Smartphone hygiene has become a significant issue since 2020 when the pandemic started and sanitation took the spotlight. It has recently been found out that your iPhone can be dirtier than a public toilet seat. Yes, you read right. Since your iPhone touches thousands of surfaces daily, it is a hub of all bacterial misdemeanors.
If we leave our iPhones dirty, what can a tiny screen do to us? We are putting ourselves in the mouth of danger. Starting from our skin, dirty mobile surfaces tend to cause irritation and bacterial buildups which cause acne.
So the question arises, how to clean your iPhone to stop it from becoming dirty? The answer is pretty simple.
The first and most common way to clean an iPhone is to use disinfecting wipes. They’re easy to find, easy to store, and can be used anywhere. Because of their ease of access, they can be kept in your purse, car box, or drawer. They are simple to use since all you need to do is pull out a wipe, and swipe it across the surface of the iPhone.
It is important to note that wipes should not be used aggressively against a screen since they can damage the touch of the iPhone. A safe way to use them would be to gently swipe them across the screen so the bacteria are taken care of and the screen can be used for a long time.
Next, people have been found using isopropyl or ethyl alcohol to clean the surface of their iPhones. 70% isopropyl alcohol and 75% ethyl alcohol should be used. The diluted solutions should be sprayed on the cloth first and then the screen should be wiped. We do not recommend spraying the solution directly on the surface of your iPhone. Unless you want to purposely destroy the fingerprint resistance of your screen.
One downside of using this solution is that it does damage the fingerprint resistance. As Apple itself says, it can wear away the ‘oleophobic coating’ of your screen. To prevent this, we recommend a screen protector. They don’t even cost much depending on the type and quality you get. Getting an iPhone screen protector is an investment we all need.
Another recommendation is to use a damp lint-free cloth to wipe your screen surface. If you simply use water to dampen the cloth, that can wipe away excess dirt as well. So if the above solutions are unavailable, going for a damp lint-free cloth is a good option too.
When none of the items given above are available, you can simply use a dry lint-free cloth to wipe the surface of your iPhone as well. This will remove the dust from your screen and work as an easy solution till you can find a proper cleaner.
We should warn you, this will not eradicate the germs and bacteria found on your iPhone surface. It will simply remove the dust temporarily but something is better than nothing, right?
The last and perhaps the most expensive solution on our list is to get a UV smartphone cleaner. Yes, it does cost a little extra but it is a really good investment. UV smartphone cleaners use 360-degree UV-C bulbs to kill all bacteria and viruses (99.9%). The results have been proven clinically by some companies hence do your research before getting one. The portable sanitizer also acts as a charging port.
Now that you know all the ways you can clean your phone, here are a few things you should be careful of.
1. Never use cleaning sprays to clean an iPhone. These include bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and similar cleaning solutions.
2. Never use compressed air to blow out your iPhone.
3. Never leave cables plugged into your iPhone when cleaning it.
4. Do not submerge your iPhone in any cleaning solution.
5. Keep the openings of your iPhone clear of any sprays and cleaning solutions.
Read next: Researchers Claim Video Game Addiction Leads To Poor Psychological Performance
If we leave our iPhones dirty, what can a tiny screen do to us? We are putting ourselves in the mouth of danger. Starting from our skin, dirty mobile surfaces tend to cause irritation and bacterial buildups which cause acne.
So the question arises, how to clean your iPhone to stop it from becoming dirty? The answer is pretty simple.
The first and most common way to clean an iPhone is to use disinfecting wipes. They’re easy to find, easy to store, and can be used anywhere. Because of their ease of access, they can be kept in your purse, car box, or drawer. They are simple to use since all you need to do is pull out a wipe, and swipe it across the surface of the iPhone.
It is important to note that wipes should not be used aggressively against a screen since they can damage the touch of the iPhone. A safe way to use them would be to gently swipe them across the screen so the bacteria are taken care of and the screen can be used for a long time.
Next, people have been found using isopropyl or ethyl alcohol to clean the surface of their iPhones. 70% isopropyl alcohol and 75% ethyl alcohol should be used. The diluted solutions should be sprayed on the cloth first and then the screen should be wiped. We do not recommend spraying the solution directly on the surface of your iPhone. Unless you want to purposely destroy the fingerprint resistance of your screen.
One downside of using this solution is that it does damage the fingerprint resistance. As Apple itself says, it can wear away the ‘oleophobic coating’ of your screen. To prevent this, we recommend a screen protector. They don’t even cost much depending on the type and quality you get. Getting an iPhone screen protector is an investment we all need.
Another recommendation is to use a damp lint-free cloth to wipe your screen surface. If you simply use water to dampen the cloth, that can wipe away excess dirt as well. So if the above solutions are unavailable, going for a damp lint-free cloth is a good option too.
When none of the items given above are available, you can simply use a dry lint-free cloth to wipe the surface of your iPhone as well. This will remove the dust from your screen and work as an easy solution till you can find a proper cleaner.
We should warn you, this will not eradicate the germs and bacteria found on your iPhone surface. It will simply remove the dust temporarily but something is better than nothing, right?
The last and perhaps the most expensive solution on our list is to get a UV smartphone cleaner. Yes, it does cost a little extra but it is a really good investment. UV smartphone cleaners use 360-degree UV-C bulbs to kill all bacteria and viruses (99.9%). The results have been proven clinically by some companies hence do your research before getting one. The portable sanitizer also acts as a charging port.
Now that you know all the ways you can clean your phone, here are a few things you should be careful of.
1. Never use cleaning sprays to clean an iPhone. These include bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and similar cleaning solutions.
2. Never use compressed air to blow out your iPhone.
3. Never leave cables plugged into your iPhone when cleaning it.
4. Do not submerge your iPhone in any cleaning solution.
5. Keep the openings of your iPhone clear of any sprays and cleaning solutions.
Read next: Researchers Claim Video Game Addiction Leads To Poor Psychological Performance
