Phones have become a part of our lives, and with the mass adoption of smartphones, we tend to spend the majority of our day glued onto our phone screens. Your phone's surfaces, much like other high-touch areas, are susceptible to harboring germs, bacteria, and viruses that may be harmful to your health.
Improper disinfection can lead to the spread of diseases, especially if you have a habit of taking your phone with you when you eat, work, and go to the bathroom. The risks of these germs getting on your hands and face is extremely high, as you bring your phone near you for calls and messages.
Learning how to properly clean your phone will help you to avoid contracting various touch point diseases like pink eye, staph infections, and E. coli contaminations. As a general rule, disinfect your phone daily with regular use, and frequently when used in germ-filled areas like bathrooms, gardens, and public spaces.
How to Clean and Disinfect Your Phone
Step 1: Cleaning the Phone Case
First, remove the case from your phone if you use one. You will be disinfecting the phone and the case separately to ensure you cover every surface. If you have a screen protector, it is a good idea to replace this as well when you're disinfecting your phone.
Phone cases carry the brunt of the smudges and dirt that get onto the phone. These often get dirty with regular use, which is why it is essential to clean your phone cases regularly. Take some soap and water, and use a soft brush or an old toothbrush to gently remove the dirt from the case. Since the case has no mechanical components, you may submerge it in water.
Step 2: Cleaning the Phone Screen
Now onto the phone itself. Use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe away the fingerprints on the screen. Use a dry cloth as you will be able to see the spots you missed, compared to using a damp cloth. Fingerprints carry oils, which do not mix well with water, so use a special device cleaner to wipe your phone's screen clean.
Alternatively, you can use a damp paper towel, and place a small drop of dishwashing liquid on it. Use it to remove the oil marks from your screen. Wipe in circular motions to prevent streaks, and wipe off any excess residue afterwards.
Step 3: Cleaning the Charging Port
Use a small pick, like a thin toothpick or an angled pick, to clean out the charging port of your phone. Scoop out the dirt, fibers, and dust from inside the charging port, and you may notice your phone will connect to its charger much better afterwards.
Alternatively, you can grab a can of compressed air from your local hardware store, and use the thin straw attachment to blow air into the charging port to remove the dirt. Using compressed air would minimize the chances of accidentally scraping or poking a sensitive area of your phone's charging port.
Also read: Disinfection vs Sterilization: What's the Difference?
Step 4: Cleaning the Speakers and Audio Jack
Your kid's slime collection does more than just make a mess on your carpets! You can use a variety of putty materials to clean the speakers and the audio jack. These parts are too sensitive to use a pick on, and slimes and sticky tacks are great for picking up dirt without damaging the sensitive parts.
Take a small bit of slime or sticky tack, which may be available in stores as keyboard cleaners, and press them into the speakers and audio jack. Remove the putty, and keep pressing until the putty comes out clean. Avoid pressing the tack with excessive force as it may push the dirt in further.
Step 5: Disinfecting the Entire Cell Phone
Using common liquid disinfectants are not recommended for cell phones as the liquid may seep into the internal parts, causing them to short circuit or malfunction. Instead, keep disinfectant wipes with you, like Clorox wipes, to disinfect your phone without getting the liquid inside.
Use the disinfecting wipe all over your phone. Let your phone air dry, or use a soft cloth to wipe the phone dry. Alternatively, you may place your phone in a UV phone disinfecting case for a few hours to let the UV light disinfect your phone without any cleaning solutions.
If you have a business or know someone who needs disinfection services for commercial spaces and offices, then we recommend you check out our office cleaning services!
Step 6: Disinfecting the Phone Case
Disinfect your phone's case with some regular rubbing alcohol on a piece of cloth. Apply the alcohol on a clean cloth, and use it to wipe the entire case inside and out. Let the alcohol dry before placing the case back to your newly-disinfected phone!
Do’s and Don'ts of Phone Cleaning
Phones are generally low maintenance when it comes to the exterior - which is actually the only area you can clean and disinfect without the fear of damaging the device. There are a couple of Do's and Don'ts in phone cleaning:
- Do NOT use liquids or sprays on your phone as these may seep into the interior mechanisms
- Do NOT submerge your phone in disinfecting solutions, even if they are waterproof.
- Do NOT use heat to dry your phone. This may cause your phone to overheat, and your battery to swell.
- Do NOT hack open your phone to clean the interior. Let a professional phone fixer do it, or leave it alone.
- Do NOT use common household cleaners like vinegar and baking soda as these may scratch or etch your phone's screen.
- DO use only phone-safe cleaners to clean your phone, and test them out on a small area first.
- DO disinfect the buttons, chargers, and other devices that relate to your phone.
- DO disinfect your phone daily, especially after going to the bathroom or coming from public areas.
- DO clean the camera lens, as well as the flashlight of your phone.
Maintaining Your Phone
For most people, their phone contains their entire day-to-day lives. We log onto social media as part of our network, use apps to track our lifestyles, and even communicate with others for work. Keep your phone clean at all times to avoid damages to your phone. Keep the rest of your office clean as well, so you lessen the chances of spreading bacteria to your phone.
Check out more of our cleaning tips and tricks on our blog!
