10 Products for Cleaning Your Gross Laptop and Phone

You’ve probably heard your electronic devices—especially your phone and laptop—are disgusting. Studies have found over 25,000 bacteria per square inch on the average cell phone, and your laptop is 20,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. It’s time to clean both thoroughly!

How to Clean Your Laptop and Cell Phone

Merely running a damp cloth over your phone and laptop isn’t going to cut it. Actually, that could damage the screen or other small parts. Here are some tips to keep all the dirt and grime away:

• Turn off the power and/or unplug: To be safe, always make sure you turn off and unplug your electronic devices before you clean them. Power-down both your phone and laptop, and then disconnect the power.
• Wipe down the outside case: You can start by cleaning the case, which most people often forget about. If your cell phone is in a case, take it off and use either a wipe or spray solution to clean it carefully. Do the same to the laptop case if you have one. Also, be sure to clean the outside of your laptop thoroughly.
• Clean the screens: The screens on both items are likely full of smudgy fingerprints you didn’t realize were hindering your ability to see things. Use a microfiber cloth or a wipe instead of just a plain napkin or towel, as those won’t be quite as effective and could leave scratches.
• Clean out the keyboard and any other accessories: Your laptop keyboard traps tons of dust, bacteria, and crumbs, and your fingers are all over it, all the time. Be sure you clean it thoroughly with a keyboard cleaner, and then rub a wipe or cloth over it.
• Use the right materials: What you clean with matters. Opt for compressed air, cleaners that contain isopropyl alcohol, distilled or purified bottled water, and soft microfiber cloths. Tap water could leave stains, and items you would use to clean your house (like Windex) either won’t work or will damage your device.
• Clean often: Cleaning these devices every once in a while is not good enough. You probably use your cell phone all day, every day, and your laptop at least a few times daily. It’s best to do a quick cleaning at the end of each day, but if you don’t have time, try to do it a few times per week.

Screen Mom Natural Screen Cleaner

The small Screen Mom Screen Cleaner Kit makes cleaning screens really easy. It includes screen cleaner in a spray bottle and a microfiber cloth, which is really all you need for a quick screen-clean. The nice thing about this formula is it doesn’t contain any nasty chemicals or ingredients, so you can use it on just about anything.

It also doesn’t leave behind any streaks, and you can use it on any screen—not just your phone or laptop. Use the included cloth to wipe off the cleaner—it’s soft enough not to leave any scratches.

Mini iRoller Screen Cleaner

This Mini iRoller Screen Cleaner is the perfect size for your cell phone. You can also use it on your laptop, but the larger size will make it easier. The roller makes cleaning your screens quick and easy. Just slowly roll it over the screen, and it removes smudges and grime in minutes, without leaving streaks. Because it’s liquid-free, it’s also super-portable and convenient, and perfect if you don’t feel comfortable spritzing your device with anything.

This is great to throw in your bag, so you can clean off your screen whenever you need to. It also doesn’t require any other accessories.

Endust Screen and Electronics Wipes

It’s never a bad idea to have some electronic-friendly wipes around the house. You can use these Endust Wipes to quickly and safely clean everything, including screens, keyboards, televisions, and more—all with a swipe of your hand. They’re also really inexpensive, so it’s easy to stock up, so you never run out.

You can use these wipes for a quick surface clean to get rid of dirt, dust, and fingerprints immediately, without leaving behind any icky residue.

MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

Microfiber cloths are ideal for cleaning screens because they’re super-soft and highly absorbent. Having a whole bunch on hand is a great idea, and this pack of MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths makes that easy—you can get a pack of up to 30 for around $20 if you want.

These high-quality cloths easily whisk away dust, oil, dirt, and fingerprint smudges. Each one also has its own little bag so they won’t get too dirty. You do have to wash them sometimes, though—if they’re dirty, they won’t clean very effectively.

You can use these cloths on basically any kind of screen, and they’re even great for cleaning your eyeglasses.

OXO Good Grips Sweep and Swipe Laptop Cleaner Brush

Microfiber cloths are perfect for cleaning screens, but don’t forget about your keyboard! This can be a bit more of a challenge, thanks to all those tiny crevices. That’s why the OXO Good Grips Sweep and Swipe Laptop Cleaner is a good thing to have around. One side is a small microfiber pad you can use to clean off screens, and the other side is a little brush you can use on keyboards.

The other nice thing about the Sweep and Swipe is the brush retracts into the case. There’s also a cover that goes over the pad to keep it from getting dirty. It’s small, portable, and easily sits on your desk without taking up too much space.

You’ll want to use a spray to clean it at least once or twice a week.

ColorCoral Universal Keyboard Cleaning Gel

Want to clean off your keyboard quickly without using a spray? Check out this ColorCoral Keyboard Cleaning Gel. This cleaning gel is almost like adult slime—you can manipulate it into a ball with your hands, and then press it over your keyboard. Pull it off gently to remove all the dust and any crumbs that might be there.

It’s made of biodegradable materials, so it’s not sticky and doesn’t leave behind any residue. It’s also weirdly fun to use!

The pleasant lemon scent will leave your laptop smelling fresh, and it’s a quick, easy way to clean your keyboard.

Well-Kept Screen Cleansing Towelettes

If you’re committed to keeping your phone and laptop clean throughout the day, make sure you always have some wipes on hand—they’re the fastest way to clean the surfaces on your devices. These Well-Kept Screen Cleansing Towelettes come in packets of 15, and they’re small enough to throw in any bag.

These low-lint cleansing wipes are perfect for removing oil and makeup from cell phones, keyboards, and other electronic devices. They’re also great for glasses!

The resealable closure prevents them from drying out, and the package is pretty adorable, too.

Spruce and Co Natural All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes

If you want to go the all-natural route, give Spruce and Co Natural All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes a try. They’re fragrance-, alcohol-, and ammonia-free, and made of plant-derived ingredients to remove dirt and oil.

They’re also versatile—you can use these on your cell phone, tablet, laptop, computer screen, or camera lens. The nicest thing about them, though, is that, unlike many other portable wipes, they’re individually wrapped, so they won’t dry out as you use them.

PhoneSoap 3 UV Smartphone Sanitizer and Universal Charger

Sanitizing your phone regularly might feel like overkill, but it’s definitely not a bad thing to do once in a while. The PhoneSoap 3 is the first UV-C sanitizer and charger on the market.

The UV-C bulbs zap away bacteria to keep your phone clean and germ-free. The case is a universal size to fit any smartphone—even the larger models. Plus, you can use it to sanitize anything, from keys to headphones.

Falcon Dust-Off Electronics Compressed Gas Duster

The gel we covered above is great for removing dust and dirt from your keyboard, but compressed-air or gas is the tried-and-true method. Falcon Dust-Off is a great compressed-gas spray that thoroughly cleans keyboards or any other hard-to-reach areas. Each blast is moisture-free, so it won’t make anything damp.

It’s powerful enough to get rid of any dust or crumbs lurking around.