Silicone cases protect phones from moisture and shock, and look stylish and elegant. But the material quickly becomes dirty and becomes covered with a yellow coating, so after 4–6 months the accessory looks sloppy. The article will tell you how to return a silicone case to its previous appearance, what means to use so as not to spoil the thing.
Silicone cases are practical and elegant, but get dirty quickly
How to bleach yellowed silicone case
Durable and lightweight cases of various models and colors are created from plastic polymer, which is why such overlays are popular. But already 4 – 5 months after the purchase, the owners begin to think about what methods to remove the disgusting yellowness from the silicone case. Often the process is reversible. To return the accessory to its previous appearance, they find out the cause of the color change and use common cleaning agents, pharmaceutical preparations, and products.
Why does yellowness appear?
The main reason for the change in color of a porous polymer is overheating, during which micropores expand and the damaged surface becomes more intensely contaminated. The case overheats when:
- the gadget is charging (this especially applies to outdated models);
- bright direct rays of the sun are directed at the product;
- The smartphone lies next to the heating devices.
The silicone case may turn yellow from the touch of dirty hands: microparticles of food, sweat, sebum, and dust get clogged into the pores. Pollution is accelerated by oxidation - under the influence of chemicals or atmospheric oxygen. The color change does not only apply to light-colored cases. An item made from dark material will also turn yellow, but the unpleasant tint will appear later.
Reference! The speed at which yellowness appears is affected by the type of silicone. High-temperature thermoplastic polyurethane foam retains its original appearance longer than other brands.
Substances at hand will temporarily hide yellowness
How to whiten a silicone phone case using available products
Soft material requires careful handling. Silicone cases are bleached with gentle gels that do not damage the surface. To quickly clean a transparent case from fresh stains, use wet wipes, as well as available home remedies.
Soda
Apply soda paste to the moistened pad with a soft brush. After 10 minutes, the powder is washed off.
Vinegar
Acetic acid is a potent component of home cleaning compositions:
- Mix table vinegar (1 tablespoon), 0.25 liters of water, hydrogen peroxide (1 tablespoon). Rub the case and leave for 25 minutes. After cleaning, wash and dry with a paper towel.
- Tooth powder is poured with diluted acid (1 tablespoon). The mixture is applied to the case and rubbed gently with a sponge. Then wash, carefully removing any remaining gruel.
Effective Home Cleaners
Nail polish remover
Acetone causes the material to become cloudy and streaky. Therefore, take a remover without acetone. A cotton pad is moistened with a solvent and the dirty circles are wiped.
Citric acid or lemon juice
The acid quickly disinfects and cleans the accessory and returns the original color. But if contact with the material lasts more than 15 minutes, the item may become lightened or light spots may appear unevenly. Dissolve 1 teaspoon in 0.1 liter of lukewarm water. l. powder or take the juice of one medium lemon. The diluted clarifier is carefully rubbed over the product and rinsed after 15 minutes.
Technical alcohol or vodka
Diluted ethyl alcohol or alcohol wipes for cleaning optics are used to wipe off pen or marker marks from a phone case. Moisten the cotton wool with vodka and wipe off the strokes.
You must first check the effect of the products on the corner of the case.
Liquid soap
To clean your phone case from dust, use liquid soap or shampoo. Make a warm solution in which the product is immersed for 25 minutes. After soaking, rub with a foam sponge, rinse and wipe with a dry cloth.
Additional Information! If the overlay is decorated with prints, wipe the background with soap suds, and the pattern with clean warm water.
Ammonia and soda
Combine equal doses of ammonia, water and soda. Carefully spread it over the silicone with a rag and wash it off after 15 minutes.
Eraser
An eraser erases the strokes of a pencil, marker and pen; removes fresh fat. An old eraser leaves dirty marks. To prevent the appearance of fresh stains and smearing of old stains, take a new soft rubber band or cut off the dirty end of the old one before work. After the procedure, wipe the item with a damp cloth.
The eraser is gentle on silicone
Brighteners and stain removers
If the cover is yellowed or dirty, use chlorine-free stain removers designed for treating delicate fabrics:
- Vanish;
- Clean Home;
- Dr. Beckmann;
- Paterra;
- Cotico.
