How to Clean Samsung Galaxy S10

Dealing with Minor Dirt and Smudges

Wipe both sides of your phone with a microfiber cloth to erase light smudges. Glide the cloth over the screen and outer casing using smooth, circular motions. This will help you collect as much dirt and oil as possible. Use a light touch—too much pressure could crack or deform the device's exterior. If you have a case on your phone, be sure to take it off before you begin cleaning. It's okay to use a soft, non-shedding cotton towel if you don't happen to have a microfiber cloth on hand. Avoid cleaning your phone with any type of material that feels rough or abrasive. Even seemingly harmless items like paper towels and toilet paper can leave tiny scratches in the glass screen.Tip: Buying microfiber cloths in bulk can be a wise investment, especially if you’re a clean freak when it comes to your phone. A package of 6 cloths will typically only run you about $8-10 online.

Use a few drops of lens cleaner to remove heavy screen buildup. Wet one corner of your cloth with a mild lens cleaner solution and rub it onto the glass gently. Together, the cleaner and persistent scrubbing action should take even the thickest coating of dirt and oil right off. You can pick up a bottle of lens cleaner from any store that carries camera or eyeglass accessories. Some smartphone retailers may also stock similar solutions for just this purpose. Always apply cleaning products to a separate cloth rather than directly to your phone to prevent moisture-related damage.

Press a piece of clear tape to the phone to lift away dust and fingerprints. Tear off a strip of tape long enough to span the entire length of your phone and smooth it down onto one section of the device. Then, loosen one corner of the tape and peel it off slowly. It will take a surprising amount of surface residue with it. Look for a wider roll of tape to de-smudge your phone in less time. This method can be particularly useful for those times when you don't have a suitable cleaning cloth at your disposal, like when you're at work or school.

Deep-Cleaning and Disinfecting

Rinse your phone with lukewarm water to wash off dried or sticky messes. If you’ve tried attacking a particular problem area with both a dry and wet cloth and neither method has worked, try holding it under the faucet for a few seconds. The flowing water should help to break down difficult substances like greasy food residue or traces of adhesive. Rub the surface of the device with a microfiber cloth or the pad of your finger as you rinse it to get rid of even more gunk. Make sure the water is neither too hot nor too cold. Extreme temperatures could affect your phone’s battery life or general performance. The Samsung Galaxy S10 is highly water-resistant, with an industry rating of IP68. In a nutshell, this means that it can spend up to 30 minutes submerged in 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) of water with no ill effects.

Clean out the ports and other small openings using a toothpick. After weeks of frequent use, it's possible for dirt and grime to accumulate inside your device’s charging port, headphone port, or speaker holes. When this happens, just grab a toothpick and use one end to scrape the edges of the clogged opening. Doing so will easily dislodge the compacted crud. After scraping out each port, wipe the area around it with a disinfecting wipe or damp microfiber cloth to do away with lingering bacteria. You shouldn't need to detail your phone's ports more than about once every couple of weeks, though it can be a good habit to get into while you're carrying out your regular cleanings.

Disinfect your phone daily with alcohol-based disinfecting wipes. Start by wiping down the screen from corner to corner, using light pressure to prevent stress cracks. Once you've done that, turn the device over and give the rear casing the same treatment. Don't forget to go over the outer edges, while you're at it. If you have enough wipes to spare, stash a package in your vehicle so you'll be able to disinfect your phone immediately after handling various surfaces while you're out and about. Most brand name disinfecting wipes are effective at eliminating up to 99.9% of viruses and bacteria on contact.Tip: Health experts now recommend disinfecting your phone at least once a day to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Sanitize your device with an approved disinfectant if you don't have wipes. Samsung lists alcohol- and hypochlorous acid-based disinfectants among the small number of cleaners approved for use on their devices. This means they’re guaranteed to kill germs and cut through dirt, dust, oil, and other substances without harming the materials used to make the screen, casing, or internal components. Hypochlorous acid is a powerful natural disinfectant that’s found in many common skin, surface, and all-purpose cleaning products. Pure ethyl or isopropyl alcohol (higher than about 70%) could potentially damage your phone’s surface, so it’s best to stay away from it. A little bit of distilled water can also do the trick if you don’t like the idea of using any sort of chemical cleaner on your device.

Consider buying a UV phone cleaner for effortless disinfecting. These nifty little appliances work by bombarding phones, smart watches, and other compact devices with bacteria-busting ultraviolet light. Just place your phone inside the chamber, close the lid, and switch it on. In just 10 minutes, the concentrated rays will destroy up to 99.99% of unseen germs lurking on the surface. UV phone cleaners come in several different sizes. To successfully sanitize a Galaxy S10, you’ll need one that’s at least 142–162 millimetres (5.6–6.4 in) long, 69–77 centimetres (27–30 in) wide, and 8 millimetres (0.31 in) deep. A basic UV phone cleaner will run you around $80-120, on average. If there are other phones in your household and you’re willing to shell out a little extra, you can also find oversized versions big enough to hold multiple devices at once.

Preventing Unnecessary Damage

Avoid spraying your phone with concentrated jets of water. While the Galaxy S10 is built to withstand the occasional spill or dunk in the toilet, it’s not completely waterproof. High-powered kitchen sprayers can force moisture deep into ports and other small openings where vulnerable electronic components are housed. If this happens, it could turn your phone into a $500 paperweight in a matter of minutes. If you absolutely must use water to clean your phone, do it under a light flow from the tap.Warning: It’s especially important to be careful about exposing your phone to large quantities of water if the casing is cracked or there are signs of extensive wear around any buttons, lenses, or other potential entry points.

Steer clear of window cleaner, makeup remover, or other unapproved solutions. The kind of potent solvents these substances contain may work wonders on household surfaces, but they’re a bad choice for smartphones. At best, they could eat away your screen’s protective coating. At worst, they could cause permanent discoloration or more serious damage. This goes for things like disinfecting wipes, hydrogen peroxide, and soap of any kind, as well.

Keep compressed air out of your phone’s ports. Compressed air has long been used to free delicate tech goods of dust and debris. Because sophisticated smartphones like the Galaxy S10 are equipped with such sensitive processing equipment, however, it has the potential to do more harm than good. A poorly-placed blast could blow out your onboard microphone, grind gritty particles into your camera’s lens, or trap dirt inside your handset hardware. Some tech aficionados swear by compressed air, but almost all major smartphone manufacturers caution against it. Play it safe and follow the official advice on this one.