If you ’re like75 % of smartphone drug user , you bring your lil ’ pocket information processing system with you into the bathroom . And you belike touch it with your greasy digit mid - meal all the time , too . And of course you take it on subway , and to the drome , and the motion picture theater , and to endless other public topographic point where other germy disgusting human being are present .

Basically , your iPhone is a bio - risky mess . There are plenty ofwrongways to clean it , and there are   some   fancy shmancysanitizers you’re able to buy– but even for something as simple as wiping off smudges , there are dos and don’ts you should follow . Protect your investment funds , people ! ( Er , at least until you upgrade . )

DON’T clean it while it’s plugged in or turned on

This is less about the risk of burning and more about avoiding doing accidental scathe to your gimmick . If your telephone set ’s turned on while you ’re forcefully wipe it down you could screw with the video display .

DON’T put liquids directly on the screen

Samsung totally cop the whole water - immunity matter with the newGalaxy S7 ; unfortunately , the iPhone is still a Brobdingnagian infant , and even tiny splashes of pee can hurt it . To protect your display from even the slightest exposure to moisture , never ever spend limpid directly onto the CRT screen while trying to pick it .

DON’T use any cloth that produces lint

It ’s alluring to need to abstract your sweaty fingerprint off the concealment with a composition towel , but that ’s a big plan . Anything that produces lint ( like a tissue , paper towel , throne paper , etc . ) can be abrasive , and can scratch your screen .

DON’T use household cleaners

Spritzing your screen with Windex or some other menage cleaner ( or aerosol ) may seem like a brilliant way to get it squeaky clean , but that is one of theworstthings you could do . Here ’s the deal : your phone ’s screen has a special oleophobic coating on it , which helps the screen repel greasy fingerprint daub . Subjecting it to chemical substance will prematurely diminish its result .

DO use a damp microfiber cloth

Always apply a microfiber material – if you ’ve misplaced the one that came with your sound , they ’re easy enough to find ( you may even have one in your glasses subject ) . If you ’ve got more than just blot on your screen and require a fiddling wet , it ’s OK to practice a dampish fabric ( read : not soaking wet ) and softly Mr. Miyagi your means across the covert .

Just   make trusted you do n’t get any moisture into any uncover first step . That need being extra measured around the headphone jack , power mariner , microphone , and speaker holes .

DO use a compressed air canister

So how are you supposed to houseclean the pocket lint and other gunk out of deep-set parts of your gadget?The wooden toothpick trickis pretty honest , but you should also weigh gift in a canister of compressed melodic line . Not only will it safely crucify out the dirt and dust from your phone , but it will also effectively clean out your laptop computer ’s nasty keyboard crack .

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Joe McGauleyis a senior author for Thrillist and terrify of what weird bacteria is lurking under his Home button .

how to clean your iPhone

Nick Krueck/Thrillist

Don’t clean iPhone when it’s plugged in

Nick Krueck/Thrillist

Don’t use liquids to clean iPhone

Nick Krueck/Thrillist

Using paper towel to clean an iPhone

Nick Krueck/Thrillist

Don’t use household cleaners on iPhone

Nick Krueck/Thrillist

Use a damp microfiber cloth to clean iPhone

Nick Krueck/Thrillist

compressed air cannister

Nick Kreuck/Thrillist