Don’t put your wet iPhone in your rice — seriously.

The world of consumer electronics also has its own urban legends. Some of them are actually so mainstream that no one even dares to question their validity. One example is burying a wet cell phone in rice.

Research has repeatedly proven that this is a useless trick, but for those who need to hear it straight from the source, Apple also reveals that the rice-drying trick doesn’t work. Whether you own an iPhone 15 Pro or a model from a few years ago, it’s time to kick this wasteful habit.

“Do not put your iPhone inside a rice bag, as small grains of rice can damage your iPhone,” says an Apple support page first spotted by MacWorld.

Instead, the best thing to do if liquid gets into the cavity of your iPhone is to let it dry out in an open area with airflow for a day. Do not use external heat or compressed air to evaporate liquids.

Also, I can tell you from my own experience that rice is not magically absorbent and is not good enough to suck out water droplets that build up in your phone’s speaker, SIM slot, or charging port.

If you want scientific evidence rather than personal experience, there is plenty of sound evidence. The delighted folks at iFixit’s teardown found that there was no evidence that rice tricks work, and outlined some real-life solutions to solving your wet gadget woes.

“Rice also has the problem of not being able to absorb water that it is not in direct contact with,” the XbitLabs analysis says. TekDry, an electronics emergency rescue service, warned users all the way back in 2014 to stay away from its rice-drying technology.

Their scientific research, which included creating simulated drying conditions over a 48-hour period, proved that not only was rice ineffective as a desiccant, but it was also less effective than letting the equipment air dry naturally. However, neither method will completely dry your device.

However, here are some methods that actually work.

1. Never use a microwave oven, as the metal elements inside electronic devices can cause fires and explosions during crazy experiments.
2. Dry your phone using a paper towel or cloth. Drying visible moisture can prevent moisture from penetrating deep into your phone and causing further harm.
3. Electricity and water don’t mix well, so don’t plug in your cell phone.
4. Avoid using hair dryers or ovens. Because the heat from these appliances can damage the delicate components of your phone.
5. If possible, remove the battery. Needless to say, removing the battery reduces the risk of electricity reaching wet areas, reducing the chance of permanent damage.
6. If your phone falls into salt water, rinse it with fresh water. Salt water is more likely to cause corrosion and short circuits, so it’s important to remove salt residue quickly.
7. Make sure to turn off your phone to avoid short circuit.

Follow these tips to avoid putting your iPhone in your rice.

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