Most people who own a mobile phone protect their phone in many ways. One of the best ways to protect your phone is through a phone case. People prefer the clear case because it goes well with any color of the phone and also adds décor.
However, clear phone covers change color and turn yellowish after a while. There are a few reasons that could lead to the turning of the color. One of the reasons includeexposure to the sun. Another reason why the cover could turn yellow is because of the handling the phone endures throughout the day. The good news though is that it is possible to clean your clear case and return it to its original new form.
Ways to Clean Your Clear Phone
1. Use Soap Water
One of the best and easiest ways to clean your case is by soaking it in soapy water. Laundry detergent will also do the trick. Once you have soaked the case in the soapy water, start to brush off the case using a toothbrush or a light brush. If the yellow coloring is a result of dirt then the soap and brush method will work wonders for your clear phone case. Below is a complete process on how to wash your phone using soap water?
- First of all, take off your phone case. It is never right to clean your phone case with the phone on. This is because water might get in through the cracks and damage the phone. It is also important to separate your phone case components apart. Assume it has both plastic and silicon component, it is advisable to pull them apart and wash separately. This is to guarantee thorough cleaning.
- Mix a cup of warm water with your soap in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Make sure you don’t use too much soap in the mixture.
- Deep a clean cloth or toothbrush bristles in your soapy water.
- Scrub your phone case with a brush on a circular motion and ensure you touch every corner of your case.
- Rinse off your case and part it dry with clean cloth. After that, leave it to air dry for some minutes before you get it back in your phone.
2. Bleach Water
Another great option to clean your phone is the use of bleach. Bleach is used to clean laundry especially when the clothes have stubborn stains. Bleach will also work wonders for your case when you clean it with a bleach solution. The best thing to do is dilute the bleach. However, it is important to prepare yourself before using the bleach.
Get an apron, plastic gloves and a face mask. To get the desired result, dilute the bleach according to the instructions. If you dilute it too much, then the solution might not work as expected.
3. Use an Eraser
One of the most unique ways to clean your clear phone case is by using an eraser. The method might seem a bit strange but it is very effective. An eraser works best with phones which have a matte finish.
It is also a very efficient method to clean your clear phone case if it is made of silicon. One of the downsides of this method though is that it cannot clean the yellow stains.
4. Toothpaste
Another great method of cleaning your clear phone case is the use of toothpaste. Most toothpaste brands have whitening properties which not only help protect your teeth from cavities but also whiten them. As such, toothpaste comes in handy when you want to clean your clear phone cover.
It is a very effective method especially if you want to clean off tea and coffee stains which most often stain phone covers.
You can also use the toothpaste to cover or eliminate small or minor scratches which are usually found on the phone’s surface.
To clean your case using toothpaste, apply some of the paste on the cover. Rub the paste in circular motion using a cleaning cloth. The use of toothpaste is quite effective in not only cleaning off tea and coffee stains, but also in whitening your yellowed phone cover.
5. Use Alcohol
Alcohol has some antiseptic properties which not only kills germs, but also helps in cleaning stubborn stains. When compared to water, alcohol is a better cleaning agent. Its only downside is that it evaporates at a much higher rate than water.
To prevent the alcohol from evaporating very fast, mix it with water and use the solution to clean your case. Just like with the breach, soak your case in the solution. Use a soft brush or toothpaste to scrub off the case.
Pro Tip: Using alcohol based white wipes is also another effective way of cleaning your case. Some people consider white wipes to be more efficient than using the solution.
You can also use a cleaning cloth with the alcohol based solution. Soak the case in the water and use the cloth to wipe the case. Alcohol is very effective in brightening yellowed phone cases.
6. Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Another method that you can use to clean your clear phone case is by using hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is also another great cleaning agent. But in order for this method to work, you will need UV light.
To clean your case using this method, coat the case with hydrogen peroxide and then expose it to UV light. A UV nail dryer will come in handy for this method.
7. Use The Sun
Yes, at times exposing your case to the sun might do the trick. However for this method, make sure that you choose a sunny day so that the case may be exposed to maximum sunlight. Additionally, you will also have to shift the case since the position of the sun changes as the day progresses.
8. Use Fine Sand Paper
If none of the above methods works, then you can use a sand paper. There are two types of sandpaper, there’s the extremely course type and the mildly coarse type. For better results, use the mildly coarse sand paper as it will not cause damage to your case.
For this method, use the sand paper to sand off the yellowed layer. You should however be careful not to overdo it lest you damage the case. Once you have sanded off the case, use a damp cloth to wipe the case. At this juncture, you can also use white wipes to clean your case.
The downside of this method though is that it might lead to degradation of your case. Otherwise it is an effective method.
9. Use Baking Soda
This is another amazing solution to your phone case. It works best on cases that have turned yellow. To use it, sprinkle baking soda evenly over your phone case. Use wet brush bristles or wet clean to scrub your stains off. After that, rinse your baking soda off and dry using a soft cloth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes the yellowing of phone cases?
The most common cause of case yellowing is the transfer of oil from the skin. Once the case comes into contact with the oil, it attracts dirt which leads to discoloration.
Can some cleaning solution harm my case?
Yes, some cleaning solutions can harm your case and reduce its shelf life. It is important you dilute the bleach according to the instructions given when using bleach to clean your phone.
What is better to clean my case, a cloth or a soft brush?
The choice to use a cloth or a soft brush mainly depends on the extent of the discoloration. At times, you need to use a soft brush to achieve the desired results.
Which is the best cleaning method of a clear case?
The method to use while cleaning your mobile phone case mainly depends on the extent of discoloration. In some cases, the use of white wipes will suffice while at other times, you need to soak the case in bleach and use a soft brush.
Final Thoughts
A phone cover is one of the most essential mobile phone accessories. Apart from protecting your phone, it also offers aesthetic value. However, due to phone handling, the cover turns color and becomes yellowish. The good news thought is that you can use either one of the above methods to get your cover to that pristine condition. What’s more, it is possible to combine two or more of the methods highlighted above.