Spilled coffee, a drop in the pool, rain, or the classic phone-in-the-toilet — liquid damage is panic-inducing because a phone can seem fine one minute and dead the next. The single most important thing to know is this: time matters more than anything . Liquid causes ongoing corrosion on the circuit board, so the sooner it's professionally cleaned, the better your chances of a full recovery. At Repair Mate® we treat liquid-damaged devices every day and recover a great many of them. What to do right now (and what NOT to do) Turn it off and leave it off. Power + liquid = short circuits. Don't keep trying to use it. Don't charge it. Putting power through a wet phone is one of the fastest ways to kill the board. Don't shake or blow-dry it — you'll spread liquid deeper inside. Skip the rice. The rice myth doesn't work — it can't reach or reverse internal corrosion, and dust/starch can make things worse. It only wastes the critical hours where a real clean would help. Get it to us fast. Even "waterproof" phones lose their seals over time and are not immune, especially to pool chemicals, salt water and soft drink. Salt water and sugary/alcoholic drinks are the most corrosive — treat those as extra urgent. Why liquid damage is sneaky Water rarely causes a clean, instant failure. Instead it leaves mineral and salt deposits that corrode tiny connections over hours and days. That's why a phone can work for a while, then start glitching — screen lines, no charging, dead speakers, camera fog, random restarts — or fail completely later. A professional clean removes the corrosion before it eats through critical components. Our liquid damage process Assessment — we open the device, check the liquid-damage indicators and inspect the board. Full disassembly & ultrasonic/board-level clean — we remove corrosion and residue from the logic board and connectors. Component testing — we identify what the liquid affected (charging, display, audio, cameras, battery) and quote any parts needed. Reassembly & testing — we rebuild and verify function. Because liquid damage is unpredictable, we start with an honest assessment and quote — sometimes a clean is all that's needed; sometimes corroded parts (like the battery or charging port) also need replacing. We'll tell you what we find and what it's worth before proceeding. Data recovery Worried about your photos and messages? Even when a phone won't power on, we can often recover your data as part of the process. Ask us about data recovery when you book. Where to get liquid damage treated — Australia-wide Bring it in fast to Carnegie (Melbourne, VIC) , Newcastle (NSW) , Brisbane (QLD) or Hobart (TAS) , or use our Australia-wide mail-in service — though for liquid damage, the closer and faster the better. Book a liquid damage assessment Call 03 9840 0071 Transparent pricing. An upfront assessment and quote before any repair. Not sure what you need? Request a quote . Frequently asked questions My phone still works after getting wet — do I still need it checked? Yes. Corrosion continues silently even when the phone seems fine, and problems often appear days or weeks later. A prompt clean greatly improves the odds of avoiding permanent damage. Does rice actually work? No. Rice can't remove internal corrosion or moisture trapped on the circuit board, and it delays proper treatment. A professional clean is what actually saves liquid-damaged phones. Isn't my phone waterproof? Water-resistance ratings assume factory-fresh seals and clean fresh water. Seals degrade with age and drops, and pool/salt/sugary liquids defeat them. Many "waterproof" phones still suffer liquid damage. Can you recover my photos if the phone is dead? Often, yes. Even when a device won't turn on, data recovery is frequently possible. Mention it when you book so we prioritise it. Is liquid damage always repairable? Not always — it depends on how much corrosion occurred and how quickly it was treated. That's why speed matters. We give an honest assessment and never charge for a repair we can't deliver. How much does it cost? It varies with the damage. We quote after assessment — sometimes it's just a clean, sometimes corroded parts need replacing. You approve the price first. Related repair guides Not the repair you were after? Repair Mate® also handles these common faults across Australia — same-day where possible, warranty included: Phone Screen Repair — cracked glass, lines, black or no-touch screens. LCD & Display Repair — black patches, bleeding, flickering displays. Charging Port Repair — won't charge or only charges at an angle. Battery Replacement — drains fast, swelling, sudden shutdowns. Phone Camera Repair — blurry, black or cracked front & rear cameras. Microphone Repair — callers can't hear you, no sound on video. Headphone Jack Repair — no sound in headphones, stuck in headphone mode. Power & Volume Button Repair — stuck, loose or unresponsive buttons. Speaker Repair — no sound, crackly or muffled speakers.
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