What should you do if you accidentally washed your headphones in the washing machine or by hand?

Headphones accidentally forgotten in your pocket may well end up in a washing machine or in a basin of soapy water.

The situation is quite common and unpleasant. There is no need to panic and throw away your favorite gadget for listening to music.

Read the article about what to do if you washed your headphones (from an Apple iPhone, wireless and others) in the washing machine and how to dry them properly.

First aid

The less time the headphones are in contact with water, the better. When washing by hand, removing them from your pocket will not be difficult. This must be done immediately after discovery. If a careless owner remembered about the headset only after starting the washing machine, he will have to wait until the cycle completes.

First aid rules:

1. 
   Remove the device from the wet pocket as quickly as possible.

2. Disassemble the headset, remove all elements from it. If this is successful, wipe all internal parts with a clean, dry cloth, toilet paper or any material that absorbs moisture well.
3. Blow out the device with a hairdryer.
   This will get rid of drops of moisture that will take a very long time to dry. The air should be warm, but not hot, so that the internal elements of the headphones do not melt. There is no need to blow through the headset for more than 1-2 minutes. Otherwise, there is a risk of drying out the sensitive membrane.
4. Spread paper napkins on the battery and place the disassembled device on them.
5. Leave the headset to dry completely for 3-5 days.

Do not turn on the device until it is completely dry. This can cause a short circuit, after which it will not be possible to restore it.

After drying, the disassembled headphones are taken out into the light and inspected.
If there are stains left on the membrane from water and powder, it should be carefully wiped with a bandage soaked in alcohol .
It is not recommended to use cotton wool or napkins, as they leave behind lint. If the headphones are not collapsible, then they will have to dry for at least a week. Do not pick them with a needle or toothpick, so as not to permanently damage the speakers.

How will we dry it?

What to do if the headphones get wet in the warm season, when the heating radiators are turned off? In this case, the battery will not be suitable for drying; you will have to take a different route. There are several options:

• dry the speakers in a dry and warm room with good ventilation, that is, in natural conditions;
• place the disassembled headset in direct sunlight;
• use a hairdryer. The important thing here is not to overdo it and damage the headphones. Blow the device from a distance, do not bring the device close to the elements of the accessory;
• hang the speakers on the fan's protective mesh. The headset will dry quickly under the influence of air currents. The device should be blown for at least three hours.

You should not resort to the help of improvised absorbents, namely burying the accessory in rice or silicone litter for cat litter boxes. It is also not recommended to treat the headset with WD-40 lubricant.

The sound quality of the headphones will depend on how quickly they dry out.

The longer the water drops remain inside the gadget, the higher the likelihood of the winding rotting. When the device does not turn on after drying, or the left or right speaker does not work, the wires of the device may have been broken during washing.

It happens that after drying the headset begins to distort the sound, wheeze or work too quietly. In this case, the reason usually lies in the powder remaining on the membrane. You can deal with the problem in a rather unusual way:

• pour 95% medical alcohol into a mug;
• immerse the headphones in the container;
• turn on music through the headset;
• After 10 minutes, remove the gadget.

This method is worth trying when you have nothing to lose and the question is about purchasing new speakers. Typically, this method helps to improve the sound - alcohol dissolves the detergent and thereby restores the functions of the headset. You should check the operation of the gadget only after it has completely dried.

Features of wireless recovery

If wireless headphones have been washed, they are restored like a regular wired headset . The device is disassembled, all removable elements must dry separately.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that not only the speaker itself can suffer, but also the source of the signal: Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Therefore, it is necessary to remove water from them especially carefully.

At the same time, a wireless headset is a more modern device, so manufacturers often provide it with a waterproof membrane . It is able to protect the device from short-term contact with moisture.

If water gets into the connector

If not only the headphones themselves, but also the connector for them are exposed to excess moisture, the procedure should be as follows:

• Get the phone out of the water as quickly as possible and, if possible, remove the battery from it;
• Gently shake out the liquid from the speakers, headphone jack and other hard-to-reach places;
• wipe all accessible surfaces with moisture-absorbing material;
• Next, you need to disassemble the smartphone, carefully blot all parts from moisture, and lightly dry them with warm air using a hairdryer;
• leave the disassembled smartphone on a moisture-absorbing paper pad or on a napkin for 2-3 days;
• after three days, making sure that there is no moisture, you should treat all accessible contacts with alcohol;
• After the alcohol treatment, you need to dry the phone again.

You can insert the battery into the finally dried phone and check the functionality of the device in general and the headphone jack in particular.

IMPORTANT! When using cotton swabs, you need to make sure that the cotton is wound tightly. Otherwise, the phone may become clogged with fibers, which will only make the situation worse.

Also learn how to clean your phone's charging socket at home.

The nuances of drying an iPhone headset

Unlike regular headphones, the iPhone headset is more resistant to moisture. Therefore, it is possible that after washing it will continue to work. The main thing is not to try to immediately connect it to your smartphone. The headphones need to be given time to dry.

The manufacturer does not provide any exclusive recommendations for resuscitation of washed Air Pods. They are wiped with a hydrophilic cloth or paper napkin, dried with a hairdryer and placed on a shelf to completely evaporate the moisture.

Even though iPhone headphones resist moisture better than other headsets, they are not waterproof. Therefore, they must be used carefully, avoiding getting into the washing machine.

Washed AirPods

The main feature of the AirPods headset is that they are more resistant to moisture. But nevertheless, they cannot be called absolutely moisture resistant.

