Car Keys In Washing Machine: How To Dry It?

There are many ways to accidentally get your key fob WET, whether you dropped it in the pool, tripped over it in a puddle, or left it in the washer. What should you do if the key to your car gets washed in a washing machine? We will tell you what to do about a wet car key and how to dry it out in this article.

What To Do About Wet Car Keys

Act Quickly

You’ll want to have your key fob dried out as soon as you realize you’ve gotten it wet. Your fob is less likely to survive its close call with death the longer you wait.

That’s because the moment your key fob comes into contact with water, it may develop one or more serious issues:

• Voltage spikes – Because water is such a good conductor, it could easily short out certain circuits on the circuit board of the key fob.
• Corrosion – Metal traces and other components on a wet circuit board will corrode and rust, causing the board to fail.
• Failure of the key fob battery – Another potential cause of a wet circuit board is a leaky battery. You’ll ideally have a dead battery. The battery might even explode or leak at worst.

Dab and Shake

Focus on removing as much water as you can from your key fob before opening it after you’ve fished it out of whatever puddle, pool, or washing machine you were using.

In the beginning, turn the fob button side down and let as much water drain out of it as you can. Shake out as much water as you can, and then use a clean cloth to buff the fob dry.

After that, lay the fob button side down and give it some time to drain. In addition to catching the water, the cloth should also draw a small amount from any crevices that come into direct contact with it.

Open It Up

Most likely, a small amount of water is still trapped inside the key fob despite all of this effort. The key fob should now be carefully opened. Small Torx, Phillips, or Allen-head screws hold some fobs together, while flat screwdrivers are required to carefully pry apart others.

Open the key fob carefully and attempt to dry out the circuit board and interior of the case as much as you can.

To remove any remaining impurities, carefully wipe the circuit board with a cotton swab dipped in 90 percent isopropyl alcohol, and then allow it to dry completely.

Check the Battery

Make sure the battery isn’t leaking by giving it a close inspection. If it is, cautiously removes the battery and apply distilled white vinegar-dipped cotton swabs to the troubled areas. By doing so, the acid will be neutralized and cleanup will be safer.

In the event that the battery was harmed or completely used up following the accidental submersion, it is a good idea to replace it as a precaution.

Before replacing the battery, clean the circuit board’s contacts with isopropyl alcohol after removing the old one.

Try It Out

Put the key fob back together carefully and test it after making sure it is completely dry. If it functions, you are ready to go.

The key fob may need to be disassembled in order to thoroughly clean the impacted contacts once more if only some of the buttons function. Check to see if the key fob needs to be reprogrammed if it isn’t working at all first.

Even after you’ve followed all of the above instructions, your key fob might not still not function.

Therefore, don’t get upset if your key fob breaks; just use it as a lesson instead. Even though you’ll lose a few hundred dollars or more, at least you’ll have a plan in place in case you ever encounter the same issue again.

Read more: Are Car Keys Waterproof?

Tips To Dry Out A Wet Car Key

To dry the outer casing and buttons, find something absorbent; if you have a paper towel or tissue on hand, those would be ideal. Turn the key fob so the buttons are facing downward before you start drying to try and get rid of any extra water that may be present.

Shake it gently to allow any water to drain through the buttons, and then dry the casing and the area around the buttons as thoroughly as you can.

The battery should then be removed if you feel capable of doing so and are confident enough to do so. Typically, you can do this by using a small screwdriver or other tools to pry open the casing.

The batteries in car key fobs are typically flat, silver disks that resemble buttons and are of the same type as those in most quartz watches. They are typically fairly simple to remove. Even if you lack confidence, you can still go ahead with it because it might still be effective. However, if you do take it off, wait until the fob is completely dry before replacing it with a new one.

The key fob needs to be completely dried now. Any of the many approaches will work in this situation. If you happen to have some silica gel packets on hand, you can put them in a plastic bag with the key and they’ll help to absorb a lot of the moisture.

If you use this method, it’s still worthwhile to finish the drying process because the silica gel packs might not be big enough to completely absorb the moisture.

Why You Must Try To Open Wet Car Keys

The delicate electronics only become a problem if water is allowed to remain in contact with them. The circuit board will turn green and furry very soon. The key will then become inoperable when this occurs.

Need A New Key? Try A Locksmith First

Try your neighborhood automotive locksmith first instead of rushing to the dealership for a new key. A locksmith will typically be much less expensive than a car dealer.  If you need an automotive locksmith, give a locksmith, which is situated on the Coast Coast of New South Wales, a shot.

Make sure you have a spare key. Yes, they can be pricey, but you will regret not having one made if you lose your only car key.