Plays fine, but won't sync after being washed?

Dean Danner, the more you continue to use it the greater your chance of getting into more damage. The very first step needs to be that you do no longer try to charge it etc. Disassemble your iPod all the way, using this guide Once you have it disassembled, clean each and every part, including the cable ends and connectors with 90+ isopropyl alcohol and a soft brush. After you cleaned it, replace the battery and reassemble the iPod. remember this model is a PITA to work on and will require lots of patience. Once you get it accomplished, you may still find it to be dark. This could be caused by a shortened LCD (replace that when you replace the battery) as well as a shortened backlight circuit. Hope this helps, good luck.