Technologies

Your Phone Is Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat. Now Clean It the Right Way

Using the wrong products can damage the screen and protective coatings. Here’s the safest way to clean your grimy phone.

Americans spend more than 5 hours a day on their phones, according to a December 2024 survey. With that much handling, it’s no surprise your phone becomes a hotspot for bacteria — in fact, it’s often dirtier than a toilet seat. Since you hold it constantly and press it to your face, making regular phone cleaning part of your routine is more than just smart, it’s necessary for your health.

The FCC suggests disinfecting your phone daily, but not all cleaning methods are safe. Harsh chemicals and abrasive materials can damage protective coatings and potentially harm your screen. To keep your phone both clean and intact, it’s crucial to use the right cleaning techniques.

Luckily, there are safe and effective ways to sanitize your phone without causing any damage. We’ll guide you through the best methods and products for keeping your device germ-free, no matter if you have an iPhone or a Samsung or whatever its level of water resistance.

For more cleaning tips, here’s how to clean wireless earbuds and AirPods.

What are the best products for daily cleaning?

After touching surfaces that see a lot of action from the public — such as door handles, seats on public transportation, grocery carts and gas pumps — you might think you need a heavy-duty cleaning agent to use on your phone. However, you should avoid rubbing alcohol or products made of straight alcohol, since they can damage the protective coatings that prevent oil and water from harming your screen.

Some suggest making your own alcohol-water mix, but getting the concentration wrong can damage your phone. The safest option is using disinfectant wipes with 70% isopropyl alcohol. For daily cleaning, consider a UV light product like PhoneSoap, which kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria. We can also turn to phone manufacturers and cell service companies for guidance, too.

Apple now approves using Clorox Wipes and similar disinfectants, which was not recommended before the pandemic since they were thought to be too abrasive on the screen’s coating. AT&T advises spraying a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution on a soft, lint-free cloth and wiping your device down. Samsung also recommends using a 70% alcohol solution with a microfiber cloth. Always make sure your phone is powered off before cleaning it.

What are the best methods for removing fingerprints, sand and makeup?

Sometimes your phone needs a more specific treatment when washing up. The recommended process for daily cleaning may not be enough to remove pesky grains of sand after a beach vacation or tough foundation stains.

Get rid of fingerprints

Fingerprint smudges are inevitable since your skin produces oils. Every time you pick up your phone, your screen will get fingerprints. The safest way to make your screen print-free is with a microfiber cloth. For a deeper clean, dampen the cloth with distilled water (never apply water directly to the screen) and wipe down the surface. This works for the back and sides of your phone as well.

Alternatively, try a microfiber screen cleaner sticker that sticks to the back of your phone for easy wiping.

Remove sand and small particles

Grains of sand and lint can easily get stuck in your phone’s ports and crevices. To remove it, we recommend you use Scotch tape. Press it along the creases and speaker, then roll it up and gently insert it into the ports. The tape will pull out any debris. You can then just simply throw away the tape for easy cleanup.

For smaller speaker holes, use a toothpick gently or a small vacuum crevice tool to suck out the debris. These tools work well for other small appliances or hard-to-reach areas in your car too.

Cleanse makeup off your phone screen

When you wear makeup and skin care products, such as foundation and moisturizers, you’ll leave residue on your phone screen. While makeup remover works for your face, it’s not safe for screens due to potentially harmful chemicals. Instead, try a screen-safe makeup remover like Whoosh, which is alcohol-free and gentle on all screens.

Alternatively, use a damp microfiber cloth to clean your phone, then wash the cloth afterward. Make sure your cloth is only slightly wet to avoid soaking your phone in water.

What if my phone is waterproof?

For waterproof phones (IP67 and above), it’s best to clean the device with a damp cloth instead of submerging or running it under water — even if the phone advertises that it can withstand submersion for a certain amount of time.

Afterward, dry your phone with a soft cloth, ensuring all ports and speakers are patted dry. While your phone can withstand water, submerging it can lead to water in the ports, delaying charging. Remember, water resistance is meant for accidents, not swimming or regular cleaning.

