Chosen Solution
My 1-year-old brought my phone for a dip in a bucket of water while it was in an Otterbox case. I took the phone from the case ASAP and turned it off, then put it in rice (before I read that it is not recommended). Turned it back on after an hour or so and saw screen lines, but the touch screen was responsive and there didn’t seem to be any other problems. I followed the directions for water damage to a degree: opened up my phone, disconnected the battery and saw that there was some water that had entered the phone and wiped it up with toilet paper, then wiped away the fibers with a clean paintbrush. Turned it back on, still lines. Opened it again, but this time i disconnected the screen from the phone and let it dry out overnight. Reassembled it and lines are still there, but not quite as bad. I’m wondering if I should just deal with it, since there don’t appear to be other issues and I can still see the screen and what not, even though it looks a bit like a game boy screen now, or if I should replace the screen. Thoughts? Thanks!
If the problem is with the connector, then maybe a a gentle brush (emphasis on the gentle!) with a tooth brush and 99% isopropyl alcohol (go to a pharmacy and get the strongest they have) might help things But if the damage is in the LCD itself… once water damage gets inside of it the only thing you can do is replace it if you can’t live with the lines (I’ve seen ‘wavy’ screens) Just make sure you’re backing that thing up. Once water has gotten in it, it brittles out the connections in the phone and a seemingly innocuous drop or hit might brick it one day
If you have a picture of the display, it would be greatly appreciated. I would follow what LFB said and go back in and try to brush out the affect areas. I would also disconnect the LCD and examine the cable to see if it needs to be cleaned out too. I fact, just check it all if you can. Water may leave some deposits that need to be cleared out. You can also lightly dry it with a hair dryer, just keep it at a good distance because they are usually set on a high temp. If water got in between the display, it may just be best to get a LCD/Digitizer Replacement. Parts are here andhere on Ifixit. It’s rather asimple fix, but it’s also good to take your time and be rather careful since Iphone cables are rather sensitive. Always inspect the cables too for damage once received. Good Luck
