They went through a full cycle in a pocket and you have just found them. Survival is genuinely possible, particularly with water-resistant earbuds, and what you do in the next hour matters more than anything you do afterwards.
The short answer
Do not try to turn them on and do not put them in the case to charge. Power is what turns a wet device into a corroded one. Shake the water out, dry the outside, and leave them somewhere warm and airy for at least 48 hours before attempting anything. Rice does not work and a hairdryer causes more damage than it prevents.
The first hour
- Get them out and do not press anything. If they are on, they are already at risk; do not add to it by pressing buttons or putting them in the case.
- Shake the water out. Hold each bud firmly and shake downward with the mesh facing the floor. Repeat several times. Getting water out mechanically is far more effective than any drying method.
- Dry the outside thoroughly, including the charging contacts, with a soft cloth.
- Leave them out of the case, in open air, somewhere warm but not hot. A room with moving air is ideal.
- Wait 48 hours minimum. Longer is better. This is the hardest part and the most important.
Do not charge them until they are completely dry. Water plus current is what causes corrosion and short circuits, and putting a damp bud into a charging case is the single most common way people turn a recoverable device into a dead one. The case contacts are live.
Shake the water out properly
Hold each bud and shake it downward, mesh facing the floor, several times. Then do it again after a few minutes as more water works its way out. This removes more water than any passive drying method will.
Dry the charging contacts specifically
The metal pads on the bud and the pins in the case. Any water here is what will corrode, and it is the part you can actually reach.
Remove the ear tips and dry them separately
Water sits in the tip stem and keeps the area damp. Wash them properly in warm water while you are at it and dry them fully.
Leave them in open air, out of the case
A warm room with some airflow. Not on a radiator, not in direct sun, not in an airing cupboard at high temperature. Room temperature and moving air beat heat.
Use silica gel if you have it
The sachets from packaging, in a sealed container with the buds. This genuinely helps, unlike rice. Use a lot of it and give it a full day.
Wait 48 hours before any attempt to power them
The temptation to check after a few hours is strong and it is exactly how devices get killed. Water inside takes far longer to evaporate than the outside suggests.
Check the case separately
The case is a battery and a circuit board too. If it went through as well, it needs the same treatment, and it is often the component that does not survive.
Test carefully after 48 hours
Put one bud in a dry case and watch for a normal charging indicator. If it behaves oddly, take it out and give it another day.
Do not use rice. It is the most repeated advice on this subject and it does not work: rice is a poor desiccant, it leaves starch and dust inside the device, and grains can lodge in ports. Silica gel is genuinely effective; rice is folklore.
Why a hairdryer makes it worse
Heat seems logical and it causes three problems. It can melt the adhesive holding the driver and the seals in place. It damages the battery, which is the component least tolerant of heat. And forced air drives water deeper into the device rather than pulling it out.
Gentle warmth and patience are what work. A warm room, moving air, and two days.
What the water rating means here
If your earbuds are rated IPX7 or IP67, they are sealed against immersion and there is a reasonable chance they are simply fine. Those ratings are tested at one metre for thirty minutes in fresh water; a washing machine is more aggressive, with detergent, heat and agitation, but the seal is the thing that matters and it is designed for exactly this kind of ingress.
If they are IPX4 or unrated, the outlook is poorer. Those are splash ratings and a full wash cycle will have got inside.
The charging case is almost never rated, whatever the buds are. If the case went through too, treat it as the weakest link.
If they survive but sound wrong
Muffled sound after drying usually means water still in the mesh or detergent residue. Give them another day in open air. If it persists, brush the mesh dry with a soft toothbrush, holding the bud face down.
A bud that charges but does not connect, or connects and cuts out, may have a damaged antenna or a partly corroded board. Try a full reset and re-pair. If that fails after a week of drying, it is unlikely to recover.
Does rice work for drying electronics?
No. Rice is a poor desiccant and it leaves starch and dust inside. Silica gel works; rice is folklore that persists because devices sometimes survive anyway.
How long should I wait before charging them?
At least 48 hours, and longer if you can bear it. Charging while damp is the most common way a recoverable device becomes a dead one.
Will waterproof earbuds survive a wash cycle?
IPX7 and IP67 buds have a reasonable chance, since they are sealed against immersion. Splash-rated or unrated buds are much less likely to survive. The case is almost never rated at all.
Can I use a hairdryer to speed it up?
No. Heat melts adhesive and damages the battery, and forced air drives water deeper. Room temperature and airflow are what work.
They work but sound muffled. Will that improve?
Often, yes, over another day or two as water leaves the mesh. If it persists, brush the mesh dry with a soft toothbrush, face down.
The bottom line
Shake the water out, dry the contacts, and leave them out of the case in a warm airy room for at least 48 hours. Do not charge them, do not use rice, and do not use a hairdryer. Water-resistant buds have a genuine chance; the charging case is usually the part that does not make it.
