How to help disinfect your phone without damaging the screen

Nowadays, mobile phones have become a part of our body. We continuously use them throughout the day from waking up until sleeping, while eating, drinking, reading news, traveling, shopping, etc. So it is a kind of germ attracting. Any germ that is on your phone can get contact with your skin easily, 

Frequent hand washing following the proper techniques is the best method in preventing the transmission of the virus. Did you think about other modes of transmission? Your phone?? It is one of the main culprits as we always carry the phone in our hands. So, regularly cleaning your phone is very much important as hand washing. How are you gonna do that? That’s the question. And we have the answer!

Apple company says that you can disinfect the phone using disinfectant wipes. Samsung company says that you can use a microfiber cloth dampened with alcohol based solution (70%) to disinfect the phone. Some products might deceive you by giving good results at the beginning and damaging the phone over time. Today we are going to tell you what products are the best to disinfect your mobile and how to take care of water resistant phones.

Disinfect your phone: Wipes, not pure alcohol

Think you touched a doorknob in a public place, and then you touched the phone unintentionally. What will you do? You think of cleaning the phone with alcohol, right? Don’t. Never ever do that. Pure alcohol will destroy the coating in your screen that protects your display and ports from oil and water. Some people suggest diluting alcohol and use it. But getting the right concentration is very important and higher concentrations will damage the phone. 

Disinfect wipes with 70% isopropyl alcohol is the safest method to clean the screen. Even though we have advised not to use disinfectant wipes in the past, now Apple recommends using Clorox wipes and other disinfectant wipes with the same alcohol concentrations. 

AT&T’s revised guidelines recommend to “spray a non-abrasive, alcohol-based (70%) disinfectant on a soft cloth and wipe” the device with it. Please make sure to unplug the device from the charger before cleaning. But don’t use paper towels as they are too rough and may lead to abrasions on the screen. Recently, Samsung also said that you can apply an alcohol-based disinfectant using a microfiber cloth. 

Using ultraviolet (UV) rays is another option in routine disinfection purposes. An example of this is Phonesoap. The company tells that the product kills 99.99% of germs, but they have not done researches for COVID-19.

How to clean fingerprint marks from the screen

As you have experienced these marks are very difficult to avoid as our skin continuously produces oil. So every time you touch the phone there will be fingerprint marks.

The best way to clean fingerprint smudges is by using a microfiber cloth. You can dampen the cloth using distilled water but never ever put water directly to the screen. You can also clean the backside of the phone using this method. 

Trying a microfiber screen cleaner sticker is another option. You can stick the sticker to the backside of the phone and remove it when you need to wipe the phone. You can see what Samsung says also.

How to remove sand and lint

These small particles can get stuck in small ports and crevices of your phone. The best method of removing them is using Scotch tape. 

You can stick the tape carefully to those small ports and crevices and the tape will take them. If there are smaller ports that you cannot use the Scotch tape, you can use a toothpick or try vacuuming using a small crevice tool. 

Remove makeup safely

You are getting ready in the morning for work, you just finished your full face makeup. Suddenly the phone rings. It is an important call and you must take it anyway. So you answer it, finished the call and looked at the phone. OMG! The phone got makeup too!! How am I going to clean this? Don’t worry. We will help you.

Please keep in mind that makeup remover is not an option. They may contain various chemicals that could harm your phone which is explained further by Organics.org

You can use a makeup remover made exclusively for phones, like Whoosh. The company says that it doesn’t contain any chemicals that damage the screen coating. Also, you can try cleaning with a damp microfiber cloth.

Can you wash waterproof phones?

If your phone is water-resistant, rated for IP67, and above, you can rinse them. Those phones can withstand submersion up to 30 minutes in up to 3 feet of depth. But using a damp cloth to clean the phone is always a better option. After cleaning with the damp cloth make sure to pat dry the phone including all speakers and ports using a dry soft cloth.

Remember, having a water-resistant phone is not an indication to wash it like your pants!

Things you should never use to clean the phone

1. Hand sanitizer as some may have active ingredients that can damage your phone.
2. Window cleaner because they can strip the coating and makes the phone more vulnerable to scratches.
3. Kitchen cleaners as the scratch-resistant property of the screen will be lost. Apple specifically warns not to use household cleaning products on their devices.
4. Paper towels can leave abrasions on the screen and worsen the debris.
5. Rubbing alcohol as they can damage the protective screen coating make sure to use a ‘phone screen safe’ alcohol. Apple warns not to use alcohol when cleaning their devices.
6. Makeup remover can be harsh on the electronic screens.
7. Compressed air may cause damage to your mic especially. Apple tech company specifically says not to use compressed air.
8. Dish soap and hand soap can be used by mixing with water but don’t forget to use a damp cloth.
9. Vinegar definitely strips the protective coating of the screen. But diluted vinegar can be used to clean other parts of the phone as Lifehacker and Android Central suggests.