How to Clean an iPhone

Cleaning your iPhone is by no means a complicated procedure, but it is one that should be done slowly and carefully. It is not something that should be done in a rushed manner or haphazardly. Take your time, do it right, and your iPhone will reward you for the TLC you show it.

What You Will Need:

  • Microfiber or other similar lint free cloth.
  • Cool water
  • iPhone
  • Safe and quiet spot

The Cleaning Process:

  1. Disconnect all USB cables from your iPhone. The iPhone should never be cleaned while it is attached to a computer or any other device.
  2. Turn your iPhone off. To do this, depress the “sleep/wake” button (if you do not know where this button is, refer to your iPhone instruction manual). After about 3 to 4 seconds a red slider will appear on the screen. With your finger, drag the red slider across the screen. Your iPhone should now be off. Again, if you are having difficulty with this procedure, refer to your instruction manual.
  3. Dampen (Dampen, not soak!) the corner of a soft microfiber cloth with a trickle of water (Some people prefer distilled because it carries less impurities). Never apply water or cleaning solutions directly to your iPhone.
  4. With the damp corner, gently wipe the iPhone, paying special attention to the touch screen, but avoid wiping the ports. If your screen is especially dirty, you should attempt to remove surface dirt with a soft brush or compressed air first as you may inadvertently drag the dirt across the screen and cause scratching.
  5. Once your phone has been cleaned to your satisfaction, use the dry portion of the cloth to remove any moisture that remains on your phone.
  6. When your iPhone is completely dry turn it back on by depressing the “sleep/wake” button. The “Apple” logo should appear on the screen.
  7. Depending on how much you use your iPhone, this cleaning process can be done daily, or every couple of days or weekly, in order to keep your iPhone looking its best and performing well.

Additional Tips and Advice

  • Before attempting to clean your iPhone, always refer to your user’s manual to make sure you are familiar with all the features and recommendations pertaining to your iPhone, including any manufacturer precautions with regard to cleaning.
  • Your iPhone should come with its own cleaning cloth, in which case, we recommend that you use their cloth, and follow any recommendations provided with the cloth, for cleaning your iPhone.
  • NEVER use any type of commercial or chemical cleaners on your iPhone—not even plain soap! The only thing you should dampen your cleaning cloth with is PLAIN WATER.
  • Again, be very careful not to saturate your iPhone with water—the cleaning cloth should barely be damp—or you will damage your iPhone.
  • If your iPhone does sustain water damage and will not turn on (or acts erratically when it is turned on) contact Apple iPhone Customer Support immediately to find out what can be done to remedy or repair the situation.
  • You may want to consider purchasing an iPhone case to help keep your iPhone clean and minimize the frequency of regular cleaning.
  • NEVER attempt to clean the iPhone touch screen (or any other part of the iPhone) with any kind of liquid or aerosol cleaners, especially ones containing alcohol, ammonia or other abrasive ingredients. These common household cleaners (including window cleaners such as Windex®) can damage the sensitive touch screen!
  • Of course, you should NEVER immerse your iPhone in water, but also be careful to keep your iPhone out of excessively moist or damp environments (i.e. indoor pool areas, health club saunas or steam rooms, steamy shower rooms, etc.),. Excessive moisture can damage the delicate inner workings of the iPhone. If your iPhone does get wet, unplug all cables, turn the iPhone off and allow it to dry out completely. After it is dry, try to turn it on and see if it works. If it does not turn on, or acts erratically when it does, contact Apple customer support to see what can be done to remedy the situation. You can contact customer support by using the contact information provided with your iPhone materials, or by going to their website.



VN:F [1.6.3_896]
Rate this guide:
Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Related:

{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }

Kath August 6, 2008 at 9:19 am

You shouldn’t use water to clean an iPhone.

Water + Electronics = Bad Idea

BV August 11, 2008 at 2:14 pm

Is this a joke or what??? I agree, getting water anywhere near your iPhone/iPod Touch is a recipe for disaster, increasing your chances of causing accidental damage. I’ve found wiping the screen with a soft tissue is very effective(and dry!).

Zak August 23, 2008 at 2:15 pm

I simply breath on the screen, back, etc (like fogging up glass), and then use my iphone cloth to gently wipe away smudges, flakes, or any kind of lint or substance that gets on it

I’m also extremely careful with it anyway, and don’t trust cases, especially of rubbery materials, because dirt and dust swarm the back and sides.

jm September 28, 2008 at 3:31 pm

buy a case and protect it

Brent October 25, 2008 at 1:50 pm

A few drops of 91% Isopropyl Alcohol on a lint free lens cloth works great. Be sure the phone is off and do not use so much liquid that it could get into the speaker or Home button. Wipe with a dry lens cleaning cloth for a nice shine. As an added benefit it reduces the face grease well and helps disinfect the screen.

7u7a June 30, 2009 at 4:21 am

i agree with zak i always make the same way he does and it works well but i need to remove scratches on the ipod touch from the back how ??

aL3x July 26, 2009 at 4:33 pm

wat do u put here?

what’s the BEST way to clean the iPhones screen?
please answer

pyaolyangshen October 22, 2009 at 2:17 pm

cleaning an iphone

Um. I use disinfectant wipes. if it has scratches, i take them out by massaging a little toothpaste on the surface scratch, then wiping it gently off with a lightly moist napkin and it works.

Leave a Comment