Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Cell Phone
When you think of spring cleaning, you likely think of organizing your closet, dusting your baseboards, and washing your windows; but why not spend some time spring cleaning your cell phone and tablet? Continue reading for phone cleaning advice from CPR Cell Phone Repair’s Kyle Opdahl, or reference our infographic for step-by-step cleaning instructions.
Cleaning Your Cell Phone Externally
Did you know that the average cell phone has ten times more germs and bacteria than the average toilet? It’s no surprise given that most people check their phones about 50 times per day.
To sanitize your device and rid it of smudges and dust, follow these steps.
- Using a professional grade cleaner, lightly spray your phone. NOTE: Be sure to avoid any openings like charging ports, buttons, and speakers.
- Gently wipe your cell phone with a microfiber cloth or lint-free cloth to remove excess cleaner.
- For harder-to-reach crevices, use a Q-tip to dislodge crumbs and grime.
If you don’t have a professional cleaner on hand, do NOT reach for household cleaning products like Windex and Lysol. Instead, try preparing your own electronics cleaning solution with 60 percent water and 40 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol.
Decluttering Your Cell Phone
Now that your cell phone is spick and span, it’s time to declutter!
To begin, back up any essential data using cloud storage or your computer. Once your data is backed up, follow these steps to successfully declutter your cell phone.
- Delete unwanted pictures and videos.
- Remove unused apps.
- Delete old text messages and emails.
- Create folders and organize apps by category.
- Disable useless push notifications.
- Stream music to minimize MP3 files.
While you’re reviewing your apps, be sure to visit app settings to disable location tracking. Location tracking can drain your cell phone’s battery and impact performance.
For more information on spring cleaning your cell phone, watch CPR’s Kyle Opdahl interviewed on KARE 11 News in Minneapolis, MN.
This article was edited on April 18, 2019 to include a spring cleaning infographic.
