It is no secret that we cannot live without technology in our lives. Modern gadgets and software that it allows us to use is too widely present for an average 21st-century human being to cut ties with it. We depend on it for work and for our education, but we also rely on it for entertainment and news. Technology is everywhere and there is no denying it, but above everything else, it is the mobile phone that we use the most. Now known as smartphones, these handy devices are so versatile that they allow us to do stuff that just a few decades ago had to be done on a dozen different gadgets.
Crucial Yet Fragile
The importance of a personal smartphone for a contemporary individual needs no further clarification. It is enough to say that we cannot live without it, which poses another question. How do we protect it? Gadgets are fragile and they break easily from physical harm. Even the flagship models with the best protection are not immune to scratches, cracks, and bends. If it falls from a certain height and with some poor luck, even the best of phones can be damaged beyond repair. Well, it is a good thing then that we have phone cases.
Encasing Our Technology
From the earliest days of technology that can be deemed modern by contemporary standards, manufacturers and designers have also been developing protective cases. It seemed that anything could get a case no matter how weird and unique the shape. With mobile phones, cases were present from the very beginning. You always have to protect expensive tech that you carry around and place everywhere. An average phone would last much less if it never had a case to envelop it and give it basic protection against dirt, dust, spills, and the elements.
Things are largely the same today, but the phone case market has grown immensely. It is a whole separate industry and there are millions of different case models and types to choose from. However, there is an infamous common issue with them. They cannot seem to escape turning yellow after some time. Why is this so and can it be prevented? It is not an old problem either since many materials turn yellowish over time. If you have ever wondered why it happens, keep reading the article to learn more as well as how to put an end to it. For more about phone cases and other smartphone accessories, make sure to click here.
Why Does It Happen?
So what makes the plastic and silicone phone cases turn yellow over the months and lose their aesthetic value? Beautiful and colorful protective cases no longer look the same after mere months, so can this be prevented? Can the customers have nice and clean cases for longer than this? The answer is yes, but you have to know what makes them turn yellow.
The main perpetrator is the very polymer (silicone) that the cases are made of. Clear cases, whether colorless or colored, turn yellow as they age simply because of the natural aging process. However, this process is accelerated with the constant wear and tear, mainly with the exposure to light, heat, and chemicals in everyday use. Sadly, in most cases, this is not really a stain as much as it is the degradation of the material. It cannot be cleaned since it is a change in the structure and the nature of the silicone.
Cleaning and Prevention
The fact that this is a natural occurrence does not mean that you should not even try to clean it. Cases are often yellow both from age and from various types of dirt and stains. Trying to wash it cannot hurt so be sure to try. The first thing to do is to clean it with some dish soap. Mix a cup of warm water and a few drops of your favorite dish soap. Scrub this solution all over the phone case and make sure not to be too gentle. Get in the nooks and crannies to get out all of the dirt both from the interior and the exterior. Rinse until you wash the soap, dry it with a soft cloth, and that is it. This method should clean everything that can be cleaned, especially the oils and chemicals that occur from naturally touching it and using it. To prevent the case from turning yellowish, make sure you start cleaning it like this from the very beginning. Do it once per week, with the first wash coming after you have had the case for about a week or so.
Baking soda can also help if the soap and warm water do not do anything. It does wonders for some types of stains, but not all of them. Sprinkle some baking soda over the phone case and use a wet toothbrush to rub it in. Work it into the yellow stains as much as you can, leave it for a minute or so, and then rinse it off. You can first try this process and then use dish soap to maximize the results. Again, removing the yellowish tint is not guaranteed but this is a neat trick to do every once in a while to prolong the original state of the case. In addition to dish soap and baking soda, make sure to use rubbing alcohol to disinfect the case. Our phones go with us everywhere. Between public transport, work or school, and all the shops and institutions we visit, the case is exposed to all sorts of different germs, bacteria, dirt, and chemicals. Carrying a spray bottle with some disinfectant is a good way to clean the phone case, as well as help yourself stay clean and protected. You can also try cleaning the phone case with alcohol at home by rubbing 70% alcohol all over the case to clean it as well as to eliminate chemicals and germs. This should prolong the natural look of the case for longer if you do it often.
