How to Clean Phone Screen & Case
What You'll Need
- 1
- Small amount
- Small amount
- Several
Step-by-Step Method
Take off the phone case. You will clean the phone and case separately.
Dampen a microfiber cloth with a 50/50 mix of 70% isopropyl alcohol and distilled water. Gently wipe the screen. Apple and Samsung have both confirmed that 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes are safe for their screens.
Use a dry cotton swab or wooden toothpick to gently clean the charging port and speaker grilles. Compressed air works for speaker grilles.
Wash silicone cases with warm soapy water, rinse, and dry. Clear plastic cases: wipe with isopropyl alcohol. Leather cases: wipe with a barely damp cloth only.
- Do not spray liquid directly on the phone
- Do not use window cleaner, household cleaners, or hydrogen peroxide on screens
- Do not use compressed air directly into the charging port (can damage components)
- Do not submerge the phone (water resistance is not waterproof)
- Your phone has 10x more bacteria than a toilet seat (University of Arizona research). Daily wipe-downs are worth it.
- Apple specifically approves 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes and Clorox disinfecting wipes on iPhone screens.
- UV phone sanitizers work but are not necessary if you clean with alcohol regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The oleophobic (fingerprint-resistant) coating wears off naturally over 1-2 years of use regardless of cleaning. Using 70% isopropyl alcohol as approved by Apple and Samsung does not significantly accelerate this. Harsh chemicals, abrasive cloths, and screen protector removal cause more coating damage than proper cleaning.
Sources & Methodology
Phone screen cleaning approval from Apple (support.apple.com) and Samsung. Bacterial contamination data from University of Arizona Environmental Microbiology research.
Last reviewed: March 20, 2026