How to Clean Your iPhone

How to Clean Your iPhone
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Learning how to clean the iPhone is an important and crucial part of iPhone maintenance. An iPhone is constantly exposed to different environments where it can collect dust or other residue. Throughout the day it is not uncommon for an iPhone to travel to and from your pocket, car, desk, counter-tops and several other locations. The constant transit of the iPhone means an increased amount of exposure to things that can cause the iPhone to become dirty.

This guide will enable you to clean the screen, body and all jacks and ports on the iPhone to ensure it stays in optimal working condition. Without the knowledge of how to clean the iPhone there is a constant risk of dust building up in the charger port or the headphone jack and causing problems with regular usage. Furthermore without learning how to clean the iPhone, the screen will become dirty and the body of the iPhone will become riddled with fingerprints over time.

Taking the time to clean is worthwhile, both to protect your iPhone and to ensure it stays looking its best.

Cleaning the iPhone

Start learning how to clean your iPhone by cleaning the screen of the iPhone. Apple recommends avoiding the use of certain chemicals to clean the LCD screen of the iPhone.

  1. Select a cloth. Select a lint and dust free cloth. It is not recommended to use towels or other rigid cloth.
  2. Dampen cloth. Dampen the cloth very lightly with distilled water or glass cleaner. Avoid harsh chemicals or detergents.
  3. Clean the screen. Gently wipe the screen in a circular motion with the cloth.
  4. Allow the screen to dry. Allow the screen to air dry. Do not dry the screen manually with the cloth as this can cause smudges.

The next step is to clean the body of the iPhone. The body of the iPhone is slightly less sensitive than the screen of the iPhone however you should exercise special caution around the headphone jack, speaker grates and dock connector.

  1. Apply cleaning solution to cloth. Apply a cleaning solution to a lint and dust free cloth. Consider a non-harmful cleaner such as Windex or even contact cleaner.
  2. Grip the iPhone by the edges. Spread your fingers apart and firmly grip the iPhone by the outer edges.
  3. Wipe down the body. Wipe down the entire body of the iPhone. Exercise caution around the openings and avoid wetting the screen again.

The final step in learning how to clean your iPhone is to clean the headphone jack and the dock connector. Due to the small nature of these openings it may be hard to use a cloth or other conventional cleaning instruments.

  1. Clean the headphone jack. Use compressed air to blow the dust out of the headphone jack. Do not insert the extension of the compressed air can into the headphone jack.
  2. Clean the dock connector. Using the compressed air, blow out the dust in the dock connector. You may have to repeat this step several times.
  3. Clean the speaker grates. Use the compressed air to gently blow and dust off the speaker grates located to the left and right of the dock connector.

Prevention is Best

It is always helpful to clean your iPhone, however the best bet is to prevent the iPhone from getting dirty in the first place. There are several products available on the market to assist you. Consider purchasing a screen protector for the iPhone. Also consider purchasing a protective case for the iPhone which will not only prevent damage and scratches but will help to keep your iPhone clean as well.

Properly cleaning and maintaining your iPhone will not only increase the appearance, it will also increase the performance and overall life span of your iPhone.

For more information, take a look at this great article with more iPhone Cleaning Tips. Also be sure to check out this article on the specifics of how to Clean the iPhone Headphone Slot.