These preparations are hypoallergenic, clean polymer linings, preserve the structure and do not change the color of the material. The case is immersed in the dissolved stain remover for 13 minutes, washed, rinsed, and blotted with a dry cloth.
Toothpaste will remove yellow plaque
Clean dirt and remove red stains with toothpaste. Using a soft brush, distribute the paste evenly over the moistened cover. Without waiting for it to dry, the product is washed in cool water and air dried. The result of cleaning is immediately noticeable: the yellowish coating has been removed, the dirt has disappeared.
Reference! Before rubbing the surface with solvents or brighteners, the effect of the drug is checked on an inconspicuous area.
Step-by-step instruction
First you need to make a solution: mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda with 1 glass of water.
Further:
- Dip the cloth into the solution. Squeeze out excess water.
- Wipe your phone case with a cloth. Focus on stains and dirt accumulation.
- After wiping with a cloth, rinse the phone body with clean water. You need to do everything efficiently so that leftover soda does not remain in hard-to-reach places.
- Dry your phone case with a clean cloth or paper towel.
After this, you can safely put the case on your phone without worrying about its hygiene.
Aggressive cleaning agents
Aggressive substances act quickly: they bleach, disinfect, but destroy the structure of the material and act for a short time. Therefore, accessories cannot be cleaned with bleach: the shine will disappear; colored cases will be unevenly covered with cloudy stains. Aggressive compounds are rarely used - only when gentle ones are useless. Before the procedure, dilute with water, and after treatment, rinse thoroughly.
Stubborn dirt can sometimes be removed with purified flammable compounds - gasoline for lighters or kerosene (before treatment, the effect is checked in an inconspicuous area). Soak a sponge with diluted fuel and wipe the dirty area. After rinsing, the case is treated with diluted vodka or lemon juice to neutralize the unpleasant odor.
How to deal with stains and stubborn dirt
A milk-protein mixture is suitable for cleaning models, which is prepared as follows:
- 1.5 table. l. fresh milk and the white of one egg are combined until smooth;
- A cotton pad is soaked in liquid and applied to the dirty area;
- the slightly dried crust is carefully peeled off;
- The case is rinsed and wiped.
To quickly clean silicone phone cases, choose a method depending on the origin of the contamination.
A vinegar bath removes even stubborn stains
Additional Information! Before the cleaning procedure, remove dust and adhering dirt from the accessory.
How to clean a ballpoint pen from a phone case
Marks from a ballpoint pen are removed with a melamine sponge or eraser. To wipe the handle off the case, also use the following means:
- milk (fresh or sour);
- soda slurry;
- essential oil (any);
- vodka;
- lemon juice.
Strokes and blots are smeared, left for 30 minutes, then the item is washed in lukewarm soapy foam and rinsed thoroughly.
For pen stains, use gentler products first.
Darkening
The darkened protective lining is wiped with an unsaturated solution of citric acid or soaked in diluted bleach, which does not contain chlorine. The defect disappears within 1.5 - 2 months, then the case has to be lightened again or bought a new one.
Glue
Sticky traces from stickers, tape and glue are removed with solvents - nail polish remover, diluted alcohol, or choose preparations based on the type of adhesive:
- Fresh drops of water-based glue (stationery, PVA, carpentry) can be easily cleaned by generous rinsing. Before processing, remove sticky residues with a paper towel.
- Drops of Moment glue are wiped off with cotton wool soaked in dimexide, then the damaged area is treated with diluted vodka or a damp cloth.
- Superglue is removed from silicone with essential oil: 3–5 drops are applied to a sponge, and the spot is gently rubbed. After an hour, wipe the cleaned area with dry cotton wool and wash with liquid soap.
Sticky stains can also be removed with transparent Anti-Glue. The applied gel is left for 40 - 60 minutes, then washed with a damp flannel. To make sure that the Anti-Glue will cope with the stain and will not spoil the product, the effect is checked on an inconspicuous corner.
Essential oils cleanse and scent
Stains and dirt
Spots and yellowness are removed with soda slurry or essential oil: apply to the surface with a cotton pad, rub lightly, and wash off after 5-7 minutes. To remove stubborn dirt, the case is soaked in a mixture consisting of the following components:
- boric alcohol;
- water;
- dish gel.
