Phone Cleaning Kits

What a phone cleaning kit is for

A phone cleaning kit puts several small tools in one set: soft brushes, sponge tips, picks, and often a microfibre cloth. Between them they reach the places a cloth cannot, such as the speaker grilles, the charging port, the gaps round a case and the mesh on a pair of earbuds. Most of the kits here are made for more than a phone, with tools for earbud cases, keyboards, laptops and cameras as well, so one kit looks after the whole desk.

The kinds in this range

• Large multi-tool kits. Sets of twenty or so pieces in a plastic case, with tools for the small holes on headphones and microphones, and pullers for lifting keyboard keys to clean underneath. Check whether a kit includes a cleaning liquid: some say plainly that they do not.
• Small kits with a cloth and spray. A soft brush, a mini brush, a sponge stick and a pen tool for earbuds, with a washable microfibre cloth and a little screen spray.
• Earbud cleaning pens. One pen with a soft brush, a sponge head for the charging case and a metal tip, sized for earbud cases. For single brushes, see port and earbud brushes.

Using a kit the way the makers advise

Apple and Samsung both say to turn the phone off and unplug it before cleaning, and to keep liquid out of the openings. Apple's advice for the ports on its earbud cases is a clean, dry, soft-bristled brush, and nothing put in a port that could damage the metal contacts. Both say not to use compressed air, and not to use sharp objects on earbuds.

So start with the softest tool in the kit and keep it dry. Brush the charging port gently at its opening, with the port facing down so the fluff falls out. Several kits include a metal tip or pen: keep it out of a phone's charging port and off earbud mesh, where the makers say nothing sharp should go. If a cable still will not sit properly after a gentle brush, a repair shop is the safer next step.

For earbuds, hold each one face down while you brush the mesh, as Samsung suggests, and wipe the charging contacts in the case with a dry sponge tip. Use the spray on the cloth, never on the phone. The guide to cleaning your phone safely goes through each part step by step.

Questions people ask about phone cleaning kits

Can I use the kit on a laptop and keyboard too?

Yes, most here are made for that, with key pullers and wider brushes for keyboards and the gaps on a laptop.

Do I need a cleaning liquid?

Not for the phone itself. The makers' first choice is a dry cloth, or one slightly damp with water. See screen sprays and cloths.

How do I stop the port filling up again?

A dust plug keeps pocket fluff out when nothing is plugged in.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• All cleaning and care
• Port and earbud brushes
• Screen sprays and cloths
• Dust plugs
• Earbud cases and covers
• Guide: Phone case materials: silicone, TPU, polycarbonate and leather
• Guide: How to fit a screen protector without bubbles