How to properly clean any type of mobile phone case or shell

The case or casing is an essential element to protect your mobile against possible shocks or falls. Like the terminal itself, which is 10 times dirtier than a toilet, the cover can also contain microbes, bacteria, and fungi that are dangerous to your health.

Although anti-microbial covers already exist, it is best to learn how to properly clean any type of mobile phone case or shell to always keep it away from dirt.

In this guide, we explain how to clean plastic, wood, silicone, and leather cases. Depending on the material, the cleaning products, and the steps to follow vary.

Before your mobile becomes a possible source of infections, clean it to remove all the dirt that accumulates. Next, we explain how to do it based on the material with which it has been manufactured.

Clean plastic sleeve

Although their popularity has decreased with time with the advent of silicone cases, plastic cases are still a durable option to protect your mobile phone.

Plastic covers, especially those made of hard plastic, can be easily cleaned thanks to their resistance to products such as bleach or alcohol. If you prefer not to deal with such strong substances, you always have the option of cleaning your mobile phone case with dish soap, at least those made of plastic.

If you have a cover made of this material and want to learn how to clean it correctly, these are the materials you need and the steps to follow.

Necessary materials

• Bleach or dish soap
• Water
• Sponge or toothbrush
• Soft cloth
• Gloves for hands

Steps to clean a plastic sleeve

1. Take the phone out of the case to prevent water from getting into it during the cleaning process.
2. Put on the gloves to avoid any possible incidents when dealing with the bleach.
3. In a container, add a tablespoon of bleach for each cup of water until there is enough liquid to insert the cover.
4. Soak the sleeve in the bleach and water solution for about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the cover and scrub it with a toothbrush or sponge to remove any accumulated dirt.
6. Rinse the case well in water to remove any bleach residue.
7. Dry the water with a soft cloth and finally let it finish drying in the open air for half an hour before you cover your mobile again.

In case you don’t want to use bleach in the process of cleaning the case, you can substitute it for dish soap. The steps are similar: mix it with water, submerge the case and rub it with a toothbrush, rinse and dry it before putting it back on the mobile.

Clean wooden case

Wooden sleeves require a careful cleaning procedure that does not spoil the material. If you do not know, we must clarify that water is not a good friend of wood. If the wood absorbs water, it swells; if it expels it, it contracts.

In any case, the wood will be affected and will change its original state if you use water to clean it. Therefore, you must be especially careful if you are going to clean the wooden case or casing of your mobile correctly.

You can avoid possible problems during the cleaning process by using a special solution created with vinegar, always keeping in mind that you should not soak the wooden case with it. These are the materials and the steps you need to clean a wooden mobile phone case.

Necessary materials

• Vinegar
• Water
• Soft cloth or rag
• Spray can

Steps to clean a wooden case

1. Fill the spray can with two-thirds of water and one of vinegar. Then mix well to get the solution ready.
2. Pour the solution into the wooden case and wipe it off with a cloth to remove any accumulated dirt, always being careful not to get the case too wet.
3. Dry the case with a cloth or paper to remove the applied solution.

Clean silicone or rubber sleeve

Silicone or rubber covers are the most common today, as they offer resistance without sacrificing flexibility. If we compare them with the hard plastic shells, these silicone ones are somewhat more sensitive, so we will not be able to apply the bleach solution mentioned in the other case.

Before recommending the necessary materials for proper cleaning and the steps to follow, we remember that there are also disinfectant wipes to clean your mobile in just seconds. In extreme cases, these wipes can also help you clean the terminal cover.

In this case, to clean a silicone or rubber case, the most common is to use a mixture of soap and water, milder than bleach. If the cover is excessively dirty, you can also use a solution with baking soda, which will clean the silicone without damaging it—this list of necessary materials and the steps to follow in cleaning a silicone or rubber sleeve.

Necessary materials

• Dishes soap
• Water
• Sponge or toothbrush
• Baking soda (if dirt doesn’t wash off with soap)

Steps to clean a silicone or rubber sleeve

1. Fill a bowl with hot water and pour in dish soap. Mix it up to create the cleaning solution.
2. Dip the sponge in the soapy water and wipe the case cover with it. To reach the most hidden places, use the toothbrush after running it with soapy water. If the dirt remains, apply some baking soda to the housing and scrub it with your toothbrush.
3. Rinse the cover with water to clean the soap and baking soda residue.
4. Dry the cover with a towel or dry cloth. Then leave the carcass in the open air for about half an hour to finish drying. Finally, protect your mobile again with a clean case.

Once this cleaning is complete, you can clean the silicone cover weekly with disinfectant wipes like these from Kix, which will allow you to keep the cover away from microbes and bacteria without spending so much time cleaning.

Cleaning a leather case

Another of the most common materials in mobile cases is leather. If you have a case of this type, you should know that leather is one of the most sensitive materials and, therefore, you must be very careful when cleaning it. Forget about bleach or alcohol; to properly clean a leather case, you must use softer products.

In addition, you should protect your leather case from heat, moisture, oil, or makeup, which can also damage it. Next, we talk about the necessary materials and the steps to follow in cleaning a leather case. Spoiler: the most recommended is a leather conditioner.

Necessary materials

• Water
• Hand soap
• Soft cloth or rag
• Optional: leather conditioner

Steps to clean a leather case

1. Fill a bowl with hot water and pour in dish soap. Mix it up to create the cleaning solution.
2. Lightly wet the cloth with the soap and water mixture and wipe the leather case with it. Important: never pour the solution directly into the sleeve.
3. Use another dry cloth to remove any water that may have remained in the case.
4. If the leather case has not turned out well, you can use a leather conditioner to clean it 100%. Follow the instructions on the product to get the process done the right way.