After getting wet, smartphones can show damage weeks after the fact

Just because your smartphone works immediately after being immersed in liquid doesn't mean you're in the clear yet.

Even if your device seems to be working fine after being immersed in liquid, problems could show up later, Connect magazine reports. 

If liquid got into the phone's interior, it could corrode the electrical contacts and soldering joints, leading to sudden short circuits and equipment failure weeks after the device got wet.

There are a few steps you should quickly take – in addition to regular backups – if your smartphone unexpectedly takes a bath.

Switch off the device immediately and remove the SIM and memory cards. If the battery is removable, you should remove that as well.

Dry the phone with paper towels before wrapping it in more towels and placing it in a plastic bag with some uncooked rice. Then put the bag in a warm place.

If, after a few days of this, the phone won’t turn on, then it's a job for experts, who can open the device and dry it out. Even if that doesn't work, they may be able to save some of the device's data.

However, users should absolutely avoid taking radical steps to dry out their phone, for example using a hair dryer. That can cause even more damage, Connect reports, as the hot air could force water deeper into the device and further damage plastic parts and adhesive bonds.

It's also not a good idea to try drying the phone in a microwave or oven - apart from the guaranteed damage to the electronics, there's a serious risk of fire. — dpa