After an hour, remove from the solution and rub with flannel. Contaminated areas are treated 2 or 3 times.
Soda
If there are serious stains from paint or traces left by glue on the panel for an Apple or Android smartphone, you need to use soda. The recipe is very simple:
- Dilute a small amount of baking soda with water to a paste;
- Apply the mixture to the affected areas;
- Leave for several hours;
- Remove the dried crust and rinse the product under running warm water.
This product allows you to clean the brilliant green and helps rid the silicone case of glue. But be careful - rub the mixture in without pressing and use a soft cloth or sponge. You can learn how to remove scorch marks from an iron on synthetic materials by following the link.
How to clean a silicone phone case
With regular care, matte cases look neat and retain their original appearance longer than transparent ones. But any accessories need proper wet cleaning.
How to wash a matte or painted case
Treat painted or matte surfaces carefully: aggressive powders and gels sometimes cause streaks or change color. Therefore, in order to return the case to its original appearance and shine, while maintaining the original color, use products with a mild cleansing effect:
- Light laundry soap shavings are diluted with warm water. The product is immersed in the solution. After an hour, the item is carefully washed and dried.
- Chlorine-free bleach for colored fabrics is applied to the protective shell with foam rubber (the label is marked Color, indicating that the composition does not contain components that change color). After 5 minutes, the drug is washed off.
- Light yellowness is rubbed off with lemon juice. Squeeze the juice of 1/3 lemon onto a cotton pad. Clean the cell phone cover for 3–4 minutes using circular movements on both sides and rinse.
The melamine sponge, which absorbs dirt through micropores, does not damage the material. Treat the dry product with a damp sponge, wipe with a wet towel and repeat the treatment. This removes ink, marker marks, and grease.
Melamine sponge removes even old stains
How to clean a clear case
To quickly clean transparent silicone phone cases from reddish deposits, use common methods:
- Dissolve 0.5 teaspoon in 100 ml of lukewarm water. l. borax (purchased at hardware stores or pharmacies). Rub the powder over the dampened item with a soft toothbrush. If yellow circles are visible after washing, repeat cleaning. Severe yellowing is removed with a concentrated solution (the volume of components is doubled). First, test the effect of the concentrate on an inconspicuous place. After the procedure, the case is washed.
- Restores transparency and disinfects the case with diluted isopropyl or ethyl alcohol. The accessory is soaked in liquid for 10 minutes, then rinsed, blotted with a rag, and dried.
- Any essential oil will clean and aromatize the case: 1 – 2 drops of the volatile substance are applied to a napkin. Use circular movements to smoothly wipe the yellowed material. After 7 minutes, rinse with warm water.
To remove dirt and lighten transparent silicone, also use baking soda, a nail polish remover (without acetone), and a chlorine-free stain remover for light-colored fabrics.
Reference! Cotton wool soaked in isopropyl alcohol leaves lint on the case. It is difficult to remove stuck microfibers. To prevent trouble, use microfiber cloths.
Cases with colored prints should be washed carefully
How to clean a white case
Light colored items require constant care. To try to clean the white cover from dirty circles and eliminate yellowness, use the following methods:
- Pour water (1:1.5) into the tooth powder, mix thoroughly and apply to the surface. They begin to wipe off the slurry with damp foam rubber, without waiting for it to harden. Wash and blot with a dry cloth.
- The cotton wool is moistened with nail polish remover (the composition does not include acetone). Wipe the pad with light circular movements, then wash it. If contamination remains, the operation is repeated.
- The moistened case is sprinkled with citric acid, lightly rubbed with a soft brush and washed off.
Recommended reading: - 8 recommendations on how to wash sneakers correctly in an automatic washing machine.
White cases are also treated with bleach for delicate materials. Chlorine-free preparations help clean, brighten, and disinfect the surface. The white accessory is soaked in the dissolved product. After 20 minutes, rinse and wipe.
Washing and boiling
Make a bath with soap shavings or liquid soap. The gadget pad is immersed in foam for 25 - 35 minutes. Then the flannel is rubbed gently on both sides. The soap is washed off.
Additional Information! Polymer products do not boil: at elevated temperatures the material is deformed. Non-aggressive detergents are used to remove dirt and bacteria.
