When I was fabricating boards way back when, we cleaned them with alcohol.

So they wouldn't be fluxed up.

Thanks Bruce - It was a long time ago. I couldn't think of the word.

Most all electronics can be shorted (by water) and not be damaged. Exceptions include high voltage devices (cathode ray video screens, microwave ovens, etc) and certain devices where water inside the device cannot be removed. In fact, we routinely would short outputs (using wire) of digital electronics and power supplies to confirm other functions were working. That shorting must never cause damage. Water is even less conductive than wire.

For example, every output from a microprocessor can be shorted and never be damaged. A standard that existed even in the original Intel 8080 microprocessors.

Never saw a PC board shop using alcohol. However large vats of CFCs were routinely used to clean electronic boards. That CFC then air dried faster than water making the board immediately ready to ship. Dishwashing of electronics was the replacement for CFCs.

Does that include cellphones?

All electronics. Now, what devices don't dry well? If moisture gets inside a LCD, then little can remove it. LCDs don't open. But then it should take pressure to get into an LCD.

How LCDs connect to a PC board is interesting. Numerous tiny wires are impeded in a styrofoam like material. Slight pressure of the LCD causes wires impeded in that styrofoam to make contact with the PCB. So it may take time and effort to remove that moisture.

But again, moisture does not cause electronics damage. If left too long, it may cause corrosion. Moisture must be removed so that near zero currents flow in proper directions again.

Appreciate how a cell phone keyboard works. Those switch buttons are not very conductive. But the microprocessor sees a poor conductor make contact. However, if water gets between those PC traces, then the microprocessor thinks multiple or all keys are pressed - and ignores it. So that a cell phone's microprocessor can see a keypress, that membrane (that keeps water trapped for months) must be removed, dried, and restored. IOW labor and care.

I have experimented with removing water using vacuum. IOW put a phone inside a plastic bag, suck all air out with a vacuum cleaner, then let driest air in. Did that about 30 times without success. Not enough. A cell phone could also be dried this way. But expect this technique to take at least hundreds of cycles in a room with very dry air. And the technique assumes the water is not contaminated with other conductive materials such as salt.

Get the item into a sauna ASAP!

Aren't sauna's wet from the water on the hot rocks and shit?

That's a steam room. The sauna has the dry heat.

Yeah, we call that "outside." (Especially this year. Did you know it's about 80 degrees outside my house right now?)

Now Clod is on report...

really? Can I go wherever she is and be on report too?
Its freeezzzzzzzziiinggg here.

We're getting used to it here. I fed the animals this morning and came inside without noticing that it's 16 out.