You washed your car key fob. Here's what to do right now.
The honest version: a lot of fobs survive the wash if you can open them and pull the battery, but many newer smart fobs are sealed and can't be opened, and those often mean a dealer replacement. Here's how to tell
which you have, what to do, and how to get into your car in the meantime.
Do this in the next 60 seconds
Don't press the buttons. Pressing a wet fob just drives water deeper into the board, and you don't need to test it right now.
If it opens, split the case and pull the battery. Many fobs have a seam (often with a slot for a coin or the emergency key) and a removable coin-cell battery. Pop it open and take the battery out immediately. That's the step that saves fobs.If yours is sealed or rechargeable and won't open, don't force it. Skip to drying, and see the note below.
Slide out the emergency key. Most fobs hide a small metal blade key inside. Pull it out, that alone gets you into the car.
Dry the board gently. Pat it with a towel, then leave it open in cool, moving air, or tuck it in with silica-gel packets. Not a hairdryer (heat warps it), and skip the rice.
Don't reassemble or use it until it's fully dry. Give it 24–48 hours, then pop in a fresh coin battery and test.
You're probably not stranded. That metal emergency key inside the fob unlocks your door. And many push-to-start
vehicles will start with a dead fob if you hold it against the start button (or a marked spot on the column). Check your
owner's manual for exactly where. So take a breath; you can still get where you're going while the fob dries.
Now the honest part
If your fob opens, it has real odds. When you can pull the battery, drying the board out works a lot of the time. The people who lose those fobs are usually the ones who left the battery in and kept pressing buttons.
Sealed and rechargeable fobs are the tough case. A lot of the newest smart fobs are one sealed unit. No coin battery to pull, no easy way in. If water gets inside one of those, there's often no home fix; it means a trip to the dealer. Frustrating, and not your fault. It's just how they're built now.
Rice still isn't the move. Opening it and removing the battery matters far more than what you bury it in. Then use open air or silica gel, and replace the coin battery to be safe.
If it doesn't come back, the newer fobs aren't cheap. A modern smart or push-to-start fob typically runs $250–$450 at a dealer with programming, and luxury or newer models can top $500. A locksmith is sometimes cheaper. The proximity keys are getting more expensive, not less, which is exactly why it's worth catching before it ever hits the water.
Save the steps before you need them again
Get the free one-page Wash Rescue Guide. The exact steps for key fobs, plus phones, AirPods, hearing aids, and watches. Keep it handy for the next time something ends up in a pocket.
No spam. We'll also let you know when WashDog launches.
Quick answers
Will my fob still work after the washer?
If it opens and you can pull the battery, often yes. Dry it fast and test with a fresh battery. Sealed or rechargeable fobs that can't be opened are much harder to save and may need a dealer replacement.
My fob is sealed or rechargeable and won't open, now what?
Don't force it. Dry the outside, keep it off any charger while it may be wet, give it time in cool moving air or silica gel, and test it. If it doesn't come back, a sealed smart fob usually means a dealer or locksmith replacement.
How do I get into my car right now?
Use the metal emergency key hidden inside the fob to unlock the door. Many push-to-start cars will also start with a dead fob held against the start button, check your manual.
Should I use rice?
Open the fob and remove the battery first, that's what matters. Then dry in open air or silica gel. Rice is slow and its dust can get into the electronics.
What's a replacement cost?
A modern smart/proximity fob usually runs $250–$450 at a dealer with programming, more for luxury or newer models; a locksmith can be cheaper.
Can I speed it up with heat?
No. A hairdryer or other heat can warp the case and damage the board. Cool, moving air only.
A fob is small, easy to miss, and the person starting the load can't see it in there. Checking pockets by hand works, right up until the one rushed load where it doesn't. And the newest smart fobs are exactly the ones you can't
just dry out, and the ones that cost $250 or more to replace. That one miss is an expensive one.
WashDog is that check, made automatic. It's a small device that watches your washer and catches tagged
valuables, and many devices on their own, before the cycle starts.
Green: you're clear
Red ring + a bark: stop, something's still in there
It won't promise to save everything, nothing honestly can. But it catches the mistake before the water does, and one
saved fob more than covers it.
We're launching on Kickstarter. Join the list and we'll send you $10 off at launch, plus the free Rescue Guide.