I swapped my fancy screen cloth for a car accessory, and I’m never going back

The bane of my existence is keeping my devices clean. Phone screens easily get smeared and smudged, as do the shiny metal rails on phones like the Pixel 10 Pro. Looking on Amazon or other sites, there’s no end to the number of screen cleaning wipes and cloths you can buy, and that’s what I’ve always used over the years. Recently, though, I found an alternative to screen cleaning clothes that is both cheaper and more effective.

I’m sure we’re all familiar with the type of light microfiber cloths that you get with your glasses, screen cleaning kits, or a screen protector. They’re small and convenient, but that’s all the good I have to say about them. Most of the time, all they do is smear the grease around your screen, and it takes a lot of hard work to get your phone clean again. You can make it easier on yourself by spraying the screen with some water or isopropyl alcohol, but that’s another thing you have to carry around with you, and the isopropyl will eventually damage the oleophobic coating on your display.

Screen cleaning wipes do a better job of cleaning your phone, but they can only be used once and may also damage your display coating.

So, what’s the solution? A normal plush microfiber that you likely already have in your car or kitchen. A few weeks ago, I was in the kitchen, and my tablet was playing YouTube. The screen needed a clean, so I grabbed the nearest cloth to hand, a plush microfiber, and I was amazed at how effective it worked. I fully cleaned my Galaxy Tab S10 Plus in a single wipe, something I’d never manage with the so-called screen cleaning kind.

Beyond being more effective, they’re cheaper, too. On Amazon, a pack of 6 screen cleaning microfiber cloths is just over $9, with each measuring 16.5 x 8.6cm. Meanwhile, a pack of 24 full-sized microfibers is $13 and measures 40 x 30cm. I know that sounds like a big cleaning cloth to keep in a bag or pocket, but that’s easily solved with a pair of scissors. As you can see in the image above, I’ve cut one of the big microfiber cloths from my car into a pocket-friendly square, making it just as easy to carry around.

Changing what you use to clean your screen is cheap, simple, and most importantly, effective. If you have an older phone or a more budget-friendly device that doesn’t get as bright as a modern flagship, keeping your display clear of grime makes it easier to see outdoors. It’s also a must-have for folding phones. I love the Z Fold 7, but the plastic inner display hangs onto fingerprints more than any glass screen.

What do you use to keep your devices fresh? We’d love to hear from you.