Things to avoid when cleaning your phone

We’ve already covered why you should avoid makeup remover and rubbing alcohol, but those aren’t a comprehensive list of harmful cleaning agents. Here are a few other items and products you should never use to clean your phone:

Hand sanitizer: Fragrances and ethyl alcohol found in many sanitizers can harm your phone.
Window or kitchen cleaners: Harsh cleaners can strip the protective coating on your phone and leave it more vulnerable to scratches.
Paper towels: Paper can shred, making the debris on your phone much worse, and the rough texture can leave scratches on your screen.
Dish and hand soap: Most soaps require you to combine them with water, and since you should keep water away from your phone, it’s best to stick to a damp cloth.
Vinegar: Like cleaners and alcohols, vinegar will strip your phone screen’s coating.
Compressed air: Blowing intense and direct air into your phone’s portals can cause damage, especially to your mic. Apple specifically warns iPhone owners not to use compressed air.

For more cleaning tips, explore how to clean your Apple Watch.

Technologies

Disney Exec Says ESPN Outage on YouTube TV May ‘Go for a Little While’

YouTube TV subscribers will miss college football on ESPN, ABC and conference networks for the third weekend straight.

More than two weeks after YouTube TV customers lost access to Disney’s streaming channels — including ABC, ESPN and the ACC and SEC networks — there is no sign of progress in the negotiations between the two entertainment giants.

At Disney’s fourth quarter earnings call on Thursday, Walt Disney CFO Hugh Johnston didn’t offer specifics on the ongoing negotiations, instead noting that «in terms of our (financial) guidance, we built a hedge into that (the YouTube TV outage), with the expectation that these discussions could go for a little while.»

Disney CEO Bob Iger ended the call on a more positive note, saying, «While we’ve been working tirelessly to close this deal and restore our channels to the platform, it’s also imperative that we make sure that we agree to a deal that reflects the value that we deliver.»

The disagreement causing the ABC and ESPN outage stems from the «carriage fee» that YouTube TV pays Disney to broadcast its channels. Disney has faced similar negotiating standoffs with other broadcasters in recent years, including an earlier 2021 outage on YouTube TV that was resolved in two days.

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Disney says YouTube TV isn’t paying enough to stream its channels. YouTube TV, owned by Google, has the most subscribers among all internet TV providers, with over 9 million. Hulu, owned by Disney, is second with 4.3 million subscribers through its Hulu + Live TV offering.

«The deal that we have proposed is equal to or better than what other large distributors have already agreed to,» Iger also said Thursday.

While the two sides wrangle over the fees, they risk further losses. Nearly a quarter of YouTube TV subscribers (24%) have canceled or intend to cancel their subscription because the service «no longer delivers the core content they signed up for,» according to a survey cited by Variety.

Disney, meanwhile, is losing an estimated $30 million in revenue per week while its channels are unavailable on YouTube TV, according to a Morgan Stanley research note cited by Variety. That’s a significant chunk of change because each week Disney’s networks are dark on YouTube TV, Disney’s adjusted earnings per share drop by 2 cents, analysts say.

When will ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels return to YouTube TV?

Disney is no stranger to carriage fees feuds, and as with previous disputes, negotiations are under wraps, and how long it will continue is anyone’s guess. Disney’s contract conflict with Sling TV in 2022 lasted just two days, while the one with Spectrum/Charter in 2023 wasn’t resolved for 10 days.

Disney’s contract conflicts from previous years were mostly resolved in a week or two, but Google has considerably more bargaining power than those other platforms.

Thursday marked 14 days that Disney’s channels had been blacked out on YouTube TV — a day longer than the Disney outage on DirectTV last year. How much longer this outage will continue is unknown, but the Morgan Stanley analysts who pegged Disney’s weekly losses at $30 million sounded an optimistic note in predicting that the outage will be resolved later this week.

When a deal is reached between Disney and YouTube, the missing channels will return «in a matter of hours,» according to Variety.

