Water Damage & Rice
Why You Should NEVER Use Rice to Dry Out Electronics
It’s one of the most common bits of advice out there:
“Drop it in rice, and it’ll dry out.”
Sounds simple. Sounds harmless.
It’s also not the truth.
Rice Does NOT Remove Water from Electronics
Rice is a food product, not a moisture extraction system.
It does not:
- Actively remove trapped moisture from inside components
- Penetrate under ICs, BGA chips, or connectors
- Prevent corrosion on powered circuits
At best, rice might absorb a small amount of ambient surface moisture.
It does absolutely nothing for the moisture that actually causes damage — the water trapped inside the electronics.
The Real Problem: Corrosion Starts Immediately
When water gets into electronics, especially when power is present:
- Electrolysis begins
- Copper tracks start to oxidise
- Solder joints degrade
- Contamination spreads across the PCB
This process can start within minutes, not days.
Putting a unit in rice doesn’t stop this — it just delays proper action while damage continues.
Rice Can Make Things Worse
It’s not just ineffective — it can actually introduce new problems:
- Dust and starch contamination inside connectors
- Debris lodging in ports and switches
- False sense of “it’s drying” while corrosion continues unseen
We’ve seen units come in worse after sitting in rice for days than if they were addressed immediately.
What You SHOULD Do Instead
If you’ve had water ingress:
-
Power OFF immediately
Do NOT attempt to turn it back on -
Do NOT charge it
This accelerates internal damage -
Disassemble the unit (if you know how)
The goal is to expose and remove moisture — not trap it -
Get it professionally assessed ASAP
The sooner it’s cleaned and treated, the higher the chance of a successful repair
The Bottom Line
Rice is not a fix.
It’s a myth.
If anything, it delays proper repair and increases the likelihood of permanent damage.
At Get Electronic, we deal with water-damaged modules regularly and the outcome is always better when the unit is handled correctly from the start.
If you’re unsure what to do, don’t guess get in touch with a specialist.
