How to Clean and Disinfect Your Phone

Our phones are our constant pocket (or handbag) companion, either in our hands or within easy reaching distance whenever we need them. It’s not uncommon for many of us to tap and scroll for hours at a time, with research from Dscout turning up some fascinating results. For example, did you know that an average smartphone user accrues 145 daily minutes of phone use and over 2,600 phone touches? 

Perhaps then, it’s not surprising to find out that our phones can harbour all manner of bacteria. This can be picked up from any kind of surface, from handrails to door handles or public transport seats, bacteria surrounds us, and our phones can be a concentrated source of this. 

Naturally, this seems to fly under the radar, as people aren’t getting sick daily from their phones. For those that do get ill, they likely aren’t blaming their phones for their contracted illness. Touching your phone and then touching your face is one of the most common ways to transfer bacteria onto you, however; unless you plan top lick your phone, you should be fairly safe. 

For those that are a little more germ-aware and want to ensure that their phones are kept free of nasty bacteria or viruses, there are some great methods and products available to clean your phone. Here, we’ll be looking at the best ways to clean and disinfect your phone. 

How You Shouldn’t Clean Your Phone

Previous statements from companies such as Apple and Samsung have warned against the use of alcohol solutions or antibacterial wipes as these both contain chemicals that can cause damage to the fingerprint-resistant coating used on their device screens. If the coating is rubbed away, then it could potentially be easier for germs and bacteria to stick to the surface, something to be aware of. Although there is no direction on whether these products are suitable for screen protectors, we’d suggest steering clear of potentially damaging products. 

Similarly, they warn against the use of more abrasive cleaning materials that might be found around the home, such as bleach-based products or any sprays, as these could penetrate the phone’s inner workings and cause damage. 

How You Should Clean Your Phone

If you use a phone case, make sure to take your phone out and treat this as a separate device, as you’ll need to clean both to get the benefit from the process. For the more recent models of iPhone, dating from the iPhone 7 to iPhone 11, Apple’s suggested cleaning method is as follows:

• Unplug all cables, including charging wires and headphones and turn the device off.
• Slightly dampen a soft lint-free cloth, such as a lens cloth.
• Carefully and gently wipe the front and back surfaces of your device, being careful not to get any moisture into openings of the phone. 
• If there is still muck or marks present, use warm, soapy water with the cloth, again, ensuring no water gets into any openings. 

Carry out the same process for your phone case and leave both to dry separately to ensure no moisture transfers between the two. 

Dedicated Cleaning Products

There is also a burgeoning market of cleaning products available for smartphones, some of which are more effective than others. 

ZEISS Lens Wipes

One of our personal recommendations would be using ZEISS lens wipes as these are specifically designed for cameras, glasses and other coated glass and lenses as not to cause damage or scratching. 

The 200 and 120 pack both provide wipes that are individually wrapped and will ensure gentle but effective cleaning. 

PhoneSoap

If you’re looking to push the boat out to find a permanent solution to sanitising your phone, why not check out PhoneSoap? PhoneSoap is a company that specialises in producing devices which emit UV-C light and claims to kill ’99.99%’ of household germs. Their devices are pencil-case sized and are designed to entirely encompass the phone when carrying out the cleaning process. 

At the time of writing, these devices are currently available to preorder and will be shipped in the coming months. The company is based in the US but offer international shipping across the globe. With various products set to launch very soon, along with their PhoneSoap pads and PhoneSoap Shine already available, this is a company that is set to revolutionise how we keep our devices sanitary. 

Image Source: Mobile Fun

Ecomoist Natural Screen Cleaner

Finally, for the more environmentally conscious phone users, there is Ecomoist. Various bundles are available for sale from Amazon, with our suggested option being the 100ml bottle and microfiber towel combo, offering all the cleaning power you’ll need! 

The solution and cloth are perfect for device screens as they do not cause damage and don’t leave streaks. Additionally, the liquid is alcohol and ammonia-free and made in the UK, reducing the possible emissions from shipping the product. 

For plenty more tips and tricks for caring for your phone, make sure to check out our blog and knowledge centre! Or, if you’re looking to grab a new device and don’t want to shell out the full retail price, check out our range of reconditioned phones here!