Join 350,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, articles, and more.

By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Shea Simmons is the Assignments Editor at LifeSavvy. Previously, she worked as a freelance writer with a focus on beauty and lifestyle content. Her work has appeared in Bustle, Allure, and Hello Giggles. Read more...

Whether it’s makeup, a bit of food, or just some fingerprints, your phone screen can get dirty. It’s glass, right, so shouldn’t you reach for the glass cleaner to get your phone screen neat and tidy? Unfortunately, no, and if you have been, you should probably stop now.

The chemicals in glass cleaner can damage the touch screen coating on some phones and tablets, leaving them damaged and potentially malfunctioning.

Many glass cleaners contain ammonia as well as other chemicals that will wear down the coating over time. While sure, your intentions were good (no one wants a dirty phone), they could prevent your touch screen from working. Glass cleaner isn’t the only thing you shouldn’t use, though.

You might be tempted to turn to a simple DIY solution of vinegar and water. After all, vinegar is a natural cleaner, right, and good for just about every cleaning task. Vinegar, however, contains acetic acid which will also wear down the coating.

A gentle cleaner and microfiber cloth? Yes, please.

So how should you clean your phone screen? If the dirt is just fingerprints or oily marks, a microfiber cloth works like a charm, won’t scratch, and leaves behind no fibers. You can also opt for a screen cleaning kit. Often, these kits include a neutral cleaner and cloth, and you can use them on your phone, television, laptop, and desktop monitor.

The next time you reach for the glass cleaner to clean your phone, just say no. In fact, you might want to say no to glass cleaners altogether according to one expert.

This is no ordinary newsletter.

By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.