How to Clean Your iPhone
It’s May, and we’re in full spring-cleaning mode! The most-touched surfaces are getting their proper sanitization, both inside and outside of the home. One highly overlooked area could be the very thing you're using to read this article right now - your iPhone. In fact, we touch our phones an average of 2,617 times a day. This means that our phones essentially touch whatever we're touching - household items, public entry points like door handles, and even bathroom fixtures.
There are dozens of ways to clean your iPhone, but not all of them are the best option. Many sites may recommend harsh chemicals such as bleach or other abrasive materials that can cause damage to your iPhone. Use the simple list and steps below to gently sanitize your iPhone and have it shining like new this spring!
What You'll Need to Clean Your iPhone
To ensure a thorough cleaning, you'll need the following supplies to clean your iPhone. Most of which you probably already have laying around the house!
- Lint free cloth: A soft lint-free cloth such as a lens cloth or microfiber cloth is perfect for wiping down your iPhone.
- Wooden toothpicks: To clean the debris out from your iPhone's charging port opening, have some wooden toothpicks on hand. Other cleaning tools such as cotton swabs or metal picks can leave behind more debris and damage.
- 70% isopropyl alcohol: Sanitizing your iPhone will be done with this type of cleaning agent. You can either use isopropyl wipes or a solution on a piece of lint free cloth.
- Dish soap for a water mixture: Grab soap such as Dawn and other mild cleaners mixed with warm water.
How to Clean Your iPhone
Now that you've gathered your supplies, you're ready to clean your iPhone!
Step 1: Unlpug and power down.
Before tackling any cleaning, make sure that your iPhone is completely powered down and not plugged in to any accessories or charging cords.
Step 2: Gently wipe your iPhone.
Before any cleaning agents touch your iPhone, give it a gentle wipe down with your soft lint free cloth. This will remove any initial fingerprints/dirt from the screen.
Step 3: Wipe your iPhone with gentle warm water soap mixture.
Dampen the same lint free cloth you used in step 2 with a very small amount of the soapy warm water mixture. Don't go overboard with this step to avoid too much water. A few wipes with the damp soft cloth will help to eliminate any remaining smudges you may still see on your iPhone.
Step 4: Sanitize with alcohol.
Next, it's time for the Clorox disinfecting wipes or a very small amount of 70% isopropyl alcohol. You don't need several alcohol wipes - one will do. Gently wipe down your iPhone's front, back and sides to disinfect.
Step 5: Clean your iPhone's ports.
The final step is busting out those wooden toothpicks to give your iPhone's USB-C or charging port a gently cleaning. Make sure to go slow and steady on the charging port, sim tray opening and any other ports on your iPhone to avoid unnecessary damage.
Frequently Asked Questions on Cleaning an iPhone
Can I use aerosol sprays for cleaning my iPhone?
Most major phone brands such as Apple recommend against spraying anything directly onto your device for cleaning. That's why the best option is to use a slightly damp lint-free cloth instead.
Are there any household cleaners I can use to clean my iPhone?
Yes! The gentle dish soap and alcohol wipe or Clorox wipes are most likely items you have at home already.
I have a scratch or two on my iPhone screen. Is there anything I can do to buff it out?
It is not recommended to buff out any scratch or scratches you may have on your iPhone glass surface. If the scratches are too deep or becoming cracks, it may be best to replace to glass screen or consider upgrading to a refurbished iPhone. You could end up paying the same amount or even less for a refurbished phone that you would for a screen replacement!
Declutter and clean this spring
with ecoATM
Clean up your phone and your home this spring! Take any old devices you find to a local kiosk for proper recycling and an instant reward.
Declutter and Clean this Spring with ecoATM
Did you stumble across some old phones during your spring cleaning that might be beyond a simple cleaning? You can bring them to your local ecoATM kiosk to properly recycle them and even earn instant cash in the process!
With over 5,000 locations across the county, ecoATM makes it easier than ever to sell or recycle your old phones that you find during your spring cleaning. You can even price your device online ahead of your visit to save time at the kiosk. Simply bring your old devices and a valid state ID to your neighborhood ecoATM to earn instant cash and do right by the planet, today!
Learn more about our work for the planet, or find an ecoATM kiosk near you to get started!