It's a hazard of the job that a pool service tech might not consider when he's out in the field. Dropping his phone in the pool.

The law of averages says that it's bound to happen sooner or later. With that in mind, here are five steps to take if - when - your phone takes a dip.

1. Immediately remove the phone from the water.

The longer a phone stays submerged, the more likely it will be broken beyond repair. If the phone falls in the shallow end, reach in and grab. For deeper pools use the net and try and scoop it out as quickly as possible.

2. Remove the battery and cover

After placing the bedraggled phone on a dry cloth or paper towels, remove the battery and cover. If your phone has a SIM card remove that as well.

Generally, most circuits in a phone will survive a plunge as long as they're not connected to a power source (the battery). It's best to remove the battery as soon as possible.

Most phones should have a white circle near the battery. If that circle changes to show red lines or becomes a pinkish color then your phone will have some water damage.

3. Let the phone drain face up before gently drying

Try to let the phone drain as much as possible before using a dry cloth or paper towel to gently - we repeat, gently - rub the phone dry.

Some recommendations include using a vacuum and holding it over one spot for 20 minutes. You can try this but it is time consuming. DO NOT USE A BLOWDRYER, if for whatever reason you have one with you.

4. The rice method.

We're sure that you've heard or seen this one before. One way to remove moisture is to put a wet phone in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice overnight.

Generally this does work. However, if you can get your hands on a dessicant, use that instead. Dessicants are usually made up of silica gel and put in packets like the kind you find in shoe boxes.

You can find dessicants online or craft stores carry a version used for flower drying. It's recommended that the phone be rotated once an hour so the water can find a place to drain out.

5. Wait 24 hours before testing the phone

It's best to wait at least 24 hours before plugging the phone in or putting the battery back in the phone.

We recommend testing with the phone plugged into a charger before trying with the battery in case the battery is damaged.

Finally, if nothing seems to work do take your phone to an authorized dealer and see if they can help you. At worst you'll need a new phone.

Good luck.