The iPad is a technological marvel, and you should get several years of use from it, provided you’re a responsible owner. That involves treating it gently and keeping it clean.
Cleaning your iPad’s various components is relatively easy, especially if you have the appropriate tools. Those tools are inexpensive and readily available for purchase.
In this article, we’ll talk about which ones will serve you best. We’ll also go over which parts of the iPad you should focus on keeping clean.
Keep reading as we explain how to clean your iPad in this comprehensive guide.
The Parts of Your iPad That Can Be Cleaned
iPad tablets are stripped-down, portable versions of computers. To ensure yours lasts for as long as possible, you should consider getting a protective case for it. Several different companies make protective cases specifically designed for the iPad, including Apple, JETech, and Logitech.
Maybe you like bringing your iPad on public transportation. You may also use it at work, the public library, or when you go on trips.
You should protect it in any of those circumstances. You can carry the tablet in a handbag or purse so that there’s less chance you’ll drop it.
You should also only take out your iPad and use it in a sanitary environment. If you use it outside, the risk of it getting dirty or sticky is much higher.
If it does get dirty, the parts you can clean include the screen, the charging port, and the speaker. All other elements of the tablet are internal, so getting to them is almost impossible.
How to Clean an iPad’s Screen
It’s hard to avoid smearing your iPad’s screen with fingerprints. The screen is meant to be touched, but you should still clean it periodically. There’s no established rule for how often you should clean it, but at least once a month seems reasonable.
Apart from fingerprints, there are additional elements that might come into contact with your iPad’s screen. Those might include ink, food, dirt, soap, lotion, and makeup.
A lint-free or microfiber cloth is the best tool for the job. Smooth fabrics used for cleaning camera lenses or glasses lenses work well. You can buy them on Amazon or other online marketplaces. You can also get them in some brick-and-mortar stores.
You can moisten the cloth very slightly with water. It shouldn’t be dripping, so if it is, wring it out.
Apple warns on its website against using any other kind of household cleaner, as those can damage the iPad. iPads have what is called oleophobic coating on their screens. This is an oil-resistant substance. It wears away as time passes, but it will last longer if you don’t apply any abrasives, solvents, ammonia, window cleaners, aerosol cleaners, etc. to it.
Unplug your iPad from your wall outlet or anything else to which it’s connected as you get ready to clean it. Power it down as well.
Wipe down the screen gently with the cloth using small circular motions. It shouldn’t take longer than a few second to do a thorough job. You can press a little harder for stubborn fingerprints or other stains, but don’t get too rough with the device, or you’ll risk damaging it.
A Word About Compressed Air Canisters
For some other parts of the iPad, you might be tempted to use a compressed air canister. These seem as though they might be particularly useful for parts of the tablet like the speaker or the charging port. Some Apple device users have even reported positive outcomes when they use them.
However, Apple warns against it, and we agree. There are delicate internal components in the ports and speakers of your iPad. Compressed air can shoot out at a high velocity, even if that wasn’t your intention. Like household cleaners, you shouldn’t use it on an iPad, especially when there are safer alternatives.
If you use compressed air on your iPad and damage it, you’ll probably be stuck paying for the repairs. That can get expensive, even if you have insurance on the device. If you read the fine print, you’ll see that compressed air and unapproved cleaners or solvents are likely not approved by your policy.
How to Clean Your iPad’s Charging Port
Your charging port is another area of your iPad where dust, dirt, food particles, and other debris sometimes accumulates. It needs to be clear of these sorts of contaminants, or else your tablet might not effectively connect with the charger and power up as it should.
An implement like a wooden toothpick is your best bet for this part of the iPad. Make sure that you use wood rather than a metal or plastic toothpick, as this variety is less likely to cause any damage.
Get a flashlight and have a friend or family member hold it at such an angle that they’re shining it into the port. You should be looking for dirt, caked-on dust, etc.
Insert the toothpick delicately into the port and try to remove the largest pieces of lint or dust. Don’t just blindly jab it in there. You’re trying to clean with a purpose.
Once you’re done cleaning, you can try charging your iPad again and see if it’s any more effective this time.
How to Clean Your iPad’s Speaker
The speaker is the final area of your iPad that you can clean. If you’re the sort of person who likes listening to music or watching TV shows or movies on your tablet, then dirt and grime clogging the speaker can be a real annoyance.
Your best weapon here is an unused, soft-bristled toothbrush. You can get one through an online marketplace like Amazon, or at a pharmacy, grocery store, etc. You can also use an electronic toothbrush if you load it up with a brand-new brush head.
Use a gentle scrubbing motion and try to work the brush’s bristles down into the crevices of the speaker. Pucker your mouth and lightly blow away any gunk you’ve dislodged.
The other method some people use for iPad speakers involves painter’s tape. Painter’s tape is blue tape that you apply to walls. It guides you as you’re painting delicate areas.
It’s intended to avoid sloppy painting, but you can use it to clean your iPad’s speakers as well. That’s because it has a pressure-sensitive adhesive quality.
Tear off a short piece of the tape and toll it up into a cylinder. The sticky side should be facing out. Its width should be about the size of one of your fingers.
Slip the rolled-up tape over your index finger, and then press it carefully into the iPad’s speaker. The adhesive should pick up any dirt or grime that’s in there.
After you remove your finger, check it to see whether you’ve been successful. You can shine a flashlight inside the speaker to see if there’s any more accumulation.
If you see more, repeat the process a couple of times. You could even try a combination of painter’s tape and a toothbrush if you think there’s an exceptional amount of gunk built up inside the cavity.
Once you’re done, see if the sound quality coming from the speaker is any better.
This Cleaning Process Should Be a Regular Habit
It’s not a bad idea to go through this cleaning process for the iPad every few weeks. Protecting the tablet as much as possible will prevent it from getting dirty in the first place, but a little accumulation is difficult to avoid, even if you’re very protective of your device. This sort of maintenance will ensure that you get as long of a life as possible out of this expensive piece of equipment.
If you ever reach a point where you feel your iPad has gotten too dirty to justify cleaning it any longer, you can always trade it in and get a new one. Last year, Apple released the 5th generation of the iPad Air, the 4th generation of the iPad Pro 11-inch, and the 6th generation of the iPad Pro 12.9-inch. Any of these are a worthy choice if you’re in the market for a new tablet.