What are Disney and YouTube TV saying about the dispute?

On Oct. 30, YouTube TV posted on X, «Members, when we renew our contracts with network partners, we advocate for fair pricing to offer you the best TV experience.»

«Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deny its subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC,» Disney said in a statement to CNBC.

In a memo to employees on Oct. 31 that was also reported by CNBC, Disney accused YouTube TV of deleting «previously recorded shows and events from their subscribers’ libraries.»

«YouTube TV and its owner, Google, are not interested in achieving a fair deal with us,» Disney Entertainment co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in the memo. «Instead, they want to use their power and extraordinary resources to eliminate competition and devalue the very content that helped them build their service.»

Disney is also asking its viewers to ask YouTube TV to bring back its broadcasting via the keepmynetworks.com site.

Which Disney channels were removed from YouTube TV?

Sports fans aren’t the only viewers left sidelined by the loss of Disney channels from YouTube TV. Here are all the channels that have been removed from the streaming service:

ABC
ABC News Live
ACC Network
Baby TV Español (Spanish Plan)
Disney Channel
Disney Junior
Disney XD
ESPN
ESPN Deportes (Spanish Plan)
ESPNews
ESPNU
ESPN2
Freeform
FX
FXM
FXX
Localish
Nat Geo
Nat Geo Mundo (Spanish Plan)
Nat Geo Wild
SEC Network

How can YouTube TV subscribers watch football games during the Disney outage?

YouTube TV subscribers with an aerial TV antenna can still watch Monday Night Football and college football games on ABC if they live close enough to receive an over-the-air broadcast signal from a local ABC affiliate.

Other than that, the only real option for viewers who want to watch all of the college football and basketball games this weekend and Monday Night Football at home is to subscribe to another service that provides ABC and ESPN, including ESPN+, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo or DirecTV Stream.

Sling TV offers a $5 Day Pass that could be a good option for viewers who want to watch one specific game, as well as a $10 Weekend Pass that would give you college football and basketball games for both days.

For those looking to find football games at local establishments, this handy app can help you find places that are showing the games.

YouTube TV has given $20 bill credits to subscribers

YouTube TV had promised subscribers a $20 credit for the streaming service if the Disney channels outage continued for an extended period, and on Sunday, the streaming service announced the details of that credit.

Some YouTube subscribers receive the $20 credit automatically, and others need to claim it online. According to a YouTube spokesperson, subscribers who pay with Google Play billing or through their mobile service should receive the $20 credit automatically.

If you need to claim the $20 credit, you should have received an email from YouTube TV. To redeem your the credit, follow these steps:

Log in to YouTube.com with a web browser
Click or tap on your profile picture
Click or tap Settings.
You can also directly browse to the URL at https://tv.youtube.com/settings/service_updates.
At the bottom of the menu on the left, select Updates.
On the following screen, which explains the Disney channels outage, click or tap the blue button marked Claim Credit.

Emails from YouTube TV started going out Sunday night and several Reddit posters have already reported receiving the $20 credit. All of the credits for YouTube TV subscribers should be issued by Wednesday, Nov. 12, according to Variety.

The $20 credit will be applied to your next billing cycle.

We asked YouTube TV if additional billing credits would be offered to subscribers if the outage continues. A spokesperson replied, «This is a situation that is evolving, and we will let subscribers know of future additional credit offers. Our main priority is to reach an agreement that restores Disney’s content to YouTube TV.»

Correction, Nov. 5: An earlier version of this story failed to note that Sling TV day and weekend passes can be used to watch local ABC affiliates only in certain markets.

Technologies

Nintendo Says Newest Switch 2 Update Didn’t Deliberately Brick Third-Party Docks

Third-party dongle docks appear to be failing after the 21.0.0 update.

Nintendo released a new Switch 2 firmware update on Tuesday that came with a few albeit not significant changes to the portable console. It appears, however, this update might have bricked some third-party docks for the console in the process.

