Some people use mobile phones in bathrooms when plugged into a socket as they are considered harmless devices. These devices can be dangerous due to the presence of moisture.
Can I Use My Phone While in the Bathtub? You should not use the phone while in the bathtub as it poses a risk of electric shock and electrocution when connected to a charging port near a tub. It is not safe as it can fall into the water and cause mild to severe damage.
An unplugged device can also pose a risk of mild shock due to exposure to water and the human body, which are good conductors of electricity.
Why would you use a phone while in the bathtub?
Almost 6 to 7% of the total population is addicted to phones, which indicates their popularity and compulsive usage in the young generation.
It happens due to advanced technology that introduces new features daily to make the device friendly to humans, so they begin to rely on it.
They develop an attachment or sense of intimacy with this device as it is considered a personal thing that can be a reason that men take their phones to the bathroom.
Some people enjoy listening to their favorite playlist when sitting in the bathtub as it creates a relaxing environment due to impressive melodies.
A few people get anxious and face a stressful situation when they do not check their mobiles every hour, as it raises curiosity to see what’s happening around them.
In addition, they can have trust issues if someone checks their mobile when they shower or want to continue the conversation with someone.
What happens when you use the phone while in the bathtub?
Bringing a phone inside the bathroom is not an ideal practice when you are going to take a shower. There are a lot of germs on the toilet seat, faucet, and bathtubs, like bacteria and viruses.
You probably carry hundreds of germs on your mobile when coming out of the tub; leaving your phone outside is recommended.
There is a risk of an electric shock if you take it inside the tub because the mobile and water are not suitable to be kept together, which can lead to inconvenient circumstances.
Many accidental injuries are reported in different parts of the world when teens die due to falling mobiles in water-filled tubs.
Moreover, it can be deadly when the device is plugged into the socket, and the extension cord directly interacts with water.
Water is a conductor of electricity due to the presence of dissolved salts like magnesium and sodium salts that can provide a medium for the flow of charges.
You are at risk of being electrocuted when the current passes from the socket to the extension, water, and your body. It can cause seizures and even death when faulty wire remains in the tub.
It requires a short-term exposure of almost 3 to 4 seconds to seize your body. In addition, you can face an electric shock if only 7 to 8 mA current passes through the tub and reaches your covered body.
Furthermore, it can also permanently damage your smartphone as it will get powered off when water enters the casing and destroys internal components.
So, it is better to avoid the risk and keep such dangerous devices aside to reduce the possibility of accidental incidents to a maximum extent.
What to do if you drop your phone while in the bathtub?
Modern devices are designed to be water resistant so that they do not get damaged after an accidental fall into the tub.
However, these smartphones are not completely waterproof, but they can remain underwater for some time at a defined depth.
They can remain underwater for almost 10 to 30 minutes at a depth of around 0.8 to 2 meters, depending on their design and model.
Moreover, you have to take it out of the tub if it is not connected to the plug, and you do not get an electric shock.
Most commonly, they will automatically get switched off; otherwise, you have to press the power off button and open the case to take removable parts out of it.
Shake the device to remove hidden water drops and put it inside a ziplock bag filled with dry grains of rice or packs of silica gel for quick drying.
Keep it inside the bag for at least 20 to 30 hours, put all the components back into their original position, and check whether it works or not.
Furthermore, you can also get help from an authorized service center to fix the issue if the device remains underwater for more than half an hour.
How do you prevent damage when using the phone in the bathtub?
It is better to leave your phone in the bedroom when you are going to take a shower, but it is not bad to take it inside if you have some security issues.
However, you can put it in the dry corner of the bathroom where it does not come in contact with water to ensure your safety.
It is better not to charge your device while in the tub because the cord can touch the water and make you prone to electrical shocks.
Moreover, the wires can be broken or faulty that allow current to reach salts in water quickly, resulting in electrocution within a few seconds.
It is not safe to charge your phone in the bathroom due to the good conductivity of tap water. However, you can prevent electrocution by charging the device out of the bathroom space.
Check the extension cords and chargers for breaks, as frayed wires increase the risk of damage. These take less time to shift the flow of charges into another water medium.
Furthermore, wet hands can also catch electrical charges due to moisture or water drops, so make a wise decision and keep yourself safe from shocks.
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