How to clean your iPhone Screen, Buttons, Speakers, Charging port, Microphone, Headphone Jack, and more!

An iPhone is an extension of ourself, it is an outward manifestation of our inner being. It is also a giant germ magnet that has been known to harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat. Let’s face it, even the best iPhone case around can’t protect your iPhone from getting dirty. So for all you clean freaks out there, here’s our comprehensive guide on how to clean every part of your iPhone from home button to headphone jack and make it shine like new.

How To Clean iPhone Screen

The biggest part of your iPhone is the screen, it’s what you touch day in and day out, and it collects a good deal of fingerprints, grime, and bacteria. Properly cleaning your iPhone screen though can’t be done with just any old bottle of cleaner, many of them (especially anything ammonia based) can ruin the special oleophobic coating on the screen and actually damage it. We recommend getting a microfiber cloth or towel and some Isopropanol cleaning wipes to clean and disinfect your iPhone screen. This is what Apple techs use. These wipes will dissolve fingerprints and oils like nothing else, kill any germs and bacteria, and leave your screen shiny, streak free, and the oleophobic coating undamaged. If you don’t like the wipes, then you can get a bottle of isopropanol alcohol and dilute a small amount of it with water (typically a 1:1 ratio is what you should aim for). Lightly moisten a microfiber cloth with it and wipe your screen down with a gentle circular motion. Congrats, your screen should be shiny like new!

How to Clean iPhone Back

Like the iPhone screen, the back or your phone also has an oleophobic coating (meaning it repels oils). This coating wears down over time naturally, but will especially wear down if you use any abrasive chemicals on it. So the same principles that we use for cleaning the front of an iPhone also apply to cleaning the back of the iPhone. Microfiber towel slightly dampened, and if you want to kill germs or remove anything especially caked on then those Isopropanol cleaning wipes or a bit of rubbing alcohol mixed with water on the microfiber cloth will take care of it. Even if you keep your iPhone in a case, we recommend removing your phone and cleaning the back every other month or so. Also be sure to clean the inside of your iPhone case of choice as well since dirt, sand, and grit can build up inside there which will cause scratches and abrasion to the back of your iPhone.

How To Clean iPhone Speakers and Microphone

Your iPhone speakers and microphone holes can collect dust, lint, and all sorts of undesirable stuff. The best way to clean these is with a super soft bristle toothbrush. Gently brush the speaker ports and microphone opening to remove any debris that has accumulated. Canned air, the kind used to clean computers and keyboards can also work well once you have loosened the gunk, but be careful not to hold it too close as it could damage the sensitive membranes of the speakers and microphones, we recommend holding it as far as a 12" away just to be safe. The other creative solution we have seen is using blue painter's tape and pressing it gently onto the areas to remove the gunk. Gently press into the indentations and peel it off, repeat as necessary to lift away the grime.

How to Clean the Charging Port and Headphone Jacks on iPhone

You will be shocked at how much pocket lint can accumulate in your iPhone's charging port and headphone jack. So much can build up that the iPhone no longer charges correctly and the iPhone can get stuck in headphone mode thinking that headphones are plugged in when nothing is actually there. If you are experiencing intermittent charging problems with your iPhone, or your headphones aren't working quite right when plugged in, then here's a possible fix: a toothpick. Gently insert it in the openings and use it to remove the debris stuck in there. Then gently tap the phone to get it to fall out. Canned air can help motivate any loosened debris to exit the premises as well. If a toothpick makes you too nervous, then GUM Soft-Picks have flexible ends, can get into small spaces, and work great as well.

How to Clean iPhone Camera

Cleaning the outside of your iPhone camera lens is pretty easy, just use a lint free microfiber cloth and wipe. The lens is made of sapphire so it is very hard to scratch. Stay away from paper towels and tissue paper which can shed and just add to the problem. If things are especially caked on, then a Lenspen can do the trick nicely, they are specially made for camera lenses and will get the job done for your iPhone's camera. However, if dust has accumulated inside the camera... the fix is a bit harder and is not necessarily for the faint of heart. We won't get into that in this article, but here is a tutorial video for how to clean the inside of your iPhone 6 camera, and here is a video on how to clean the inside of your iPhone 5 camera. But again, we warn you that this is only for the intrepid cleaner to attempt, and may best be left to the professionals at the Apple Store.

How to Clean iPhone Home, Lock, and Volume Buttons

Over time, you may notice grime building up around the edges of your iPhone's buttons, especially on the home button. This is very noticeable when you use a white iPhone. This grime can actually get to the point where the home button becomes unresponsive, sticks, or no longer works. Thankfully cleaning the home button is easy. First, turn your phone off. After turning your phone off, take some isopropanol alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and a cotton swab or q-tip. Lightly dip the cotton swab or into the alcohol, depress the button, and swab around the edges. The alcohol will dissolve the grime and the cotton swab will remove it. If at first you don't succeed, let the liquid dry and then try try again until the gunk is removed.

How to Clean Your iPhone Case

Your case protects your iPhone against the elements day in and day out.  It can get grimy and ought to be cleaned regularly. While your phone is outside of its' case go ahead and give it a thorough cleaning too! Your iPhone is a luxury device and deserves a luxury home to suit it! We suggest our Bella Fino Leather iPhone Case. It's made of one single piece of easy to clean, beautiful full-grain leather. Simply place your iPhone into the snap-on case and enjoy 360-degree protection. Ready for a deep clean?

Depending on your case's materials, the items you used to clean your iPhone itself. First, wipe it down with your lint-free cloth to brush off large particulates. Go ahead and get your cloth ever so slightly damp and give your case another wipe down. While the external portion of your case is the most visible, don't be afraid to clean the inside as well! That is where little bits of lint and debris tend to collect underneath the iPhone.

As for leather iPhone cases, like ours, you'll want to clean then nourish the case. You'll begin by placing your case flat, spine up. We wanted to formulate the very best kit to ensure the very best for our leather iPhone cases. Simply apply the cleaner on a cloth in wiping motions across the case. Then, buff in the leather oil to restore life back into the leather. The result will be an ultra-soft, supple, and clean leather.

Well there you go, now your iPhone should look like new and be squeaky clean from the lock button to the charging port. If you have any other tips or ideas, be sure to post them in the comments. We want to hear from you!

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How to Clean Your Apple Watch

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leather iphone cases