Since our phones are a part of our everyday lives, its case is bound to gain some wear and tear. Even if there isn’t any visible dirt, grime or stains, your phone case is probably a lot dirtier than you think. It may even be one of the grossest objects you come in contact with on the daily (even dirtier than a toilet — ick!). Now that we have thoroughly grossed you out, what are you going to do about it? 

Clean your phone! 

Good answer. Follow this tutorial to guide you on how to clean phone cases so you no longer have to swim in a soup of bacteria every time you text your friends. We don’t even want to think about putting those germs up against our cheeks.

What Can I Use to Clean a Phone Case?

If you regularly clean your phone, a disinfecting wipe or damp dishrag with some soap may do just fine. However, if you’re planning to do a thorough phone case cleaning, you’re going to need some supplies to get the job done well. Depending on the type of phone case you have, you may need: 

• Dishwashing gloves
• Chlorine bleach
• Water
• Dish soap
• Sponge or cloth
• Vinegar 

Choose which method of how to clean phone cases that match your needs. We have a tutorial for plastic, silicone, wooden, and clear phone cases that have turned yellow. 

Let’s hop to it.

How To Clean a Plastic Phone Case

Roam Free – NZ iPhone CaseDesigned and sold by cabinsupplyco

If you’ve got a plastic phone case, you’re in luck. It’s one of the easiest to clean because it’s pretty durable under most scenarios. We’ll walk you through the steps on how to clean a white plastic phone case so you can say goodbye to those nasty germs camping out on your most prized possession. 

Step 1: Gather your supplies. Most plastic phone cases can withstand bleach. If you’re not a bleach type of human, you can use  mild dish soap instead. You’ll want water, a sponge or cloth or a toothbrush of some sort, and protective gloves if you’re using bleach.

Step 2: Create a solution using one part bleach to every 16 parts of water. Wait, what? In normal human speech, you can mix a tablespoon of bleach for every cup of water. You probably won’t need too many cups since it’s just a phone case.

Step 3: Completely soak your phone case for 10 to 15 minutes, maybe a little longer for those stubborn stains.

Step 4: Scrub away the gunk. You can use a toothbrush to get into the nooks and crannies and a cloth to wash away the grime.

Step 5: Rinse your plastic phone case thoroughly to get rid of any bleach solution. Pat it dry, and then let it air dry for a good 30 minutes or so before you put your phone back in it. 

Keeping your plastic phone case clean is a simple process that should be done once a month. You can wipe down your case with a disinfectant wipe weekly during the interim.

How To Clean a Soft or Silicone Phone Case

Sleeping Meditation iPhone Case designed and sold by Khotekmei

Silicone or soft phone cases can be gorgeous, and they can also be a lot more delicate than plastic. Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to clean a rubber phone case to get that icky bacteria out of your life… at least for the moment. 

Step 1: Collect your materials, which will include dish soap, water, and a sponge or cloth to clean with. You can also opt into using baking soda, but it’s not required.

Step 2: You get to wing it here a little and add some dish soap to a bowl of hot water and mix it well. No need to get too wild with the dish soap — a little goes a long way.

Step 3: You don’t want to soak a silicone phone case in the water. Instead, dip your cloth or cleaning tool in the solution, and then use it to scrub the case clean.
You can use a toothbrush here, too, if it helps to clean hard-to-reach places. 

Step 4: To remove stubborn stains, sprinkle some baking soda on them and gently scrub with a wet toothbrush. If it’s a larger stain, you can create a baking soda paste with three parts baking soda to one part water. Then smear it on the stain and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before scrubbing it off.

Step 5: Rinse your case thoroughly until the soap and baking soda are gone. Then pat it dry, and allow it to air dry before putting your phone back in it. 

It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t try and boil or bake the germs off of your silicone or rubber phone case. This isn’t cookware, and it could ruin it.

How To Clean a Wooden Phone Case

Unicorn Poop Samsung Galaxy Case designed and sold by pai-thagoras

Wood and water aren’t always the best of friends. If you want to know how to clean a wooden phone case, we’ve got you covered. Say goodbye to the nasty breeding ground and hello to a clean phone case. 

Step 1: Gather your supplies. With wood, you don’t want to soak it because it could expand or shrink and do things you don’t want it to do. You’ll need water, vinegar, a spray bottle, and a cloth.

Step 2: Fill your spray bottle with two parts water to one part vinegar. Mix it well. If you’ve got some stubborn stains, you can always add a drop or two of dish soap to the solution for some extra oomph.

Step 3: Once you’ve made your solution, lightly spray it onto the wooden phone case, and then wipe it down with a damp cloth.

Step 4: Be mindful not to drench the case. It won’t be happy.

Step 5: Wipe it down again, this time with a dry cloth or paper towel to help remove excess moisture. 

Follow these steps to clean your wooden phone case quickly. You can keep this wood cleaning solution in a sealed container (like the spray bottle) and use it to clean your phone off weekly.

How To Clean a Clear Phone Case

You Are Made Of Magic iPhone Case designed and sold by nevhada

Has your phone case turned yellow? Ugh, nobody wants that. If you don’t want to go ahead and buy a new phone case, you can follow these steps on how to clean a clear phone case that turned yellow. 

Step 1: Collect your materials. Depending on how stubborn the stains are, you’ll likely need dish soap, baking soda, warm water, a cloth or toothbrush, and perhaps bleach.

Step 2: Mix a cup of warm water with a couple of drops of soap.

Step 3: Soak your plastic phone case in the solution for 10 to 15 minutes, maybe longer for stubborn stains.

Step 4: Use your toothbrush to scrub the case. If the stains are still there, you can sprinkle baking soda over the plastic phone case and scrub a bit more.

Step 5: Rinse the baking soda and solution off of the phone case. Pat it dry, and then allow it to dry thoroughly for at least 30 minutes before you put your phone back in it. 

If you’ve got a yellowing plastic phone case and the above tricks don’t get it clean, it might be time to invest in a new case. 

Say goodbye to your dirty, germy phone case, and hello to a new one with this guide on how to clean phone cases. If you’re ready to throw in the towel, check out our collection of stylish phone cases with original designs made by independent artists.  Once you have a shiny new case, show it off with some mirror selfies and clever captions to your social media.

Header Image Copper Geo designed and sold by Elisabeth Fredriksson