What to Avoid When Cleaning
List of contraindications that will help maintain the beautiful appearance of the case and smartphone:
- Avoid alcohol-based cleaners (including alcohol-based disinfectant wipes).
- Paper towels (using things like a kitchen towel to clean the screen can leave debris and even scratch the surface).
- Cleaners for windows.
- Kitchen cleaning products.
- Compressed air (ports may be damaged by air bursts).
- Avoid getting moisture into openings and ports.
In the current situation, everyone wants to do their best to keep themselves and their family clean and germ-free. But it's important not to forget about your personal devices.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated, if you don't clean your phone, it will become a breeding ground for bacteria, so it is recommended to wipe down all touch surfaces, including the body of the smartphone itself. Follow the instructions above to keep your devices clean and safe.
How not to clean silicone
If the cover has turned yellow, they try to restore the original color using home remedies, excluding the following aggressive substances:
- petrol;
- acetone;
- chlorine bleaches;
- kerosene;
- abrasive powders.
Solvents diluted with water are used when mild detergents are useless.
Chlorine bleaches attack fiber structure
Dirt from silicone must not be cleaned with rough or sharp objects:
- metal scrapers;
- sandpaper;
- knives;
- hard brushes;
- sponges with an abrasive layer.
Friction causes cracks to form. Material covered with scratches quickly becomes clogged with dust and dirt particles, which are difficult to get rid of.
Interesting article, read: - How to quickly and easily clean an ancient coin in 3 minutes: tips with video.
What not to do to avoid damaging the silicone product
To avoid accidentally damaging the case, adhere to the following rules:
- Do not place the item next to heating devices or in direct sunlight: heating and ultraviolet radiation cause the case to fade;
- Do not scrub silicone phone cases from yellowing with aggressive solutions (acetone, bleach or gasoline);
- frequent removal and donning deforms and stretches the model;
- Do not remove stubborn dirt with abrasive powders, sandpaper, or a hard brush, as scratches will appear.
To protect the accessory from damage, the model is selected according to the size of the phone.
Silicone cases require regular maintenance
Features of the material
Silicone is an environmentally friendly polymer, which, due to its strength and high wear resistance, is in wide demand in various areas of our lives.
Complex inorganic material has a number of advantages:
- high strength;
- elasticity;
- elasticity;
- durability;
- ease;
- hypoallergenic;
- fire safety.
These characteristics have become decisive for phone case manufacturers. In addition, silicone, unlike plastic, looks compact, is soft to the touch, and can withstand mechanical stress (shocks, falls).
Pollution prevention
The surface of the lining is covered with microscopic pores that quickly become dirty. To prevent the appearance of dirty stains, the case is constantly looked after:
- wipe daily with wet wipes;
- a mobile phone in a silicone shell is placed in a separate pocket of the bag;
- the item is taken with clean hands;
- prevent cracks and scratches from appearing: damage collects dust and becomes intensively covered with grease;
- regularly clean with products containing alcohol or liquid soap;
- During lunch, the smartphone is removed from the table.
Fresh stains are easier to remove than stubborn dust, so they try to clean the surface right away.
Silicone quickly absorbs dirt, changes color, and becomes stained. Therefore, the covers are properly looked after: cleaned, removed dust and stains; do not use aggressive substances or sharp objects. Preventive measures delay the appearance of defects and extend the service life of the accessory.
Preventive measures
To avoid yellowing of the case, you should adhere to the following tips:
- Silicone has large pores and dust instantly gets into this structure, so you need to wipe it with a regular damp cloth at least once a day;
- For transparent silicone, you can use alcohol-based products. In addition, this will further disinfect the surface.
- You need to store your phone in a specially designed pocket, and not together with other things.
- you need to maintain the general order in the bag so that the surfaces of contacting items are properly clean.
- Dust easily penetrates into scratches on silicone, and the external quality of the product deteriorates accordingly.
In general, washing the silicone case for preventive purposes is enough once a month. There is no need to buy special chemicals for this if you have available means. Small traces from the material will then be easily removed without becoming ingrained.
Important: following these simple recommendations will allow you to keep the case in good condition, transparent and light for a long time.
