There’s nothing like a good rinse in the morning to wake you up and get you ready for work.
Even better, if you can have a mini shower-karaoke session in there at the same time!
Holding onto that desire to have your favorite music with you while you soap up, you may wonder:
“Can I take my Samsung S10 in the shower?”
You’ll be glad to know that yes, you can take your Samsung Galaxy S10 in the shower.
The smartphone has an IP68 rating, and can technically survive when immersed in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.
However, it is still not advised to use the phone directly under the shower every day.
Instead, the better thing to do would be to place your S10 on a shelf or a stand in the bathroom when you’re having a sudsy scrub.
One of the primary reasons for this is due to the fact that the touchscreen won’t work properly when wet. That means you can’t text, work, or play games while in the shower.
However, you can listen to music, watch videos, or answer calls on your S10- all of which luckily doesn’t require interaction with wet hands.
There are undoubtedly all kinds of shampoos and conditioners in the cubicle as well- make sure not to expose your S10 to any chemical substances.
Finally (but not any less important)- don’t drop the phone!
How Waterproof Is The Samsung S10?
The Samsung Galaxy S10 officially has an IP68 rating, which is considered the best in the current mobile tech market.
The phones use the Ingress Protection Rating System, where the first digit stands for protection from solids (dust), and the second digit represents liquid protection (water).
The IP68 rating means that the phone is dust-resistant and has waterproof capability within the given constraints.
According to the rating system, the S10 can be submerged in 1.5 meters (5 feet) of water. The phone can last for around 30 minutes in this state.
However, what you do need to understand is that the tests are conducted in ideal environments using freshwater.
Therefore, results will vary for chlorinated water and salt-water and phones have a higher risk of being damaged when exposed to these environments.
To sum that up: Your phone will survive a shower, but is less likely to survive if you deep dive with it into the ocean!
Furthermore, the pressure of the water also plays a role.
If you are under a high-pressure shower (similar to a waterfall), your S10 is not likely to survive the impact.
Showers with regular pressure might be safe as long as you don’t expose the phone to water for an extended period of time.
Consider the temperature of the water as well; water that is too hot or too can lead to unforeseen damage.
As we mentioned above, the waterproofing ability is limited to freshwater. Your S10 can again suffer from damage if exposed to soapy water and other chemicals.
Soapy lather is harmful to a smartphone, as the shampoo and soap can seep inside through the USB slot and damage the circuits.
Despite the waterproofing ability, taking S10 into the pool is also not recommended.
The pressure of the water when swimming can break through the rubber seal, which will then allow the water to reach the internal circuits and cause damage to the phone.
Additionally, pool water contains chlorine, which is obviously not great for smartphones. So while a splash of pool water is generally okay since the phone has an IP68 rating, swimming with your S10 in your pocket is a recipe for disaster.
Do always keep in mind that liquid damage is not covered by warranty!
This means that if your S10 were to get damaged during your shower, the company has no responsibility to replace the phone or the damaged parts.
Can I Shower With My Samsung Galaxy S10?
Technically, yes. You can shower with your Galaxy S10. The phone has a certified IP68 rating, making it pretty safe to take it into the shower.
However, realistically speaking- the answer should be a little different. This is because a variety of factors need to be considered when a phone gets wet.
You definitely don’t want your phone to be damaged when you shower with it, right?
So, let’s look at each scenario in detail and determine whether you can shower with your Galaxy S10 and while still preventing liquid damage:
- When you get into the shower with your Galaxy S10, you expose it to pressurized cold or hot water. Hot water creates steam and condensation, both of which can easily seep into the phone.
- If you use soap or shampoo in the shower (and who doesn’t?!), these inadvertently will contain certain chemicals. Such chemicals are not good for the phone and can damage the internal circuitry.
- The moisture of the water renders the touchscreen ineffective. This means that you can’t really use your phone except via the button controls on the side.
- There’s a high risk of the phone slipping through your wet hands. This will then result in physical exterior damage, such as a cracked screen.
In short, you are at a higher risk of damaging your S10 in multiple different ways if you do choose to shower with it.
