Proper technique for washing CF cards?

[stoph]

Well it happened. I left a CF card in my shirt pocket and it went through the washing machine (found it before it went through the dryer)

Any advice on what to do now. I'm afraid to put it in the camera of card reader.

[John_B]

stoph,
Try to put the card in a dry area and let it dry completely (this may take a few days depending how dry the air is).
Once it is completely dry it will probably work fine. But don't put it into camera until its completely dry!

[rklepper]

Unless there were pictures on it you want to get off I would just toss it.

[ajayclicks]

Incase you really wanna use it, probably using a card reader might help rather than take a chance with a camera. I read somewhere (cant remember) that if we use a card reader, we can actually upload pics to a memory card...

[Jaime]

Stick it in a ziplock bag with some of those silica bags for a day or so, and then if you want to try I would mess around in a card reader first, rather than the camera. Bit the bottom line is I would never rely on that card for anything that was important any longer.

[TomHuckWa]

Dry it out, use it. No problems I have washed flash cards and keyboards (yep, keyboards.) No problem as long as they dry thoroughly before using again. Spilled a pepsi in the keyboard, figured it was ruined anyway, took it to the sink and flushed very thoroughly with warm tap water right away, dried for three days, its still working. The one I am typing on right now in fact.

[In2Photos]

I have washed CF cards and USB flash drives several times. Once they dry they work fine. Don't worry about it.

[EOS MAN1]

Make sure you use a fabric softener sheet when you dry it. It will make sure it has that soft snuggly feel to it. I wouldn't risk it in the camera. You can try it in the card reader, but I wouldn't put it in the camera at all. If it works in the reader, you could just use it like a USB stick. For extra storage.

[Jon]

I'm also of the "Let it dry thoroughly and go on using it" school.

[lungdoc]

I've washed USB keys many times inadvertently and they all still work. I agree with others though that I'd try it first in the card reader and not in the camera.

[Control Group]

Is it a microdrive or standard flash?

If the former, you're quite possibly hosed; if water got into the drive mechanism, it will probably never work again. If the latter, there's no reason for it not to work fine once it dries. I've had CRTs and whole PCs get doused - as long as you don't turn them on while they're still wet and short out some traces, they're fine again once they dry.

[Grentz]

Stick it in a ziplock bag with some of those silica bags for a day or so, and then if you want to try I would mess around in a card reader first, rather than the camera. Bit the bottom line is I would never rely on that card for anything that was important any longer.

Let it dry but do not seal it in a bag. Even with silica that will make it worse! (i have tried it before, trust me!)

Just set it out for a few days. Also do not put it in the sun or something as that can speed up the drying, but cause sediment to come out of solution easier and cause shorts possibly.

[cdifoto]

Take it to Boeing and put it in their wind tunnel. It'll dry pretty quick.

[jr_senator]

Unless there were pictures on it you want to get off I would just toss it.

Yeah.

[bundybear]

theoretically speaking, once it has dried completely, it should be OK.
for the most part and like most electrical devices, an electrical component will only short out (in these circumstances) if it has a current running through it when it gets wet.
so theoretically, once dry it should be ok. but, if it was me personally, i'd try it on a camera that someone I don't like owns:evil: :evil: :lol: nah just kidding, I wouldn't.

[Sonic Infidel]

It will be fine. I've done the same thing. Just let it dry.

There is no need to pitch it.

[DocFrankenstein]

I keep washing my sandisk.

I don't feel like drying it for too long. So I dip it in alcohol for about 10 seconds, take it out and in 5 minutes the card is dry. (alcohol evaporates much faster)

[SuzyView]

My son had his DS at the Mexican place last night and spilled 1/2 of his jarito on it (fruit punch flavor). The whole thing was drenched. After cleaning off the kid, my older son wiped off the DS, let it dry and it was fine. A DS costs around $130, so I was pretty upset. I think CF cards are made to last as well, so dry it off and try it. It might be just fine.

[TXLEBER]

I've washed a cell phone before. Let it dry and it worked just fine. One trick I heard of when I was trying to figure out what to do w/ the phone, was to put it on top of a cable box or stereo component, whatever was running and generating heat. This supposedly helps speed up the drying process.

[SkipD]

Having been involved in electronics for decades both professionally and as a hobby, I would like to make a suggestion.

If a memory card (or any other electronics, for that matter) gets dunked in water that is likely to have contaminants in it - salt, sugar, dirt, etc. - I would suggest another wash with distilled (or at least highly filtered and softened) water. Then let the device dry thoroughly.

If an electronic device was not powered when it got dunked, clean water itself generally won't cause any damage if you dry the unit before powering it. It's the potential contaminants that can wind up causing extra electrical paths if not removed before powering the unit, and that can cause component failures.

Quite a few years ago, I had a handheld two-way Ham radio out in a rainstorm while checking on the occupants of a couple of automobiles that crashed. The rain flooded my radio and caused it to stop functioning. At home, I opened it up and let it dry out well. After using it for a few more years, I sold it to another Ham operator who continued to use it for a few years more. No repairs had been required other than carefully making sure everything was dry.

[WesDigi]

Thanks to all for the practical and technical advice. Our knowledge is greatly increased by reading this forum.

[stoph]

Update: I let it dry out, then put in a card reader first to see if it worked. Tried it yesterday in my XT and everything seems to be ok.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

I've washed my Ultra II's many times before. I just stick 'em in the pc and they've always been fine.

[kuanyu]

Let it dry out on top a TV set or other warm device. Also RO (Reverse Osmosis) water is great to flush things with if the water cantains any salt/sugar ect. Most pet stores that carry saltwater fish will have RO water cheap just be sure to tell them you need it before the salt is added

[Big WIll]

Find a little warm area, not too hot but just warm.

Just don't try and use it for a few days!

[Citizensmith]

So is washing it better or worse than reformatting? If I use softener will my photos become soft focus?