Switch 2 owners on social media say their third-party docks are no longer working with their systems after downloading firmware update 21.0.0, as first reported by Kotaku on Thursday. It’s unclear what in the firmware may have caused the issue, but it does appear that it primarily affects dock dongles, which plug directly into the Switch instead of the typical cradle-style docks that require the console to be placed in them.

Nintendo says it doesn’t have any intention to hinder or invalidate third-party docks.

«Nintendo Switch 2 outputs audio/visuals once it detects that it is docked into a Nintendo Switch 2 Dock. Nintendo Switch does the same, outputting audio/visuals once it detects that it is docked into a Nintendo Switch Dock,» the company said in an emailed statement to CNET.

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What third-party Switch 2 docks are affected?

As of now, the only docks that appear to have issues are the third-party dongle docks. Standard docks and the official dock from Nintendo are fine.

Can these Switch 2 dock dongles be fixed?

It’s unclear if another Switch firmware update can address the problem. It’s also unlikely that the manufacturers of these docks will be able to provide a firmware update to address any problems.

This is not the first time third-party docks have had compatibility issues with a Switch console. In 2018, Nintendo released the 5.0.0 update for the original Switch, which not only caused some docks to stop working, it also led to consoles using those docks having problems. A 2019 report from Wired found that some third-party docks tried to emulate the same quick connections to the USB-C port on the Switch like with the official Nintendo dock. If the hardware has a slight manufacturing defect where the connections weren’t firmly connected, it could cause the USB-C power port on the Switch to fail.

Nintendo does advise Switch owners to use official Nintendo products for the system.

What else changed in the Switch 2 firmware update 21.0.0?

The latest Switch 2 firmware update went live on Tuesday and made a series of quality-of-life changes to the Switch 2, such as changing certain text in the settings to provide a better description of their functions; adding an option to cancel multiple software downloads at once; and adding icons on software to indicate whether it’s a physical or a digital version. This last change refers to the Game-Key Card feature for certain Switch 2 games that do not have the entire game on the cartridge and require downloading the game files.

Technologies

Metroid Prime 4 for Switch 2 Delivers the Biggest Evolution the Franchise Has Seen

The next chapter in the Metroid saga lands in December with a major shift for the series. Here’s everything we know.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond seemed like it would never come out since it was first teased in 2017, but the newest adventure featuring Samus Aran is less than a month away. Nintendo released a trailer Friday that highlights the biggest changes coming to the series.

In Metroid Prime 4, Samus responds to a distress call from the Galactic Federation, which is under attack by a bounty hunter known as Sylux. A disaster happens, transporting her to the planet Viewros, and now she has to use her new psychic powers and some help from allies to survive the planet in order to find her way home.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Trailer

When does Metroid Prime 4 come out?

Metroid Prime 4 will be released on Dec. 4.

What consoles will Metroid Prime 4 be released on?

Metroid Prime 4 will be available for the original Switch for $60 and on the Switch 2 for $70. For those with the original Switch now, but who think they might get a Switch 2 for the holidays, the Switch version can be upgraded to the Switch 2 version for $10.

What’s new in Metroid Prime 4?

The biggest change in Metroid Prime 4 is the open world. Previous Metroid Prime games usually confined Samus to caverns, temples or a ship, but this time around, she’ll be able to explore the world of Viewros. To help her traverse across the world, Samus can ride her bike called Vi-O-La.

Samus is known for her arsenal of powerful weapons, but in Metroid Prime 4, she will have new psychic abilities. These abilities will let her manipulate energy and activate machinery with just her mind.

Scattered across Viewros are Galactic Federation troopers, whom Samus will rescue but also fight alongside. This marks one of the few times when Samus isn’t battling alien forces on her own.

Will the Switch 2 version have any unique features?

A new feature only available with the Switch 2 version of the game is mouse controls. Players can use a Joy-Con 2 as a mouse by placing it on a hard surface, which some gamers insist is the proper way to play FPS games. If that isn’t of interest, both Metroid Prime 4 versions will make use of the Joy-Cons motion controls or a compatible gamepad, such as the Switch 2 Pro Controller.