USB memory stick been in washing machine...

[Crackle]

I think you've had a full cycle of answers now Maz, time to drum up the courage to spin through the stick and see if it works. If it doesn't, you may need some comfort I guess.

 

[slowmotion]

It's all ironed out, mate...

 

[BearPear]

Apparently sticking it in a bag of uncooked rice will help. They rice will absorb all the moisture. Maybe leave it in there a day or two.

 

[Fnaar]

Apparently sticking it in a bag of uncooked rice will help. They rice will absorb all the moisture. Maybe leave it in there a day or two.

... and resist the temptation to cook rice for a bit

 

[Maz]

It's working! The USB survived being underwater...I think it's a SUB now!

 

[slowmotion]

It's working! The USB survived being underwater...I think it's a SUB now!

My MP3 player , complete with headphones, has been to the bottom of a couple of swimming pools in its lifetime, and has survived after an overnight stay in the oven at 50 C. Get the battery out though! If you dunk electronics in seawater, you simply must rinse the kit thoroughly in clean water before "cooking". I'm glad you seem to have a happy outcome, but, as somebody said, back-up the data just in case.

 

[02GF74]

bbom boom.

usually good idea to wash in distilled or deionised water - you can buy the latter in halfords and wilkinson - used to top up lead-acid batteris.

failing that, water from deicing your fridge.

the pure water will wash out any impurities left fromthe soap powered.

then allow to try.

electronics should survive if there is no battery.

 

[trj977]

Should survive as long as no power is applied while it is still damp. Gentle drying with a hair drier usualy works.

 

[HJ]

My trousers have just come out of the washing machine on a 40-celcius 1.5 hour wash and my USB memory stick was in there the whole while. Will the data on the stick be lost? Will the stick be usable again? How can I dry it out?

Just so long as you dry it thoroughly before you plug it in again, leave on on a radiator for a couple of days. I have one that has survived two 40̊C washes. Only thing is, it doesn't clean the data on it....

 

[Rob3rt]

The difference between an ipod or phone and a usb pen drive is the ipod/phone has a battery, and the moisure can and will cause conducting paths where not wanted = game over (phone if your quick you can get the battery out before water does its damage).

A usb pen drive is powered through the USB port (some have small batteries for other purposes) so in most cases its not powered at all while wet, as long as its dried out beforehand should be fine, plugging in when moisture is present will most likely wreck it.


Some usb pen drives are near indestrictable, under normal mishap these days.

 

[itchyrider]

Bluetooth unit, Still worked after a wash? ? ? ?

 

[Campfire]

Did you wash it at 30? At least it will be clean now!

 

[KneesUp]

I've just retrieved my 128GB USB drive from the washer and googled to see what I should do next. What are the chance that this place would be the top result?

 

[midlife]

I've just retrieved my 128GB USB drive from the washer and googled to see what I should do next. What are the chance that this place would be the top result?

..... ... After more than 8 years lol

 

[KneesUp]

..... ... After more than 8 years lol

It's still correct though - I just plugged the bugger in and it works. Even the annoying LED that flashes when data is read or written still works, sadly!