Nearly everyone has a smartphone these days. From our various social media outlets to reading the news to podcasts to online shopping – we are pretty much constantly on it. Given that we are frequently touching the phone, it might be prudent to clean it regularly. According to experts, we should be cleaning our phones at least once daily.

It is important to note that cleaning your device the wrong way (like using rubbing alcohol and paper towels) can strip away coatings that protect your device. Using a disinfectant wipe or microfibre cloth will usually do the trick without damaging your phone.

Do not use neat alcohol to clean your phone as it can strip the oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings that keep oil and water from damaging your phone’s display and other ports. While you can mix water and alcohol yourself, it is vital to get the proportions correct. The safest bet is to use disinfectant wipes that contain 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean your phone screen. 

What do the various phone manufacturers say?

Apple says it’s OK to use Clorox Wipes and others with similar concentrations while AT&T’s cleaning guidelines suggest that you “spray a nonabrasive or alcohol-based (70% isopropyl) disinfectant directly on a soft lint-free cloth and wipe down your device while it is powered down and unplugged.” Samsung has also said you can create an alcohol-based solution of 70% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, applied with a microfibre cloth.

 Another option for day-to-day cleaning is investing in a UV light, such as PhoneSoap. This UV light company claims its product kills 99.99% of germs and banishes bacteria.

Given that we all carry hand sanitisers with us these days, we might be tempted to use hand santisers on our phones. However, some hand sanitizers contain ingredients like fragrances and ethyl alcohol. As such it might be best to avoid using sanitiser on your phone’s screen.

A good tip to keep your phone clean is to ensure that your hands are clean when you touch your phone. For instance, if you have touched anything outside your home, you should sanitise your hands before touching your phone to prevent viruses and bacteria from spreading.