How to clean iPhone, what to do and what to avoid? According to recent studies, our smartphones are usually dirtier than a toilet seat: carrying tens of thousands of bacteria, creating a habit of cleaning it regularly becomes a healthy move. But what is safe and what is best to use? Here is a step-by-step guide with do’s and don’ts.
Apple Music, the functions that are still missing expected in 2023
For years Apple avoided mentioning the use of alcohol or special wipes on iPhones, but in 2020 it changed course by including both among the possible solutions for cleaning its devices (with a small disadvantage that we will explain later).
Since it’s the height of flu season, this might be the best time to give your phone a clean – and stopping using it in the bathroom will certainly help keep it noticeably cleaner.
What NOT to do?
- Do not use aerosol sprays (no bleach, hydrogen peroxide, etc.)
- Do not use compressed air
- Do not leave cables plugged in while cleaning
- Do not immerse or spray cleaning products into any openings on the phone
Recommended products
- A clean microfiber cloth or similar
- 70% isopropyl or 75% ethyl alcohol (spray on cloth, not phone)
- Clorox or similar wipes (no bleach)
- BluTack paste
- Floss sticks
How to clean iPhone?
- Apple says to turn off your phone before cleaning it.
- Also make sure that no cables or accessories are connected
- Clean it with a clean microfibre cloth: if necessary, moisten it slightly with water
- Disinfect it with a Clorox wipe or an alcohol wipe
- Gently use a stick of dental floss to break up and remove hard-to-reach dirt being careful not to touch the grilles, microphones or other important components
- A good method for cleaning the grates is the use of Blu Tack paste
Beware of Clorox wipes and alcohol
The only downside to using Clorox wipes or alcohol-soaked wipes is that they can eat away at the oleophobic coating (the one that resists fingerprints).
This inconvenience can be remedied by using a screen protector in order to periodically clean the latter, avoiding that the wipes damage this coating.
There are hundreds of them, with prices ranging from 4 to 25 € and more and, especially those in tempered glass, they are particularly easy to install.
Ultraviolet cleaning
PhoneSoap is among the most popular brands when it comes to disinfecting iPhone with UV light. The system uses 360-degree UV-C bulbs that the manufacturer claims are capable of killing 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, with clinically proven results. It is also a portable system and is able to recharge the phone while cleaning.
