Samsung TV Remote Got Wet (What to Do)

As the owner of a Samsung TV, I know the frustration of dealing with a remote that got wet. After my own experience of trying to figure out what to do, I decided to do some research and testing to find solutions to this common issue. I’m here to share my findings and the solutions I discovered to help other Samsung TV owners in the same predicament.

Tips
1. Remove wet batteries from your Samsung TV remote immediately.
2. Wipe off any liquid from the surface of the remote.
3. Thoroughly dry the remote using different methods:
a. Filament Bulb Method
b. Air Drying Method
c. Blow Drying Method
d. Isopropyl Alcohol Method
4. If the remote still won’t work, purchase a new one.

Table of Contents

1. Remove the Battery

When your Samsung TV remote gets wet, the first thing you should do is take out the batteries. In fact, removing the power source is the first thing you should do with any electrical device that gets wet unless it’s waterproof.

This is because water is a good conductor of electricity, which can lead to further damage to the circuits of the remote.

2. Wipe off Liquid

Once you’ve taken out the batteries, you need to wipe off any liquid from the surface of the remote as well as any nooks or crannies that you can reach.

So, grab a clean cloth and pass it all over the TV remote to soak up any excess liquid. It’s best if the cloth you use is cotton because this material can instantly take up even the tiniest bit of water whenever it comes in contact with it.

Once the cloth has seemingly absorbed as much water as possible, shake the remote in different directions to remove more liquid. After that, repeat the wiping process using a cotton cloth.

3. Thoroughly Dry the Remote

At this point, your TV remote may start working again. However, if there’s more liquid that made its way inside the remote, you’ll need to remove it via thorough drying before the remote can work again.

To do this, you need to pop open the remote and separate some of its components. Here’s how you can do it:

Grab a small, flat screwdriver.

Starting at the middle portion of the remote, stick the screwdriver’s tip into the seam running around the remote and seemingly dividing it into a top half and bottom half.
Apply some pressure to create a gap.
Grab another small, flat screwdriver and stick it into the gap at the top portion of the remote while gently pushing upwards.

Grab the first screwdriver and stick it into different locations of the gap around the remote’s case, continuing to gently lift and pry with each jam.
Once you’ve worked your way all around the remote, the top half of the case should come off easily.
Use a small, flat screwdriver to gently pop off the circuit board.

The keypad and button mat should now be exposed. Take them out with your hands.

Now, you can try the following methods to thoroughly dry the TV remote:

Filament Bulb Method

Place the components of the remote control under a filament bulb.

Switch the bulb on.
The bulb will get hot and heat up its surroundings within a few minutes.
Keep the remote control under the bulb for a couple of hours, making sure to change the position of the components every 30 minutes or so to allow the heat to reach all gaps and nooks.

Once the components have had enough exposure to heat, assemble the remote control and test its functions.

Air Drying Method

Lay down a cotton cloth in a well-ventilated room.
Place the components of the remote control on the cotton cloth.

Let the components air dry for a minimum of 3 hours. You can reduce the drying time by directing a fan onto the TV remote components.
Once the components have had enough exposure to air, assemble the remote control and test its functions.

Blow Drying Method

Lay down a cotton cloth in a well-ventilated room.

Place the components of the remote control on the cotton cloth.
Gran a hair dryer and set it to a medium temperature. Don’t use a high setting to avoid overheating the plastic or the delicate electric components.
Blow the warm air into the TV remote for around 5 minutes.

Once the components have cooled down, assemble the remote control and test its functions.

Isopropyl Alcohol Method

Place the remote components in a deep container.
Fill the container with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol, preferably 99%). Since alcohol is flammable, make sure you do this outside.

Make sure all the components are completely immersed.
Take out the components and place them on a cotton cloth.
Let the components air dry for a minimum of 2 hours. You can reduce the drying time by directing a fan or a blow dryer onto the TV remote components.

Once the components have dried out, assemble the remote control and test its functions.

Wrap Up

If your Samsung TV remote got wet, you should immediately remove its batteries and start drying it inside and out. If it still won’t work after trying the methods above, your last option is to buy a new remote.