The current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China and other parts of the world have alerted people to take precautions. Among other things, people are cautious of what they are touching and taking extra care of their hygiene. Most people, however, forget to clean and disinfect their iPhone which is equally important. In this article, we will show you the best ways to clean and disinfect your iPhone and iPad without damaging it.

A recent study points out that the persistence of coronavirus and how other viruses can survive on common phone materials such as glass, metal, and ceramic for up to three days. The grease and other organic materials combined with the heat from our devices let bacteria and viruses to survive on phones for up to three days. Now imagine our daily interaction with our smartphones. We use it all the time. On top of that, we hold them to body parts such as face and ears, which further increases one’s chances of getting infected with COVID-19 and other diseases.

In this post, we are going to talk about the top four ways to clean and disinfect your iPhones and even Android phones. It’s essential to follow the guidelines below. If not done properly, you can end up with a damaged screen. Let’s get started.

What You Shouldn’t Use to Clean Your iPhone

Users shouldn’t opt for window or kitchen cleaner, aerosol spray cleaners, harsh solvents such as acetone, benzene, or toluene to clean the iPhone. One should also keep the screen far from bleach, ammonia, abrasive powders, and excess moisture.

I have seen some using the compressed air to clean the internals of smartphones. It’s not advisable either. The action damage the small electronics of the device.

Here are four simple ways to clean and disinfect your iPhone:

1. Use Microfiber Cloth and Keep Your Hands Germ-free

This is pretty straightforward. Users can always use a damp microfiber cloth to clean their iPhones. They are usually available on Amazon for around $10. You can use those on other electronics such as laptops, TV, refrigerator too.

You are constantly using and touching your phone. And as a result, a germ-free hand is one of the easiest ways to keep the phones clean.  You should periodically wash hands with soap water or warm water, and even use hand sanitizer to eliminate 90 percent of germs from the hand. That way, the microbes don’t get transferred on the germ-friendly glass and metal materials.

➤ AmazonBasics Microfiber Cleaning Cloth: Buy [Amazon]

2. Official Recommendation from Apple

First, Apple advises users to unplug all the cable and turn-off your iPhone. You can use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth such as a lens cloth to clean the screen. Samsung, too, asks users to use a clean and soft cloth. Also, don’t apply too much pressure on screen as it may diminish the oleophobic coating on the iPhone.

The iPhone’s IP68 water and dust resistance certificate doesn’t guarantee you to take the phone to swim or bath. It’s there for your peace of mind and the company won’t honor the warranty in case of water damage.

3. Use Alcoholic Solution

Apple has confirmed that it is Ok to use 70 isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes to clean its devices. It advises users to “gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces” to stay on the safe side and not damage the product. However, please don’t flush the disinfecting wipes down the toilets as it may cause major pipe problems. Public agencies around the world are urging people to throw the wipes in the trash. You should also avoid using abrasive cloth, towels, or paper towels.

➤ Clorox Disinfecting Wipes: Buy [Amazon]

Alternatively, you can opt for cleaning products such as Windex, rubbing alcohol, or disposable wipes to clean the screen. You shouldn’t spray or pour the solution directly to the screen; it may damage the oleophobic coating that results in scratches on the display. You should apply the solution on a microfiber cloth so that you can use it to disinfect the screen or use non-toxic screen cleaners like WHOOSH, which is a much safer solution to clean your iPhone’s screen.

It’s advisable to clean your iPhone covers too, as they are the ones with constant connection with the phone. But before you use the alcoholic solutions on covers, always read the instructions on the cleaning product carefully as it may corrode the phone cover. For phone cases, one can clean the silicon cases with warm water and if it’s made of leather then consider using a damp cloth to clean it.

Users can make homemade solutions too. One can mix the rubbing alcohol (70 percent) with water (30 percent) and apply the solution on a microfiber cloth to disinfect the screen.

Alternatively, one can apply cheap screen protectors on the display and clean or replace them periodically. It’s an affordable solution and reduces the chances of damaging the main screen.

➤ Whoosh! Screen Cleaner: Buy [Amazon]

➤ 70% Isopropyl alcohol: Buy [Amazon]

4. Use Phone Sanitizer

A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggests that a phone sanitizer device is the most effective way to keep your phone germ-free.

Devices such as PhoneSoap claim to kill up to 99.99 percent of the harmful bacteria and viruses from phones. It uses ultraviolet light to remove the viruses and bacteria from every corner of the phone where a typical microfiber cloth can’t reach. It takes up to 10 minutes to complete the process. It also comes with charging capability to juice up the battery during the process. But it is an expensive solution as it costs $119.99 – $99.99.

➤ PhoneSoap 3 UV Smartphone Sanitizer: Buy [Amazon]

How do you clean and disinfect your iPhone, if at all? Drop a comment and let us know!

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This post was last updated on July 18, 2021.