This week, huge parts of the UK have been blanketed in snow, with some areas faced with five inches of flurries.
While playing in the snow can be great fun, it’s decidedly less fun if your smartphone decides to slip out of your pocket mid-snowball fight.
Cold weather can cause a number of problems for your smartphone, ranging from battery issues to water damage.
Thankfully, if your smartphone ends up in the snow, there are several things you can do to revive your handset.
mobiles.co.uk has revealed its top tips for rescuing your smartphone from the snow - and one even includes a vacuum cleaner!
1. Rescue it without delay
While it might sound obvious, if your smartphone ends up in the snow, it’s best to rescue it with delay.
mobiles.co.uk explained: “When you’ve extracted it, turn it off and remove the SIM card and battery, if you can. Wrap all the components in soft kitchen roll (or temporarily sacrifice those gloves and put your phone in there!)
“Check for serious water damage by examining the corner near the battery – most phones have a white square or circle. If this area is pink or red, your phone is most likely water damaged.
2. Dry the insides
If you have a removable battery, grab a soft towel and gently wipe away any water from the inside of your smartphone.
mobiles.co.uk said: “Try not to move or shake the phone, because that could move water further inside it and cause more damage.”
3. Remove any water with the vacuum cleaner
If your smartphone’s ports are full of water, try using a vacuum cleaner to clear them out.
mobiles.co.uk said: “Hold it at a reasonable distance and suck the water out of the phone, paying attention to the headphone jack, charging port, speaker etc. Never use a hairdryer as this will blow the water into any cracks.”
4. Search the house for silica
You may have heard of people using rice to revive their water-damaged smartphones, but a better option is actually silica gel.
mobiles.co.uk advised: “Not sure what we’re talking about? It’s in those little packets labelled ‘Silica – do not eat’ that you often get with new shoes, and it’s amazing at absorbing water. Put any packets you rustle up into a sealed sandwich bag with your phone.
“If you can’t find any, rice can work too though isn’t usually quite as effective. Put your phone and its components (if you can take it apart) in a bowl of rice, rotating the phone every couple of hours. Leave it for at least a day, but the longer you can do without your handset the better.”
5. Be patient
Finally, while waiting around can be tricky, it’s best to be patient with your smartphone.
mobiles.co.uk concluded: “Start a new boxset. Go back out into the snow and finish sledging. Go to bed. Just don’t switch your phone back on. The most worst thing that can happen to a water damaged phone is that it short circuits. A phone left for 72 hours stands a much better chance than one left for 24 hours.”
