase the volume to maximum if the bottom speaker is dirty. Next, you need to turn on Start Cleaning and wait until all the moisture comes out through the mesh. In this case, the smartphone must be placed on a flat surface with the connector facing down.
Turn on Start Cleaning and increase the volume to maximum (in that order) if the top connector is dirty. In this case, the smartphone should be placed with the screen down.

It is recommended to place a dry cloth or towel under the device. The program will automatically stop after cleaning is completed.

The second Clear Speaker app removes dirt from the bottom jack only. In this case, you should also first clean the mesh with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. After this you need:

Turn the volume up to maximum.
Move the slider in the application to the Clear Speaker position.
Place the smartphone so that the connector is facing down.

This application removes dirt and water longer. This process takes up to two minutes. Clear Speaker, unlike the first program, stops every 30 seconds so that the user can check the cleaning results. The application carries out this procedure up to five times.

You can improve the performance of applications by applying a magnet to the microphone after increasing the vibration frequency. The latter will remove small particles of metal that degrade the sound quality. But this method is recommended to be used in extreme cases.

Cleaning with Chewing Gum

This is not as funny a way as you might think at first glance. It works just as well as other methods. At the same time, this method may even be more successful than others. Chew the chewing gum so that it becomes as soft as possible;
After that, we apply it to the mesh. All dust and dirt should stick to the rubber band. This method can be used in conjunction with the upper ones. You can do it separately from them.

Cleaning the speaker with a vacuum cleaner

This method is the most basic. I assume that some users presented a simple home vacuum cleaner that you use to clean your apartment. But, you are mistaken, we are talking about a special vacuum cleaner that cleans appliances;
A hardware store sells small vacuum cleaners. Typically, they are used to clean computers and other devices. The cleaning process itself will take you a few minutes. You bring the vacuum cleaner to the speaker and turn it on. The rest is up to the vacuum cleaner.

Carrying out diagnostics

This procedure is necessary if the user does not know the exact reason for the poor-quality sound of the microphone (or its failure).

Possible device malfunctions and diagnostic methods:

Intermittent voice sound or muffled sound. It is necessary to conduct a visual inspection of the device using a magnifying glass (loupe). The probable cause of the defect is debris getting into the space between the microphone (speaker) and the grille.
The subscriber cannot hear the speaker’s voice at all. Possible reasons are a failure of the telephone program (it should be reinstalled), a technical breakdown (repair required in a workshop).
The speaker's voice breaks and a cracking sound is heard. Most likely, the microphone contact is coming off. Diagnostics consists of disassembling the case to the junction of the wires and the sound transmitting device. It is recommended to carry out independent repairs if you have special knowledge.

Using network services and mobile applications

If there is very little moisture that has entered the phone, you can use special programs. They will make your speaker operate at different frequencies. By reproducing different frequencies and vibrations of sound, the speakers will be cleared of water. And you will be able to use their restored functionality.

A popular representative of this genre is the popular English-language service fixmyspeakers.com. Go to it on your smartphone and click on the large button in the center. Loud sound from the speaker will help eliminate the problem.

Other services of this plan are “Speaker cleaner”, “SoundAbout”.

Use the Speaker Cleaner application and similar programs

Clean the speaker with a razor brush or soft toothbrush

Almost every man has an electric razor. It comes with a small soft brush. If you don’t have a razor, then a soft-bristled toothbrush or brush will do. This option is quite economical. There is no need to disassemble the smartphone. Although, if you understand a little about its structure, then it’s a different matter;
So, you need to carefully place the brush against the speaker. To be more precise, to his grid. Then, we begin to rotate the brush in a circular motion, trying to get the brush hairs to remove dirt from the speaker. Wipe the brush with a cotton swab and continue. If you have a special phone for household appliances, then we bring it to the speaker, turn it on, and start cleaning the smartphone with a brush. As I already mentioned, this method requires precision. If you damage the mesh, you will have to take the phone to a repairman.