The newest smartphones are often breaking the $1,000 price-point, and the price increase is not even thinking of slowing down. The new iPhone expected to be launched in September will cost more than one grand, and rumors say that Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Fold and Note 10 will whizz well past the $1,000 barrier too. The fact that most of these devices are also splash proofed means that people are getting more and more comfortable taking them to places that are not as clean, i.e., taking some underwater images with your latest iPhone may seem like a great idea but wait until you realize that you have to clean the device afterward. Here’s where things sometimes get tricky and being unprepared may end up costing you a lot. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most common messes seen in smartphones and some suggestions on how to handle them like a pro.

      1. Fingerprints on the screen
        It is tough to find an owner of a black iPhone or a tablet, who has never complained about the visible prints all over the device. Sadly, the dark-colored devices make residue, fingerprints, make up and all sorts of unidentifiable stickiness, very noticeable. It is one thing to feel the dirt on your phone, but it is even worse when you can see it. The best way to handle the marks is by using a simple wet wipe. The magic of bringing back your phone to a sparkling-shine condition is to leave it a for a few minutes after treatment with a damp wipe.
      2. Blocked charging port
        No matter what devices you have in your pocket or purse, one day you will try to plug in your device to your laptop or PC, and you won’t be able to establish a proper connection. Those small ports need your attention from time to time. Very often, you may feel tempted to use a pin or a needle to remove all the stuff from them, but this may result in a costly expense. The most effective way to remove any dirt or dust from the ports is using a toothbrush. Just make sure the toothbrush is newish as the last thing you want is having to deal with toothbrush hair stuck in the port.
      3. Dirty cable or wireless charger
        If you have a pet, or a baby at home, the chances of seeing them chewing on your wireless charging base or cables are high. No matter how much time you spend trying to hide them, your little ones will find their way and get them dirty. If you do not have anyone who can chew them, you will slowly notice that cables and wireless chargers just get dirty over time. Wet wipes should do the trick, just make sure not to soak up the wires and the charger too much – while cables are pretty durable, most chargers are not waterproofed. Last but not least, leave them dry up before you use them again.
      4. Unresponsive buttons
        Dirt and dust can sometimes make your smartphone’s buttons not as responsive as you want them to be. Those tight spaces are hard to reach in and in most cases won’t get fixed even if you try to get them cleaned up using wet wipes. Sometimes one little piece of dirt can get there and drive you nuts. The best way to handle those button blockages is with an aerosol duster. And if compressed gas is not what helps you get rid of whatever is preventing you from pressing on your buttons, you may want to take your phone to your smartphone vendor for inspection as the device may be defective.
      5. Filthy speaker grills
        The moment you realize that taking your phone to the kitchen is a bad idea while cooking is when you accidentally spill a spoon of flour over the speakers. Such practices can render your device obsolete and wet wipes won’t do the job. The good news is that compressed gas will most likely help you get rid of all the nasty stuff being stuck in your phone’s speaker grills. All you have to do is to completely dry up the device (if wet) and blow out all the dirt from the device using an aerosol duster. After a few takes with the off duster, your phone will sound like new! And if this is not the case, gently use a SIM eject tool to shake things up and try again.

      Maintaining your smartphone clean is undoubtedly a must, the device is no longer a luxury, but a necessity, and you do not want it to let you down when you need it the most. Similar to cars, smartphones and tablets need regular maintenance and need to be kept clean. While antivirus software companies make sure your phone operates to its highest potential, it is entirely up to you to make sure that your device remains clean from the outside. The tools you need to maintain a phone do not require that much space and resources as maintaining a car – all you need is a cloth, toothbrush, sim ejector, compressed gas, some wet wipes, and antivirus software that protects all your devices, your privacy, and your loved ones.

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