bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

The SD card stores data on a solid state flash memory chip. There are no moving parts and the weakest points would be the internal connections between the chip and the external connector. If the plastic enclosure did in fact prevent water from penetrating to the chip's connections, there would be no problem other than the possibility of latent failure due to the possibly excessive heat it was subjected to in the dryer. It is true that memory cards have spent years at the bottom of lakes or buried in rubble and still yielded usable photos, but why take a chance. Memory cards are cheap. I would buy a new SD card and mark the questionable SD card to prevent mix up and save it as an emergency spare.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

It doesn't hurt electronics to get wet if they are not on at the time. I used to wash cards with a tooth brush and soapy water all the time, the let air dry or blow dry with a hair dryer on warm or cool. An sd car has no power, so it didn't hurt it. The biggest problem would be to high of heat or swelling if dried to slow. None of this was evidently not a problem since it still works.

I dropped a portable radio in the ocean one time. I picked it up, took out the battery immediately, flushed it with clean water to get the salt out, dried it and it worked! Corrosion is a big factor in failure. Sometimes we get lucky!! If you're really worried, get another for backup, since it seems to be fine.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

You purposely washed cards with a toothbrush and soapy water? Why in the world would you do that? I have never had an external surface of an SD card get dirty enough to clean it at all, much less scrub it with a brush.

londonfire Loc: NY to NC

I don't think I'd pack that card if I was heading to Europe.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Why is everyone trying so desperately to save a card? Isn't it the images that matter? Why take a chance? It is not as though a camera body or lens were damaged. It is a card. Replace it.

Mike

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Electronic cards is what I was talking about, not SD.......to get the dust and grime off them....and sometimes grease. Atmosphere can be hard on cards. Was just making a point that water doesn't always hurt stuff...

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

Besides being a professional photographer, I worked as a quality assurance manager in the electronics industry for over twenty years. Looking at these posts, there seems to be a lot of misinformation about the safe cleaning of electronic devices in general. Although SD cards are sealed, you should consider the following for almost all other electronic devices that need cleaning or drying. First, power must be removed. That is a given. Also, many of our modern electronic devices contain circuits that are highly sensitive to static electricity. A static hit can cause instant failure, a latent failure (failure that occurs days, weeks or months after the hit) or random data failures. When working on those devices, you must use a static dissipative grounding system that includes the device, working surfaces and yourself to give adequate protection.

Washing electronic devices with tap water or soap detergents can have long term negative effects. Impurities over time will cause corrosion to circuits and their interconnections and ultimately electrical failure. If water must be used, only use distilled water and thoroughly dry the device before post cleaning testing. The preferred method for cleaning is to use a solvent designed for electronic cleaning. Those cleaners typically air dry quickly and do not leave a residue.

Finally, I would not routinely clean devices that operate at room temperature with liquids to remove normal dirt accumulations. I would only use air cleaning. It serves little purpose for devices that do not generate heat or that are in an environment that depends on airflow to maintain the devices temperature at a safe operating level. On the other hand, devices that either use heatsinks, fans or a combination to circulate air and maintain safe temperatures must be periodically cleaned because dirt will prevent the transfer of excessive heat to the air or heat sink.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

Why take a chance when replacements are so cheap? I would not.

chocofurniture Loc: Chocowinity NC

Wash & dried a sd card several months ago. Several hundred images, no problem.. As my grandpa said. " this is a bunch of hog wash". However, wouldn't intenionally wash a rd card.

flashbang

SD cards do give you a warning when they are abut to go south. They are made better than ever today, but they are not designed to go through a washer ----and dryer. Be happy you have your original photos. Don't push your luck: toss the card.

Larry W

As someone from the Failure Analysis in the semiconductor industry, your card is likely just very, very clean! Because you had no electrical source attached to it, your first potential worry would be static while going through a dryer. Most fabric softeners would reduce that danger.

The second worry is that each semiconductor, as a round disc (wafer), has many "cards" in the making on it and receives a blanket "passivation" layer to protect it. Random samples of a "Lot run" are exposed to certain harsh chemicals for several minutes to see it the seal is complete by a rather graphic discoloration as seen under an optical microscope . If this test passes, the entire Lot gets a "Passed" and onto the next steps, which is usually "packaging" where the gold wires are attached and package material is formed around it to create your card. The "Passivation test wafer is discarded as it left the "control environment", If there WAS a breech of an untested wafers, laundry detergents "could", but not likely, begin etching into the contacts and begin corrosion, that would take several months. The actual device inside will be unharmed unless the special plastic gets cracked.

If you still have images, you should be good to go. Thought these devices are designed for electronic reprogramming at specific voltage levels by your camera or PC. I would not tempt fate by any more spin cycles. If you need to clean the electrical contacts in the future, static free swabs and 91% Isopropyl Alcohol should do just fine. NEVER use a pencil eraser as the pumice in most erasers is as bad to electrical contacts as sandpaper is on a window!

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Silly isn't it?

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I don't think anyone is trying to save a card. Most said to replace it. But instead it is a "wow, this happened and it still works". It is hard for most to believe that this can happen and they still work.....

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Yep, I understand that and I think its great that it still seems to be working, However a number of posters suggested if the card was working to continue using it as before. That's the silly part. I can understand the reluctance to toss an expensive SD card, but most folks use fairly inexpensive ones. When a card is compromised you just dump it unless the potential loss of images is not important to you. Its sure is important to me, so any card that I think might fail goes straight in to the trash

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

It should be important to all. I know if I take a photo, it would be hard for me to lose it....I sometimes even keep a bad one to learn from. I'm a hog (hoarder)......I hate to get rid of anything, but If I had doubts about a card, that I would get rid of. They are cheap....