Club Benefits
So you’ve got a new phone, and you’ve taken all the steps you can to keep it looking its best for as long as possible — including picking up a case. But the phone itself isn't the only thing that needs protecting; your phone case deserves some TLC, too.
Ideally, a phone case will be the shield that keeps your phone from picking up any damage from drops and scuffs from daily life. And with people holding on to phones for longer, all that wear and tear can take a lot out of your case. Sure, you can just pick up another after a year or two, but with even the cheapest cases costing around $20, those extra accessories can add up.
Keep your case clean
One of the first things you need to learn to do is to properly clean your phone case. What we’re looking to minimize here is the amount of dirt, dust and oils that interact with the case as those can degrade the case's materials over time. What's more, cleaning can help stave off the discoloration that can occur on see-through cases.
You won’t need any specific cleaning solutions to get the best result. Instead, soap and water will do the trick. Just make sure that you use a soft cloth to avoid any major scratches.
For a fabric or leather case, you'll want to use a damp microfibre cloth to clean away any dirt.
You should aim to clean your case at least once a week and make sure that you allow it to dry fully before placing it back on the phone. As for drying, don’t use a hairdryer or other heat source; instead, allow the case to dry naturally in a well-ventilated area.
Avoid extreme temperatures
Much like the phones they protect, phone cases don’t stand up fantastically to extreme temperatures. This is considerably more noticeable with soft cases, which can melt if your phone gets too hot. On the opposite end of the sprectrum, excessive cold can lead to cases becoming too brittle, which can lead to damage when removing the case.
Thankfully, it's pretty easy to avoid extreme temperatures. Make sure that your phone and case aren’t kept in direct sunlight on very hot days. I'd also recommend removing your phone case if you're charging your device overnight as that's when your phone will often run hotter than normal. Removing the case can keep things cool
Be careful when removing the case
Speaking of taking your phone out of your case, make sure you're doing it right. Most phone cases — especially the more durable ones — are designed to be solid and tight-fitting. This makes them great at their job, sure, but it can also make removing them a real pain.
When removing the phone from its the case, then the best thing to do is to apply gentle pressure, rather than trying to force the case off your phone. This can be tricky, as some cases really don’t want to come off, but it’s important if you want to keep your case from snapping or even damaging your phone.
Ideally, you want to focus on removing one corner of the case first, usually because these sections are often more flexible. Your best bet is to use one of the corners near the charging port, as there’s less risk of damaging any critical parts of the phone like a button. Once you feel the case give a little, don’t push — instead, continue to give gentle pressure to finish the case removal.
Swap cases every so often
Having more than one case might seem counterintuitive, considering we're trying to save money by not having to buy a replacement case, but there's a method to my madness.
Having a spare case means that you can rotate between the two, which in turn means that both cases should last longer than if you only had one. Ideally, you'd want to consider swapping the case fortnightly, but really, it's down to personal preference.
This isn't always going to be ideal, especially if you spent a fair bit of cash on your case. However, if you plan on using one of the thinner or cheaper cases, then it can help them to last a little longer. Plus, having the option to swap to a different pattern every so often can certainly help with that.
Phone case outlook
These tips should help to keep your case doing its job for longer, and save you from having to replace them constantly. If you're looking for a case for your new phone, check out our guides for the best iPhone 17 cases, as well as the best Galaxy S25 cases and the best Google Pixel 10 cases.
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