How should I clean my phone then?
The good news is that cleaning your phone properly is simple and inexpensive. You just need to follow the guidelines backed by major manufacturers. You should also unplug and remove any protective cases or accessories when cleaning your phone.
Most tech companies recommend using 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes (not higher), soft microfibre cloths, and anti-static soft-bristled brushes made of nylon, horsehair or goat hair to clean delicate areas like speaker grills and charging ports.
During the COVID pandemic, to permit the use of Clorox disinfecting wipes and 70% isopropyl alcohol on iPhones, provided they are used gently to avoid damaging screen coatings or allowing moisture to seep into the device.
, recommending users wipe down their phones with a microfibre cloth lightly dampened with a 70% alcohol solution, while steering clear of direct application to ports and openings.
Prevent accidental damage when using these tips
, as moisture can seep into ports and internal components, leading to short circuits or corrosion.
Submerging your phone in any cleaning solution is also risky, : the seals that prevent water from getting in, such as rubber gaskets, adhesives, nano-coatings and silicone layers, can degrade over time.
Avoid using paper towels, tissues, or rough cloths which may leave scratches on the screen or shed lint that clogs openings.
Finally, be cautious about over-cleaning. Excessive wiping or scrubbing can wear down protective coatings, making your phone more susceptible to fingerprints, smudges, and long-term surface damage.
How often should I clean my phone?
While there is no strict rule for how often you should clean your phone, giving it a proper wipe-down at least once a week under normal use would make sense.
If you regularly take your phone into high-risk environments such as public transport, hospitals, gyms, or bathrooms it is wise to clean it more frequently.
If you’re serious about hygiene, cleaning not just your hands but one of the things you touch most every single day makes sense.
Doing it wrong can slowly damage your device. But doing it right is simple, affordable, and doesn’t take much time.
Meena Jha, Head Technology and Pedagogy Cluster CML-NET, CQUniversity Australia
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.