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Your gadgets are probably disgusting – here are the best products to clean them

When was the last time you really cleaned your phone?

Keyboard cleaner for germs and dust
Image: KnowTechie

I’m going to ask you something before we start. Are you reading this on a smartphone? Take a close look at the edges, cracks, and ports. Now think about when the last time was you actually cleaned your phone. Did that disturb you?

It should, our smartphones are dirty. Like, dirtier than your toilet seat, if this report is to be believed. It’s time to fight back against the germs, and reduce the chance we can get sick from our tech. I mean, the world is worrisome enough without the threat of stomach bugs (or worse) from the things we spend the most time touching.

Thankfully for germaphobes, it’s never been easier to disinfect our tech, and the best methods don’t even require us to do anything while it happens. Here’s some of the best tech to keep your other tech clean.

Here’s how to keep the germs off your tech

With how much we use our technology on the daily, it’s no surprise that it gets dirty. Here’s how to clean it off.

Axiom Armor

Axiom armor antimicrobial screen protector
Image: KnowTechie

The best way to stop germs growing on your device is to stop them being able to grow in the first place. Axiom Armor’s anti-microbe ScreenFilm is a hydrogel-based screen protector that doesn’t just protect from scratches, wear and damage – it also stops viruses in their tracks. It’s been tested to be able to remove 99.9% Escherichia Coli, 79.4% Staphylococcus Aureus and 22.2% Candida albicans, some of the most common viruses in circulation.

As an FYI – KnowTechie readers get 50-percent off anything in the store, just click-through below and it’ll add the discount at the last stage of checkout.


Coral UV 2 ($130)

Coral uv 2 sanitizing device
Image: Coral UV

UV is a good killer of germs and other nasties, so when Coral UV launched their first home sterilizing device, it was pretty good, with one drawback – tricky to replace UV neon tubes. Now they’re back, with an updated version that uses low-power UV LEDs instead, which sounds like a winner to us. It’ll kill off up to 99.9-percent of any germs on your stuff in just 10 minutes, and it’s large enough to stuff your smartphones or tablets in to give those a germ-free surface.


Lexon Oblio ($80)

Lexon oblio uv-disinfecting wireless charger for smartphones
Image: KnowTechie

Wireless charging is cool, making our smartphones easier than ever to charge up. Why not disinfect your phone at the same time, with this quirky charger from Lexon. It’s a 10W wireless charger inside a classy vase shape that reduces its footprint on your desk, while simultaneously killing off germs and other nasties from your phone, even in those cracks that are hard to wipe.

As an added bonus, you can’t see the screen while it’s charging, so you’re less tempted to pick it up and interrupt the cleaning cycle.


iCleanse Swift UV ($1,499)

Icleanse uv disinfection station
Image: iCleanse

Okay, not everyone wants or needs an industrial-power UV-disinfecting station in their home, but it’s absolutely the best way to blast those germs. The iCleanse Swift UV can kill 99.9-percent of all infectious pathogens in as little as 15 seconds, and yes that includes the coronavirus that’s keeping us all inside.

It’ll zap influenza or the common cold too, and is perfect for business owners to install at the entryway of their premises, so everyone can have a clean smartphone on the daily.


DataVac Computer Cleaner ($86)

Datavac electric duster
Image: DataVac

Canned air used to be the go-to for dusting out your tech, but it’s not the best way. See, canned air has other things in the can that build up on your tech over time, not to mention it’s terrible for the environment with all those single-use cans.

Level up with one of Metrovac’s DataVac electric dusters, which compress the air in real-time, then blow away the cobwebs (and everything else) from your tech. The .75 hp motor is plenty powerful enough to blast those compressed air cans into the dust.


Phonesoap ($65)

Phonesoap
Image: KnowTechie

Yes, it’s another UV-disinfecting box, but PhoneSoap was one of the early entries into this market so they know a thing or two about getting your grubby tech clean. This time around, the sanitizer has two UV-C bulbs that can kill 99.9-percent of bacteria and germs, and it even charges your phone, thanks to a USB-C port. The only drawback? It’s not quite large enough to fit the Apple Watch and its charger in, so you’ll have to find something else if your smartwatch is Apple’s finest.


Hans screen cleaner ($15)

Hans electronics cleaner
Image: KnowTechie

While you could use expensive, one-use wipes for cleaning your smart phone’s screen, that cost mounts up pretty quickly. They also damage the oleophobic covering that’s on your screens, which means even more fingerprints to clean off in the future.

The HÄNS Swipe is a better way to clean off your tech, with a pre-filled side that’s kinda like the spongy part of the windshield-cleaning squeegee at the gas station, minus the years of grimy water. Give your screen or whatever else a quick swish with that side, then recap it, flip it around, and uncap the microfiber cloth side to gently wipe away all the dirt and the cleaning fluid.


Austere III Series Clean & Protect ($30)

Austere clean and protect cleanser
Image: KnowTechie

If you need to clean larger screens like your TV, you really should invest in some specialized cleaning fluid, like Austere’s Clean & Protect. It’s anti-bacterial, doesn’t contain ammonia, and reduces static build-up on your tech so dust is less likely to gather.

Read More: Can you use Windex on your TV screen?

I’ve been using this for years now and it works just as well on reflective screens as it does on those with anti-glare coatings, and haven’t noticed any damage from the cleaner – which is more than I can say for some other products I’ve used. You also get a two-sided textured cloth, with a fuzzy side to clean and a more silky side to polish away any streaks.


Cleaning gel

Cleaning gel for electronics
Image: KnowTechie

Want to get your keyboards, air vents, and other electronics clean, without the fuss of cotton swabs? Grab this cleaning gel, and live out all your “Blob from Outer Space” fantasies, while picking up all the crud from your tech. It’s even lemon-scented, so get squishing! It’ll keep cleaning until it’s swallowed enough dust and dirt to turn dark, in which case it’s time to throw it away before it decides that its next meal is… you!


OXO Good Grips Cleaning Brush for Electronics

Oxo cleaning tool for electronics
Image: KnowTechie

Your earbuds probably need a good clean. No, really, they’ve been in your ears for how long by now? Grab this cleaning brush to give them a new lease on life. It’s got a retractable brush for getting dust and fluff away, and the other end has a silicone wiper to get rid of debris from cracks, surfaces, and anywhere it will fit. Oh, and it’s got a cap to protect that wiper end when it’s floating around in your bag.


Now you should be set up to keep your tech germ-free. Well, except we didn’t discuss the primary source of those germs – your hands. Wash them regularly with soap, and use gel sanitizer if you want to keep them extra clean.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.

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