I was going to say rice, that has been the trick that I have heard people say works. 

That might be the craziest thing I've heard in a bit.  Really happy it worked for you, though!  Got an iphone not too long ago and already read about the dangers of water fun...

Where did you get the rice idea from? I saw the same thing on lifehackers video below.

Glad to hear this worked.

You can also use those packs of silica that you find in packages for things like this.

Never underestimate that others have DOH moments like you!

But it is good advice.  I have not yet had to avail myself of that trick, but I have heard of it.  Glad to know that it works from a user who has used it!

Silica Gel is the 'hi-tech' version of the rice solution.....either will work ....

As opposed to SilicONE Gel, which is a Nice solution and gives an added WOW factor to your phone. However, one side effect is that you never want to take it away from your face after using it.

edit notes: DAMN.. spelling is a bitch sometimes..

I used to fix apple products among others and here's the raw deal.  It may work fine now but once the machine gets substantial flood/water damage it is only a matter of time until it's fubar and Apple will know when you send it in.

If the bag of rice to absorb moisture trick works well then I suggest you do it every night before you go to sleep to prolong the life out of it as much as possible.

My story: When this happened to my ipod I opened it up in such a way carefully that would not void the warranty (requires a special tool) and after taking sufficient anti-static precautions cleaned it at first biweekly with each close inspection.

Do not open the iphone unless you really know what you are doing else you will void the warranty.  However water damage voids the warranty anyway.

Put it in a bag of rice.  Because of all the little spaces and nooks and crannies  in the compact case, pockets of moisture might remain for awhile.

When you use your phone it heats up and the moisture turns to vapor.  This can mess with capacitors and the like but the bigger problem in the long term is corrosion.  The longer the device is used with moisture in it, the greater the chance for serious effects.

Rice, rice baby to go.  We dehumidified $1600 Harris handheld computers this way all the time.  Users would take them out in thunderstorms and wonder why their gps wouldn't work anymore.  We would ask them to turn them upside down and tell us if the water in the view screen moved around.  It was a shock when we explained that this wasn't a "feature".

A blow dryer can be used on a powered down device but don't touch the case with it or get it hot from too  much.  You will still need the rice either way.  The blow dryer has a better chance with the case open because the heat will vaporize the moisture but the fan will be blowing it out--and you need airflow for that to work.

Removing the battery is extremely desirable if it's reasonably possible--it's most at risk for oxidizing as well as causing a short.

FYI--silica (like the little bags) is highly toxic and if a pet or infant swallows it, it can cause fatality.

If they've been left around, it would be a good idea to microwave them first to make them "dryer"...

If you use a blow dryer, keep it at least 6-8" away from the phone... and hold it in your hand to see if the air is too hot. 

Best bet?

The most successful method is to get hold of some packets of Silica gel - which is an incredibly moisture-absorbent substance. If you keep your packaging for hi-fi or cameras you may already have some lying around the house. Otherwise you can find it at Arts & Crafts shops - it's used for drying flowers - or you may be able to get it free it from an electronics store. Alternatively you can order it online from places like Craftstock

Then pack the iPhone in a sealed plastic bag among the packets of Silica gel and store it in a dry place for at least three days. That should ensure all the moisture is drawn out from the electronic innards of your iPhone.

If you can't get hold of the Silica gel quickly place your iPhone in a bag or box of uncooked rice and reseal it. This will keep it as dry as possible in the meantime. Transfer the iPhone to the Silica gel bags when you get them.

Finally connect up your iPhone to your PC, load up iTunes and try to do a complete Restore. This will provide you with the best chance of getting the iPhone to its pre-drenched working state. - Know Your Cell 

For sure, the best way to fix it is to invent time travel, go back in time and swipe your own iPhone before it ever gets wet.

I mean it's not like you're stealing it, just fudging it's location.

Warning!

A class 2 time paradox has been detected in this thread. Any further reading in this thread represents a [mortal] cognitive and/or existential threat. Only personnel trained for for memetic hazard containment are cleared to proceed. If further world lines are traversed, a chaotic system may evolve leading to an end-of-the-world scenario.

For any other information, please contact your

My wife recently decided she wanted to try an iPhone, having become very frustrated with using her Blackberry.  I still had my old 3G but the battery had crumped from laying around unused for a year.  I replaced the battery myself, a relatively easy task, actually, though care must be taken.  The innards were very interesting.

And there is a 'soak detection' wafer in there for sure, so you're hosed warranty-wise.  Glad you're back up & running, though.

Four, actually.

Rice is better as you can eat the rice after and get a built-in ring tone on it's way out.