Hardware Upkeep Tips for Android Smartphones

Owning an Android comes with its fair share of upkeep challenges. From dropping your phone in water to getting dirt in the headphone jack, there are many ways that your daily smartphone usage can result in damaging accidents. However, there are a few easy solutions to the most common wear and tear problems. Check out these tips for making sure dirt and water don’t get the best of your smartphone.

Wet Phone?
Dropped your phone in a puddle? Spilled a glass of water on your Android? Luckily there are a few quick solutions to this common problem. Before doing anything, make sure you don’t turn on the phone or shake the phone. Instead, turn the phone off before standing it upright and removing the case, SIM card, battery, and microSD. Using a clean towel, dab the wet portions of your phone while trying not to spread the water any further. A vacuum cleaner can also be used to suck water out of hard to reach corners. Once you’ve done this, place the phone in a bag filled with rice and let it sit for two days. Rice is incredibly efficient at absorbing water; this should be enough to dry out even the wettest of phones.

Read More: A Cooler Phone Battery is a Healthier Phone Battery

Greasy Screen?
When cleaning your phone’s screen, it’s best not to use cleaning agents such as Windex that can strip your Android’s coating. Instead, start by using a cloth or paper towel moistened with a few drops of distilled or filtered water. To erase the most stubborn fingerprints and grease stains, stick to dry microfiber lens cloths (be sure to replace these regularly). If any lint or dust is left behind after these approaches, simply use canned or compressed air to remove them. Make sure not to direct the air towards the speaker or microphone in order to prevent damage.

Dirty Headphone Jack?
There are a few different approaches to cleaning out dirty headphone jacks, all of which require extreme care so as not to damage the device. One approach is to take a Q-tip and gently insert it into the headphone jack. Another method is to open a paper clip and wrap a piece of tape around it, sticky side up. This contraption can be used as a miniature lint brush to pull out any debris. Several companies also market putty designed specifically for cleaning electronics, which can be kneaded and pressed into the headphone jack.