How to Properly Clean & Disinfect Your Android Phone

In this guide we’ll explain how to properly clean your Android phone, Galaxy, Pixel and more. If you are wondering how to disinfect your phone without damaging the screen or are worried about the Coronavirus and other contaminates, we’re here to help.

Smartphone screens can actually get damaged from harsh chemicals and cleaners, so use caution. Phones have a coating on the screen to prevent fingerprints, build-up, and glare, and you could accidentally remove that. Not to mention a rough cloth could scratch your screen.

These days most phones like the Galaxy S10 or Google Pixel 4 are water-proof, but that does NOT mean you can wash it in soapy water. This will damage that water-resistance levels on the inside, not to mention void your warranty as phones have a water damage indicator on the inside as well. We are already seeing a shortage of warranty replacement phones and parts due to the COVID-19 virus.

What to AVOID while cleaning your phone

If you don’t care about your phone or the oleophobic coating on the screen, and just want to stay safe, by all means, clean your device any way you want. That said, there are several things you can easily avoid. Lysol or Clorox disinfectant wipes might be an easy way to quickly keep it clean, and they’re fine for the case or around back, but keep them away from your screen.

Household items like alcohol, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and other harsh disinfectant chemicals can clean the sides and back of your phone but do not use them on the display.

Additionally, don’t let the liquid from any of those get into charging ports, microphone pinholes or anything else, as that could cause damage too. Just be cautious with the screen and keep any and all chemicals away from buttons and ports. Make sure the phone is completely dry before you re-apply your case.

Spraying it with a disinfectant spray isn’t a good idea, and using things like compressed air can damage speakers and microphones if you’re not careful.

How to Properly Clean Your Android Phone

We’ll start with cleaning your Android phone screen and body. First things first, remove the case and set your phone aside. Then, wash your case with soapy warm water if it’s just a typical case with no moving parts or a battery.

Our first step is easy and something you can do at home with almost anything you have, then more advanced options are below for those who really want to keep things clean and disinfected. Most of these items can be ordered on Amazon Prime, too.

1. Power off your phone
2. Use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe buttons and edges (avoid the screen)
3. Add a few drops of water to a microfiber cloth
4. Wipe the screen and body with the microfiber cloth
5. Use a toothpick to clean any lint or debris from the USB charging port
6. Or, use compressed air to blow out the USB charging port (but be careful and hold it 6+ inches away)

At this point, you have a clean phone, but if you want to fully disinfect everything (including the screen) you’ll have to buy a few items like a cleaning kit or the “Phonesoap” device from our list below. We recommend this universal screen cleaning kit, the SWOOSH kit or even this 44-piece cleaning kit full of useful tools.

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How to Fully Disinfect Your Android Phone

Those first few options will help you clean your phone and keep the screen safe, but they’re not doing a ton of coronavirus disinfecting. This next product will.

According to the National Health Commission in China, UV light and heat can eliminate the Coronavirus. Apparently, it can’t survive in high temps, but DO NOT try to heat up your phone. And, be careful with UV lights if you even have one.

While you don’t likely have a UV light on hand, there are some amazing products like the Phonesoap from our video above that are designed for exactly that. It’s a neat gadget that will absolutely completely clean your Android phone, iPhone or other gadgets.

Phonesoap makes several powerful UV phone cleaners that will deep clean your phone just a matter of a few minutes. In fact, they state the device will kill up to 99.99% of germs on your phone. Keep in mind that while they don’t specifically mention recent threats like COVID-19 (Coronavirus) this is certainly a step in the right direction in terms of keeping you and your devices safe. It is just a virus, after all, like the flu, and Phonesoap should eliminate it from all surfaces of your Galaxy.

You can also order similar products on Amazon if you’d rather not wait and want to disinfect your phone, headphones and other devices right away.

How to Keep Your Phone Clean

Last but not least, we want to share some steps or products for just keeping your phone clean in general. Brands like Invisibleshield and Otterbox make anti-microbial screen protectors for most popular Android, Galaxy and iPhone models. Those will keep the screen disinfected so you don’t have to use harsh chemicals.

Obviously you’ll still want to be cautious, wash your phone case, and be sure to wash your hands frequently. Not just during this coronavirus scare, but in general. Washing your hands is better than using hand sanitizer, too, as it leaves a protective layer on your hands. Hand sanitizer doesn’t.

• Buy OtterBox Amplify at Amazon or Otterbox
• Buy Invisibleshield Glass Elite Visionguard+ at Invisibleshield
• Buy BodyGuardz Anti-microbial protectors at Amazon

When you consider everything you touch daily, and everything your phone touches, then the fact that you constantly are in contact with it or putting it up to your face, everything we’ve detailed here today is a good investment. Or, you can always buy a super cheap phone to use in the meantime.

Last update on 2024-03-25. This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read our disclosure policy for more details. Images via Amazon API