Sunday, June 15, 2008

Resurrection of a Cell Phone


So the other day after mowing the lawn I quickly took off my pants and threw them in the washer. Thinking highly of my own efficiency, the next morning I went to put the clothes in the dryer and was dismayed to find that my cell phone was in the pocket of my jeans. Aargh!

I've had this phone for years--I haven't loved it--but it's worked and we are waiting until some fancy new Blackberry phone comes out in July to change plans and get new phones (the fancy one would be for Ryan, whatever is free is what I get!).

It was completely water-logged and of course didn't turn on. My friend Jill told me to stick it in rice because it would absorb all the water, so Ryan took it apart and we stuck all the components in rice. The first time we tested it there was still a bunch of moisture on the display, but it turned on! It wouldn't hold a charge, and it kept shutting off every few minutes. Ry took it apart again and we left it in for another day, then put it back together and charged it up. Aside from the dark spots on the display, it's worked just fine today. I keep expecting to hear "glub glub, gurgle, gurgle" when I'm talking on it, but so far, it's been as clear as it used to be (which granted, isn't top quality, but it serves it's purpose).

Let's hope it lasts until that new phone is released!

**Have you ever washed a cell phone?
**Did you already know the rice trick?

6 comments:

Cheri said...

I washed Spencer's cell phone when we were first married. After a few days of drying out, it worked as good as new! I think it lasted him a whole additional year, in fact. I'm so glad you resurrected yours; and that's a great tip about the ricel.

Kristy said...

I have never washed my cell phone but I have dropped my digital camera in a kiddie pool! I didn't put in rice but I thought it was ruined as well! A few days later it dried out and worked like new. Although I really want a new camera so maybe I should try washing it a few times!!

Lula Mae said...

I lost my cell phone once (which I know is not a unique thing) but of course I had to replace it after 2 weeks of living without. (This was just over a year ago.) Two months ago I was cleaning out a very dirty closet and I dumped out a grocery bag filled with odds and ends, guess what I found. It's sad that I can't seem to keep my head together.

Bryan and Amanda Russ said...

Wow, never heard of the rice thing and think that is just awesome. We've lost a few cell phones to drownings in snow and tub baths. We never could resurrect them. If, or when, it happens again I'll try and remember the rice trick. Yeah, for you. I just got my second ever cell phone a few months ago, the $10 one from verizon, it's actually nice, but my previous free one had lasted for almost six years, whereas Bryan had gone through about 5 phones over that time ;-).

Sally said...

Yes I washed my phone. I thought it was dead, so I got a new one, but a few months later, look who's back! So I have two now that are capable of working. I use one, and I charge one for Jack, but it doesn't have a plan, so it can't call anyone. Never heard of that rice trick, though! Cool idea.

LAURA and ELIZA said...

I haven't washed my cell phone. When John and I first got married he asked me not to do his laundry. I was so sad because I was a wife and that was what I was to do. So, I decided one day that he was silly (imagine that!) and so to surprise him, I decided to wash his clothes. When I put everything in the dryer I heard a THUMP THUMP THUMP! YIKES! I looked in the dryer and there was his cellphone. Needless to say, I never washed his clothes again. That cellphone did not come back to life. HAHA!