Therefore, if the AirPods accidentally ended up in the washing machine, after removing them, you must follow the same algorithm as with regular headphones: disassemble, wipe, dry in any available way.

The nuances of drying an iPhone headset

The main caveat of drying AirPods is that the headset can end up in the washing machine along with the case. Then you need to open the lid, if possible, shake out all the liquid from it, wipe all accessible surfaces and leave it to dry open.

IMPORTANT! Under no circumstances should you disassemble the Air Pods case, as reassembling it in the same form will be problematic.

There is another way to get rid of water that got into the iPhone headset - using the Water Eject shortcut command. This command is designed to push water out of iPhone speakers, but can also be used on headphones if necessary.

The basic operating principle of Water Eject is the creation of special sound waves that push water out of the speakers. The main conditions for activating a quick command are that the iPhone must be turned on, the volume set to the maximum value, and the headphones must have all holes except the main ones and sensors closed, so that the device thinks that the headphones are in the ears and connected to the device.

This method is only relevant for Apple products and even for AirPods it does not provide a 100% guarantee. Therefore, after using it, it is still better to dry the headset in the classic way. You will find reliable and simple ways to clean your iPhone headphones (AirPods) at home here.

Repair

It makes sense to send headphones for repair if they are expensive. A cheap wired headset for 200-500 rubles is easier to replace with a new one . You need to take the device to a workshop if the headphones work, but with sound distortion.

Before agreeing to a diagnosis, you need to check with the specialist about its cost. Some service centers charge about 600 rubles just for the process of detecting a fault.

The technician needs to be informed that the device has been washed . Before signing an agreement for repair work, you need to clarify how effective they will be and their approximate cost.

You need to agree with a specialist so that after opening the device and discovering the cause of the malfunction, he calls the owner and informs him of the price for the services provided. After this, you can decide whether the headphones are worth the money spent on repairs or whether it’s easier to buy new ones.

Depending on the city and the specific service center, the cost of repairs will vary. The average price range is as follows:

• replacing 1 speaker – about 1000 rubles;
• cable restoration - about 500 rubles;
• replacing a Bluetooth module - about 1,500 rubles;
• iPhone headset repair – from 2500 rubles.

The price may increase depending on the urgency of the work performed.

You will find maximum useful information about washing clothes and various fabric products here.

ov drying

In the summer, if there is no heating, it is impossible to dry the headphones on the battery. In this case, there are the following methods for drying the device after an unplanned wash:

1. You can leave the headphones in a dry, warm room. The device will take a little longer to dry, but with minimal risk of damage to parts. The bathroom is absolutely not suitable for this method.
2. The second way is to carefully lay out the device parts in the sun. In this case, as with a hairdryer, it is important to monitor the adequacy of the temperature.
3. If you need to dry your headphones as soon as possible, you should use a fan. The device is placed under constant exposure to air currents for at least three hours, after which the presence of residual moisture is checked.
4. An original and yet effective way to dry your headphones is to bury them in a bag of rice for about 12 hours. Thanks to its natural properties, rice completely draws moisture out of the device. Beforehand, the headphones must be thoroughly shaken and blotted with a dry cloth;
5. And finally, you can treat the parts with anti-corrosion lubricant VD-40. After applying the moisture-displacing composition, the headphones should be dried for 1-2 days.

The longer water remains inside the headphones, the more likely it is that the winding will begin to rot. Therefore, it is important to revive washed items as soon as possible.

If after drying the headphones do not turn on, or only one of the headphones works, the wires are most likely damaged.

ATTENTION! If, after drying, the headphones begin to wheeze, distort the melody, or work quietly, most likely there are traces of washing powder inside. You can try to get rid of them with vodka or industrial alcohol, but only if you are already planning to purchase a new headset.

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Measures taken to save the Honor smartphone

All measures taken by the user at home cannot be called repairs. You will still have to contact the service, although after the water you should not count on warranty service. But without trying to avoid the consequences during the first minutes after filling with liquid, the phone owner increases the likelihood of the gadget failing to 80–90 percent. And attempts to save the device reduce the risk of breakdown to only 40–50%, which can be especially important for fairly expensive models like Honor 20 or 20 Pro.

Removing the Battery

The first action of the user who is going to restore the phone's functionality is to remove the battery from the case, which supplies voltage to the motherboard even when it is turned off. If the battery is not removed in time, the risk of a short circuit increases.

The owner of an old Honor phone rarely has problems removing the battery, but most modern models with a non-removable battery require service. And before the gadget is delivered to specialists, it must be turned off immediately. Trying to turn on a smartphone that is flooded with water can damage the sensor. Therefore, from new phones like Honor 10 Lite, you will only have to remove SIM cards and memory cards and only then proceed to the drying process.

Removing fluid

In order to effectively dry Honor 8, 9 and any other device of this brand, you can use the following methods:

• put the phone itself and its battery (if you managed to remove it from the case) in rice cereal. Rice should be poured into a deep container and the disassembled device should be placed there;
• Use silica gel, which can be found in a new shoe box, to protect your phone from water. The principle of drying is no different from drying with rice;
• try to dry the gadget by blotting all its parts with a regular towel. This method is only suitable for disassembled models. Non-separable ones will have to be wiped only on the outside, not forgetting the connectors for connecting the charger cable.

On the Internet you can find advice that if water gets into your phone, you should use a vacuum cleaner. Although this does not mean that, for example, the 10i model can be saved from liquid getting inside just by vacuuming. But a vacuum cleaner will help get rid of at least some of the water droplets on the case and inside the connectors, where they cannot be removed with a towel, rice and silica gel.