# How often do you clean your phone or tablet's glass screen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312 "2020-11-11T13:13:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/1 "2020-11-11T13:13:53Z")
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/1))_ Touch screens get dirty. How often do you clean them? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/2 "2020-11-11T13:15:41Z")
Greasy smudges on my screen bother me. I clean my eyeglasses, phone, and tablet every morning. Usually while I’m drinking my coffee. I like doing then all while I have my eyeglass cleaner and cloth in my hands. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/3 "2020-11-11T13:16:41Z")
When it needs it. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/4 "2020-11-11T13:34:38Z")
This, I clean my glasses every morning before I start working on my computer. So while I have the still wet [Nikon Lens Wipe](https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Pre-Moistened-Lens-Cleaning-Wipes/dp/B00WFELV1G) in my hand I give them all a quick go over. Start with the glasses, then the phone and then the laptop screen. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/5 "2020-11-11T13:42:06Z")
No option for “once a year whether it needs it or not”. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/6 "2020-11-11T13:47:17Z")
I use my phone off and all all day and night, but I rarely “clean” the screen unless I get food on it. I went with monthly though, so I don’t come off like a complete savage. ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/7 "2020-11-11T13:53:18Z")
My cell phone sometimes gets an oily smudge or covered with, and when I notice it I just breathe a little condensation onto the screen and wipe it on my shirt or pants. Doesn’t even seem like an ‘act of cleaning’, so I chose Never in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/8 "2020-11-11T14:09:59Z")
I can’t remember the last time I needed to clean a smudge off my phone, and I use it almost constantly. Maybe some stuff gets wiped off by it living in my jeans pocket or I’m not conscious of wiping my sleeve over it occasionally, but I chose Never. ---
**Author:** ![Remember\_me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/82dd89/32.png) [@Remember\_me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Remember_me)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/9 "2020-11-11T14:24:08Z")
A few times a day AND monthly - with differing thoroughness. I will give the screen a quick wipe with my sleeve a few times a day. Once every month (approximately) I will wash my phone under running, lukewarm water using dish soap. This is one of the main reasons why having a sufficient IP rating. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/10 "2020-11-11T14:31:28Z")
Does putting it in my pocket count? I’ll occasionally swipe it on the inside of my pocket if I notice it’s a little grubby. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/11 "2020-11-11T14:41:57Z")
I’d vote Occasionally if you wipe off a smudge now and then with your shirt or pants. I did that for quite awhile with my first smart phone. I eventually got in the habit of cleaning my eyeglasses and phone at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/12 "2020-11-11T14:47:45Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I use my phone off and all all day and night, but I rarely “clean” the screen unless I get food on it. I went with monthly though, so I don’t come off like a complete savage. Savage here. I will, in fact, clean the screen if it obviously needs it, but that rarely happens, so I checked “never” just to be ornery. And when I do, I use a soft tissue dampened with pure water. Some screens have coatings that may be sensitive to various cleaning solvents so I don’t take chances, never having needed to ascertain what was safe and what wasn’t. I know that back in the CRT days, Windex and alcohol were notorious for ruining some screen coatings. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/13 "2020-11-11T14:56:42Z")
I use eyeglass cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Amazon sells koala cleaner with the cloth pretty cheap. It says it’s safe for all coated lenses. I got it because of the 4 1/2 \* rating with almost 15,000 reviews. Other brands are just as good. Just be sure it’s labeled safe for coated lenses. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/14 "2020-11-11T15:11:03Z")
I don’t have a cell phone or tablet, but I do clean the 8-inch touchscreen on my Jeep Cherokee every couple of weeks. And do my iMac’s screen about once a month. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/15 "2020-11-11T16:34:19Z")
Several times a day, if we include wiping it on the belly of my shirt to get rid of the egregious smudges. Whatever the coatings are on my phone’s screen (Galaxy S9+) they do a yeoman job of letting greasy finger smudges be wiped off without much effort. If we’re talking about something involving cleaners, probably once or twice a month, and usually when I’m already cleaning something else like my monitor, or someone’s glasses/sunglasses. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/16 "2020-11-12T04:50:13Z")
I went with weekly, as it applies to a smartphone. But I’m weird, in that I primarily use my tablet. I use my phone for calls and texts, and maybe if I’m stuck in a long checkout line or the like, but for any long use I’m using either my cellular Samsung Tablet on the go, or my Kindle Fire at home. The tablets get cleaned with microfiber every couple of days to deal with smudges on the reading screen, but the phone which is in my jeans pocket and has far less use rarely needs it. Again, just make the point to do it about once a week to deal with any accumulation. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/17 "2020-11-12T05:00:18Z")
I don’t really use my phone that much, so it doesn’t get too greasy very often. And also that means I don’t notice it either. Once every couple of months is all I need to do, usually. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/18 "2020-11-12T14:33:46Z")
Other than rubbing it on my jeans every so often, it doesn’t get much attention unless the smudges are really noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-clean-your-phone-or-tablets-glass-screen/925312/19 "2020-11-12T18:21:16Z")
In the current pandemic times, any time I go out, just like we were repeatedly told to. Surface contamination does happen–see New Zealand’s little spike from a trashcan lid. Otherwise, cleaning screens was really not something I tend to need to do. Even fingerprint smudges seem to be barely noticeable on modern devices, as they don’t really build up.