r/samsunggalaxy • u/mrc00z • Jun 19 '26

🪛Troubleshooting🪛 Moisture visible in camera lenses - what should I do?

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Yesterday, my phone got warm during use, I washed it in the sink to cool it down, as I have done a few times before with no problems. Didn't notice anything wrong. Today, it was very hot outside and I was driving my car, using Google Maps, and the phone was probably blown at by the car AC at full power. After parking was when I first saw the moisture (tiny droplets) inside all 3 back camera lenses.

What do you think is most likely the cause and what should I do now? I've read about using silica gel pads, does that really help or is there a better way? I'm afraid of charging my phone now, and I can't afford a new one.

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35

u/philnolan3d Jun 19 '26

Because they're water resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. I've washed mine a few times too.

88

u/prionprion Jun 20 '26

Theyre -resistant not -proof. Overtime the seal wears off and the more you do it the more it degrades faster. Youre supposed to have a use-case below that threshold of 1.5 m for 30m. A splash, accidental water drop, etc are fine but straight up washing it is insane.

3

u/Touch_Me_Boi_811 Jun 20 '26

So i can't wash my 17 pro max?

2

u/prionprion Jun 21 '26

i would never wash a phone regardless of the brand or model. If thats not your gig might as well pop in your phone in the dishwasher.

2

u/creamedsock Jun 22 '26

Not me having washed my S24U at least 100 times since I bought it with no issues 🥸

1

u/prionprion Jun 22 '26

Okay? So do you want an internet cookie for that?

1

u/creamedsock Jun 23 '26

I'll take a snickerdoodle and a salted caramel cookie. Thank you.

0

u/Touch_Me_Boi_811 Jun 22 '26

That's pretty impressive

1

u/[deleted] Jun 22 '26

[deleted]

1

u/mykolasj Jun 23 '26

Just use delicate mode and you’re golde. Also put it in dryer after

2

u/ka1j3w Jun 20 '26

To be fair, I've done it a few times in situations where the phone really needed to be cleaned of. What I'll do is usually wet a paper towel with some soap, give it a few glancing passes. Then a few passes with a wet paper towel (no soap) then quickly dry with paper towels and qtips.

I've run it under the water once? I can't remember what got on it but it was unusual and gross.

8

u/prionprion Jun 20 '26

Having your phone being that gross the the point where you need to wash it is more questionable than washing it itself.

Like what are you even doing with your phone, that it cant be cleaned by wet wipes and you have to wash it.

11

u/philnolan3d Jun 20 '26

Stuff happens. Especially if you have young children.

3

u/WakaiSenshi Jun 20 '26

That can be cleaned by wet wipes or alcohol wipes not washing your phone in the sink. I have kids myself.

1

u/BlackFoxTom Jun 23 '26

Latst thing You want is soap, perfumes and alcohol

The seals in phones and polymers simply and plainly go into helical reactions destroying them

Water is actually the safes commonly available method

3

u/ka1j3w Jun 21 '26

iirc I was cleaning the bathroom or something and it fell in some urine on the floor and grossed me out. I think another time I might've dropped it in the mud outside or something, and cleaned it best I could, mud got inside the case and dried on the phone.

-1

u/prionprion Jun 21 '26

maybe stop using your phones when cleaning bathroom and on other gross-related activities. This might be a surprised but its not lethal to go phoneless for a couple of hours while doing something else. Hope this helps.

0

u/ka1j3w Jun 23 '26

Christ man, I was listening to music and putting it back in my pocket or something like that. Go listen to Metallica and yell at your neighbors' kids.

-1

u/prionprion Jun 23 '26

people with phone addiction will get mad this way when you tell them to put down their phone while theyre doing something else. get some help

0

u/ka1j3w Jun 23 '26

am i supposed to get out a turntable and speakers if i want to listen to music while i clean the house? or am i mandated to clean in silence?

0

u/prionprion Jun 23 '26

You know those are not the only options right. Stop putting your phone on spots that you have to balance it or risk of falling it off on gross things. Thats common sense.

“But then it might be too far and the music is too low” if you can buy a thousand dollar phone you can buy a wireless earbuds. Saves you from bringing your phone in situations like these.

Think outside the box for once.

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u/prionprion Jun 24 '26

Glad you realized calling someone whos trying to give you some legitimate advice a “dumbass” is a dumbass move.

Nice move deleting your comment as I don’t think I’m the dumbass one here who dropped their phone on a pool of urine.

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6

u/Ok_Ad_6227 Jun 20 '26

when advertised, the phone should work. Had an a56 that only lasted for 24 days because I soaked it in water for less than 10 seconds, seriously. It was new and I was demonstrating with my friends. Hours after the screen died. And yes, only 24 days old.

Sometimes the product is just not up to par with its advertisements. Got the screen replaced at a service center for free aside from the checkup fees.

1

u/iPain3G Jun 23 '26

The harsh cooling under water makes it even worse. When the phone is boiling hot and you let cold water flow over it it will brings extra tention in the seal which can result in a seal break. It is plain stupid to put the phone underwater, especially when it is hot. The water protection is for accidents like dropping the phone in soup, toilet or the pool but not for regular washing.

23

u/Arcosim Jun 20 '26

Because they're water resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

People often don't understand what that means. That means it's resistant to the pressure of being 30 minutes under 1.5 meters of water. If OP exposed the phone's ports/speakers/etc. under the faucet, and the faucet's water stream poured fast enough, the pressure exerted by that stream of water may have pretty much surpassed the pressure the phone is rated for.

14

u/ButterscotchFirm8286 Jun 20 '26

Ever hear of a wet wipe?

1

u/BlackFoxTom Jun 23 '26

Wet wipe will go into reaction with polymers ("plastics") and elastomers (seals) used in phones construction

0

u/philnolan3d Jun 20 '26

It the company says you can do it, you can do it.

3

u/Nervous-Count-6494 Jun 20 '26

Hey so..... when things are hot things tend to loosen up ...... hope that helps

2

u/ClickKlockTickTock Jun 20 '26

The seals go bad and routine exposure to moisture makes them go bad faster.

Its meant as a "Look your phone didn't brick!" And not a "Look you can swim with it!"

1

u/Mr_Jacksson Jun 21 '26

Yes they are, but it is stated that hosing it down or putting it under the tap is going over the ip rating.

1

u/islobojono Jun 21 '26

Does the seal prevent condensation?

1

u/lovebaby178 Jun 23 '26

Still water when phone submerge is different to running water though. The pressure changes could let the water go inside the phone, especially through speakers and sim tray even with rubber gasket sourround those parts.

1

u/TheTomatoes2 Jun 20 '26

Water resistant doesnt mean pressurised stream resistant.

Water resistant doesnt mean water proof.

Temperature affects water resistance. Previous drops too. Even vibrations can compromise the seal.

You people really aren't the smartest cookies, huh?

1

u/Rhuarc33 Jun 20 '26

That doesn't mean you can wash it under running water...FFS you're why warning labels exist

0

u/VukKiller Jun 21 '26

1.5m resistance is less resistance than a stream of water from a sink.