iPhone 5 Care & Cleaning Guide

I just got an iPhone 5 to replace my very old school iPhone 3Gs 8 gig (I know, how DID I survive)?   And I was very excited to see the beautiful aluminum case as well.  However, I’m a bit of a phone whipper, tosser and slider.  I don’t really treat it all that nicely.  I’ve spent a lot of time learning about how to clean electronics properly (and of course cleaning them), so I’ve decided to update an old video we have and demonstrate how to clean a newer gen smartphone.  My iPhone 5 arrival was a perfect opportunity to do this.

Look no further if you need more articles on cleaning gadgets and electronics!

Firstly

Don’t clean it using your clothing, a paper towel or a tissue.  These all can scratch as well as cling on to tiny debris which can and will scratch your beautiful glass screen. Use a microfiber cloth – an OPTICAL microfiber cloth.  They’re readily available and easy to use. Optical cloths are designed with flat weave (they feel like nubuck leather) and can’t cling on to any debris which will scratch.  Many people say, ‘but the iPhone5 is made with Gorilla Glass and Aluminum and won’t scratch’.  I beg to differ.  Do a search for ‘scratch iPhone5’ and see what comes up.  It scratches alright!

For an amazing flat-weave product check out Maker’s Clean Glass and Electronics Cloths! They are reliable and will never leave you hanging!

Secondly

No product allowed!  Your phone (even if it’s not an iPhone) has numerous coatings on it including an oleophobic coating, an anti-static coating and an anti-glare coating.  Product will erode these coatings and that will harm the functionality of your phone. Use your breath or a teeny tiny amount of water placed on the cloth and then used to polish the glass or aluminum.

Some people have posted on my older phone cleaning video that they use bleach, glass cleaner etc. to clean their phones.  That’s really not good for the phones and the optical cloth is sufficient to remove dirt and debris which carry bacteria.  If the surface has no dirt or oils, the bacteria has nowhere to sit.

Some people talk about using rubbing alcohol to clean their phones.  Sure, you can use a 50/50 mix of water mixed with rubbing alcohol to clean your phone.  Simply mist one quarter of your optical cloth with the solution, wipe it down and then buff it dry with a dry quarter of the cloth.  I’m not saying to do this or not to do this, I’m just saying it is something you could do if you really wanted to disinfect your phone…but not too frequently.

Finally

Consider screen protectors and phone cases.  These kept my old iPhone 3GS in great shape.  I am waiting to see what Otter Box comes out with and I’ll likely grab a Commuter series model.  I also use screen protectors.  They are super overpriced so far as I am concerned, but worth it when I consider the fact that my phone sits in my purse among $4.64 worth of change, a wad of keys, 2 pens, bobby pins and lip gloss.  It’s got a snowball’s chance in hell of staying pristine.  If you disagree with me and think the Gorilla Glass and aluminum will be protected for life, that’s cool.  I’m still getting a case and screen protector – I don’t want to be dealing with scratches that I have to stare at all the time in a year from now.  It’s a simple and relatively inexpensive preventative method.

I am a little disappointed that Apple didn’t include an optical cloth with the new phone, I got one with my 3GS (I suppose when Apple slimmed the iPhone 5, they also slimmed the budget).

Whatever, it’s worth the purchase.

For more cleaning tips and tricks check out our amazing E-Book Bundle! It gives you access to our e-books 50 DIY Recipes, Guide to Essential Oils, & My 3 Wave Cleaning System.