How to protect your smartphone from damage while celebrating Holi this year

Water damage is a possibility, especially if your phone isn't water-resistant. But here's how you can make sure your smartphone stays safe and still enjoy a happy Holi with friends and family!

Holi 2021 is here. (Yuvraj Sachdeva/Unsplash)

It's that time of the year again, when happiness is in abundance and colours are everywhere. Today is the day the entire country celebrates Holi, the festival of colours. Despite the tiredness of the novel coronavirus pandemic has caused us after robbing us of a year of our lives, many of us have plans to celebrate Holi in a safe, socially distanced manner this year.

While everyone might be careful putting on masks and keeping a safe distance, water and colours are expected to fly fast and quickly today, so it's important to keep smartphones and other delicate devices at a safe distance. Since leaving our phones all the way back at home isn't an option, here are a few steps that could help keep them safe from water damage today.

Repairing your expensive smartphone could prove to be a very expensive affair, so its best to ensure your device doesn't get near any water at all. This can be a little challenging since there will probably be water everywhere, so its best to put your smartphone inside a plastic or polythene or bag and tape the mouth of the bag or tie the mouth of the bag tightly with a rubber band.

A few steps to keep in mind, courtesy of iCare Repair.  (iCare Repair)

A few steps to keep in mind, courtesy of iCare Repair.  (iCare Repair)

Do not attempt to use sello-tape or any other adhesive on your phone's ports or other openings in an attempt to “seal” it — it won't be effective and your phone will likely be damaged when trying to remove the tape after the celebrations are over. If you have a recent iPhone you could find that the sides you taped might speed up the discolouration process that was spotted by some users last week.

If you do get your phone wet for some reason even after you follow the above instructions, simply power it off without trying to do anything on the device and place it in a box with around 8-10 sachets of silica gel that can be found in new bag compartments. If these aren't available then you can also place it in a thick jar full of raw rice. It might sound like a cliche, but dry rice is quite effective at picking up moisture from a submerged device.

Water damage can and should be looked into by an expert, so if your phone or device hasn't started working overnight, you should take your device to the nearest authorised service centre in order to get it repaired by a professional.