Best Way to Clean Your iPad and iPhone
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It’s important to clean your phone and tablet, but not just any chemical will work.
A clean iPad or iPhone screen is easier to read in bright cockpit light, lets you run lower brightness for better battery life, and (especially with flight schools and shared cockpit devices making a comeback) keeps the next pilot from inheriting your fingerprints and coffee smudges.
But what cleaning method is really safe? Most portable electronics still have delicate anti-reflective and oleophobic coatings that can be damaged—or permanently stripped—by the wrong product.
It’s important to clean your phone and tablet, but not just any chemical will work.
Let’s start with the advice from the device manufacturer. For cleaning iPads, Apple says: “Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don’t use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean iPad.”
The same basic advice holds for iPhones, but iPhone 14 and newer (including the current iPhone 16/17 series) are significantly more water-resistant, so warm soapy water is an option if needed. Apple still recommends a soft lint-free cloth (like a camera lens microfiber), and repeats the warning about household cleaning products or compressed air. To be specific, Apple says, “Your iPhone has a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic — oil repellent — coating. Cleaning products and abrasive materials will diminish the coating and might scratch your iPhone.”
Apple’s guidance is unchanged in 2025 and applies equally to the new nano-texture glass option on 2024–2025 iPad Pro models.
Apple’s Official Rules
For all current iPads and iPhones:
- Use only a soft, slightly damp, lint-free microfiber cloth
- Avoid getting moisture in any openings or ports
- Never use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or hydrogen peroxide
Acceptable when you really need to disinfect (straight from Apple’s support page):
“Using a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75% ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display or other exterior surfaces. Don’t use these products on fabric or leather surfaces.”
The latest iPhone 15, 16, and 17 models and all recent iPads (including the nano-texture matte option on 2024–2025 iPad Pro) follow the exact same guidance—no special exceptions.
For everyday cleaning, we recommend aviation-safe, alcohol-free wipes or sprays that are specifically formulated for electronic displays. These products are solvent-free, non-toxic, and won’t harm anti-reflective or oleophobic coatings. Because they contain no alcohol, they’re perfect for removing fingerprints and smudges but won’t disinfect. When you need to kill germs, the CDC continues to recommend alcohol-based wipes or spray containing at least 70% isopropyl or ethyl alcohol.
UV-C sanitizing boxes (PhoneSoap, HoMedics, etc.) are now common in crew rooms; Apple confirms they are safe for iPhone and iPad when used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you’re concerned about your panel-mount avionics, Garmin, Avidyne, and Dynon still say the same thing: avoid ammonia-based cleaners. A solution of 70% isopropyl alcohol (or 91% diluted with distilled water) is preferred.
So go ahead with your Clorox or 70% alcohol wipes, but don’t soak the device and don’t press hard—a quick gentle wipe of the screen and exterior is all you need.
One other tip: a good screen protector is cheap insurance, especially on shared cockpit iPads. MyGoFlight ArmorGlas can withstand repeated 70% alcohol cleanings with no damage, don’t affect touch sensitivity, prevent scratches, and cut glare. Custom-cut sizes are available for every current iPhone and iPad model—including the new 11″ and 13″ iPad Pro with nano-texture displays.
That’s it—simple rules that have stood the test of time. Keep a microfiber and a couple of alcohol wipes in your flight bag and your glass will stay bright and ready for the next leg.
- Best Way to Clean Your iPad and iPhone - November 18, 2025
- iOS Update Green Light program: iOS and iPadOS 26.1 - November 11, 2025
- How to mount your iPhone using MagSafe in the cockpit - October 31, 2025
For odd size screens, NuShield makes more sizes than most, and will even make custom sizes large enough for any monitor or even a TV. I have them on the touch screens in my camper and car. And although it’s not a touch screen, I put one on my 430W, because it’s easier to clean than the Garmin glass screen. Great product.