The best possible course of action would be to not take the phone into the shower at all– or at least protect it from the hot water and steam in the shower by encasing it in some sort of protective material.
Is Steam Bad For The S10?
Well, yes.
Steam is bad for any phone.
This is because steam is thinner in size and hotter than water. As a result, it can easily seep into a phone and enter into the internal circuits, causing corrosion.
A phone can be water-resistant and waterproof, but that doesn’t make it steam-proof. In fact, you’ll notice that most brands don’t advertise smartphones as waterproof. Instead, they dub them ‘water-resistant’ and mention the IP rating (if applicable).
The speaker is the first thing prone to getting damaged when the phone is exposed to excess water or steam.
It is strongly recommended not to take your phone into a sauna, hot tubs, or shower cubicles where steam has a tendency to rise more and cause condensation.
If you still want to take your phone into the shower, make sure to place it away from direct steam. Since steam rises high up naturally, your phone should be safe close to the floor level.
A very wise thing to do would actually be to leave your phone outside when taking a shower.
If that is not possible, try to protect the phone from steam and direct water pressure. You can also wrap a napkin or a towel around the phone to reduce the risk of steam seeping inside.
Another decent way to safeguard your phone in the shower is by putting it in an airtight ziplock bag.
What Do I Do if My Galaxy S10 Gets Wet?
The question remains: What should you do if your S10 gets wet? Though it is water-resistant, you still need to ensure that the internal hardware has not been damaged by water:
- The first step in such instances is to turn off the phone immediately. Don’t turn it on unless you are 100% certain that the inside is fully dry and clean.
- Remove the SD card and SIM card from their respective slots and dab them with a clean tissue or cloth. Try not to press any buttons when removing the cards.
- Remove the back cover and leave the phone to dry on a soft cloth. Don’t place it near heat sources in an attempt to dry it faster.
- On the same note, don’t ever use a hairdryer to try to dry your phone faster. It’s generally not a good idea to shake it either, or to blow into it. Let the drying process happen naturally!
- Don’t turn on the phone or try to use it for at least 48 hours. If the phone doesn’t turn on after it appears fully dry, try to charge it first.
- If it doesn’t accept charging, or if the moisture detector is activated, or if the S10 simply just won’t work, it’s time to take it to an expert for professional repairs.
If you aren’t sure of the severity of water damage or are worried that the phone may still have traces of moisture inside, contact a technician to test the phone.
Do not under any circumstances try to fix the phone on your own, especially when you have no personal expertise! Oftentimes the total extent of water damage cannot be ascertained without a thorough and proper examination.
Related Questions
Q1. How should I prevent my Samsung phone from getting wet?
Even though S10 is a water-resistant model, it doesn’t make sense to risk it unnecessarily.
Of course, it could be the case that you may have forgotten about the phone being on your person, or that it could’ve gotten wet by accident.
Invest in a waterproof cover or pouch for the phone. Carry a spare ziplock bag with you and place the phone inside it in risky situations. Wrap it in a towel or napkin when leaving it on the beach.
Whatever you decide to do, being alert to the watery risks present will hope to protect your phone from costly damage!
Q2. What to do when your Samsung S10 doesn’t turn on after getting wet
Don’t charge the phone while it is wet. Instead, remove the back cover and place the phone on a clean, soft cloth and leave it to dry.
You can also put the phone in a ziplock bag filled with rice for 48 hours. This is more than a myth and a meme; rice really will absorb traces of moisture! If nothing works, take it to an expert.
In Summary
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is a sturdy device and has been certified with an IP68 rating to reflect that.
It is dust-resistant and waterproof even when submerged in water for up to 5 feet for a period of 30 minutes.
Therefore, you technically can take your S10 into the shower.
With that said, you should take care not to expose it to too much pressure, hot water, or chemicals that might be present.
Keep in mind that the touchscreen will also not work when it is wet, thus severely limiting its functionality to the most basic- you can really only use the buttons to operate the phone!
If you do choose to take your S10 into the shower, try your very best not to get it wet unless necessary.
Place it away from the direct water pressure to prevent damage to the internal circuits, and put it inside a plastic ziplock bag for ultimate protection!