How to sanitize a phone

How to Sanitize a Phone

In this article, we will cover the sanitizing subject in more depth. Stay tuned to properly learn how to sanitize a phone.

Your phone is a device you use regularly, whether to answer a call, text a message, check the latest news, or even your Instagram or Facebook feed. It is with you all day and you take it everywhere, setting it down on counters, public benches, tables, and other unsightly places.

You may avoid close contact with other people and wash and sanitize your hands on a regular basis, but bacteria and viruses sitting on your phone will be brought right back to your face and hands as soon as you grab it to answer a call or text a friend, so you’re getting the contamination straight away.

Each time you touch your smartphone, you transfer bacteria to and from your hands, face, and from every surface where the cell phone has been placed.

The average phone can be the perfect hosting for all kinds of viruses and bacteria including E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, COVID-19, among many others.

Also, apart from bacterial concerns, there are more visible signs of dirt resulting from the intensive daily use that starts degrading your phone looks. And you may want to restore the original fresh look to your device by giving it a good clean.

Table of Contents

  1. How to disinfect a phone
    1. What you shouldn’t use
    2. How to clean phone case
    3. How to clean phone screen without causing damage
    4. How to clean phone speaker
    5. How to clean phone camera lens
    6. How to clean the phone’s charging port
  2. Wrap Up

How to disinfect a phone

Few of us disinfect cell phones regularly, although It is advised by medical experts that you should clean your smartphone at least every day. And now more than ever, due to the Coronavirus pandemic disease.

Given that, you may ask: how to disinfect my cell phone without causing damage? That is exactly what we’re going to answer throughout this article.

What you shouldn’t use

There are certain substances you should completely avoid when disinfecting cell phones, at the risk of causing damage. Generally, household cleaning products should be put aside. Bleach, ammonia, and harsh solvents like acetone, benzene, vinegar, or alcohol are in high concentrations. Also, don’t clean the phone screens with products like Windex.

While you might see good results, these harsher methods may damage the screen moisture-repellent (oleophobic) coating that prevents fingerprint smudge and may even do harm to some internal components. And more, these may spoil the finishing of the phone’s metal surfaces, leaving uneven stains.

Also, even if your device is water-resistant, you should never wash it under running water.

How to clean phone case

Start by taking your device out of the protective case. Those cases are usually made of very resistant, safe-to-wash materials like plastic or TPU/silicone. Give it a good rinse using soap or dishwashing liquid in warm water and let it dry.

The market offers plenty of packs of disposable wipes specifically to properly clean and disinfect smartphone surfaces. But you can save some money just by moistening a soft cloth with a prepared mix of 40 percent isopropyl alcohol and 60 percent water. Isopropyl alcohol not only disinfects but has also a very quick evaporation time, making it ideal to be used in electrical devices.

Make sure you don’t let the liquid from the cleaning cloth leak into USB connectors, microphones, or speaker holes.

How to clean phone screen without causing damage

Smartphone touchscreens are complex and sensitive pieces of technology and using abrasive or harsh products will likely damage the screen’s oleophobic coating as explained above. It may even cause micro-abrasions in the glass that will dull its glossy surface.

The best way to clean a phone screen is to use neutral products. Soap and water are a good go and everybody has it in their homes. Moisten a lint-free microfibre cloth or a paper towel with hand soap and gently wipe it over the screen. Then, without letting it dry completely, wipe it off with a microfibre cloth moistened with clean water and repeat it a couple of times until you get rid of the soapy residue.

Apple and some other manufacturers also recommend using 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipes or Clorox disinfecting wipes, both to clean the phone screen and other hard, non-porous surfaces of the phone.

During this process, it’s important to never allow moisture to get into any openings. The image quality will also benefit from how to clean the phone screen is now.

How to clean phone speaker

Phone speakers collect a lot of dust and dirt particles over time.  If you stay a lot of time without cleaning the speaker, not only it will collect a lot of germs but also the sound will start to get muffled.

The process will depend on the type of speaker grill your phone has. Using a soft and dry brush works in most cases, unclogging the grill holes and removing most of the accumulated dust. Also, rubbing a cotton swab in circular motions over your speaker holes can do the trick. Depending on the size of the holes, a fluffy microfibre towel can also be of great help.

Blowing out the remaining dirt with a compressed air can, specifically for office use is a good practice too. This step will help to remove the excess dirt that was pressed into the speaker from the mechanical cleaning. Don’t blow too close to the speaker at the risk of damaging it and the smartphone’s internal components.

Remember to never use any liquids. Phone speakers are very sensitive pieces and can be easily damaged.

How to clean phone camera lens

A dirty camera degrades your phone’s photographic capabilities in a way you cannot imagine. Giving it a good cleaning can do wonders for your photos. If they are getting blurry, if you’ve suddenly noticed a big decline in the quality and sharpness of your photos, it is likely the lens has a fingerprint smudge or other kinds of debris.

There are specific cleaning kits available for sale, developed for the purpose of cleaning camera lenses including appropriate cleaning fluid and a thin microfiber cleaning cloth. Others include individually wrapped cleaning wipes soaked in cleaning fluid that will not only get the lenses clean but also get rid of bacteria too.

If you don’t have or don’t want to buy one of those specific kits, you can also clean the lenses by yourself. Always use thin microfibre cloths moistened with distilled water, that allow you to wipe down the lens with maximum care and without scratching.

A cotton swab moistened with distilled water can also get the job done and take off stubborn grime. Never use any kind of chemical-based products on your smartphone’s camera.

How to clean the phone’s charging port

One of the main reasons for your phone not to charge or to charge intermittently is dust in the charging port. When you connect the charging cable, it prevents a good electrical connection by obstructing the connectors.

The most effective way to give it a well clean is to use a can of compressed air. Just point the nozzle facing the charging port and give it 1 to 2-second bursts. This is the method used by professionals. Take caution not to hold down the nozzle for more than 2 seconds to avoid damaging the port or some internal components.

If you want to save some money, a piece of cotton around a toothpick may actually work. Turn off the phone to avoid any electrical damage and have your smartphone screen facing down.

Then, insert the toothpick into the port and gently move it to the left and right while pushing upward at the same time, so it reaches the contacts. Always ensure that the cotton doesn’t fall and repeat the procedure until all the debris comes loose.

Never use paper clips, pins, needles, or any other metals to avoid the risk of making an electrical short circuit that could destroy your device’s mainboard.

Wrap Up

Having your phone clean is essential, not only for your health but to keep the device in good working order.

Disinfecting cell phones can be tricky, but in this article, you’ll learn the key aspects of how to sanitize a phone, the products and techniques you should employ, and the ones you should avoid. Also, some in-depth tips on how to clean the phone case, the charging port, the speaker, the camera lens, and the screen.

Following these tips, you’ll not only get your phone properly sanitized, but you’re also helping it maintain its value, protecting it from premature aging.

Check out other of our great resources, like The best way to clean a laptop