You should have been doing it all along. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting that nasty smart phone of yours. And your laptop, tablet, remote control and every other piece of gadgetry around your home and office. But now with COVID19 spreading you hopefully are more aware of the germs and dangers that can cling to these electronics. So do it.
It is not just you touching your phone. When you touch a public door handle or grocery cart and then pick up your phone, congrats it is dirty. The first thing you should NOT do is wipe it with rubbing alcohol. STOP, don’t do that. Straight alcohol can strip the protective coatings that keep oil and water from damaging your display and other ports. My first choice has been to use cleaners made specifically for electronics. Whoosh Screen Shine is safe for all screens as it is alcohol-free, ammonia-free, and an anti-static. Screen Mom and Bryson are similar products also without alcohol, ammonia or phosphates.
Whichever you choose, unplug the device and do not ever spray anything directly onto the screen . Use a microfiber cloth that is often sold with these products. Spray the cleaner onto the cloth and then carefully wipe down all parts of your phone. Make sure to remove the phone cover to get parts such as buttons and crevices.
Other products can be safely used on electronics such as Clorox Wipes. Just make sure to use disinfectants that contain no more than 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean screens.
Other products to avoid cleaning phones with:
- window cleaner
- kitchen cleaners
- paper towels
- makeup remover
- compressed air
- vinegar
- dish and hand soap
Here is a recent TV segment from FOX26 (Houston) where I go into more detail: