How to remove scratches from phone

Fix Your Screen Now!

You have got yourself a new phone and are thrilled. You hold it with great care or place it gently on a smooth surface or on a mat. Then, you put it in your pocket and when you take it out, you find the screen has tiny scratches and in some cases, small fibers are also stuck on the phone. Having a phone with marks on them, however small it may be, tends to dull the pleasure of using a mobile phone. 

While it may be easy to buy a new phone and one that comes under 15,000 rupees, it is not necessary to go looking for a new one when you can fix the scratches on your phone’s display. You can even get rid of scratches to make it look just as new as when you bought it first. 

What causes scratches on phone screens or screen protectors?

Deep scratches on phone

Putting your phone in pockets: Did you know that merely putting it in your pocket can scratch your phone? Some of the fibers can be rough on the sensitive touchscreen. If you happen to have your car keys or a few coins in your pocket, your phone is not going to come out looking good.

Putting down your phone: We are not going to be holding on to the phone all the time. For instance, we may need to free up our hands to take something out of the pantry and we need to put our phone down on one of the shelves. Sometimes, we may put the phone face down without realizing it. Even the most smooth-looking surfaces can have rough spots that can scratch the phone.

Dropping your phone: It can be a terrifying moment when your phone falls down and you pick it up thinking that the screen is going to be cracked or be full of scratches. If you are lucky, there will only be minor scratches. But, sometimes, there will be more than that and you may even see a scratch on the camera. It is way too easy for the phone to slip from your hands and you may not be able to avoid an accidental drop.

Unprotected phone: Good smartphones cost money. Having spent a lot of money on a new phone, we may not want to spend any more on accessories. One of these accessories is the protective cover. The display screen needs protection more than any other part of the phone. Damages to the phone screen may need a replacement that will be more expensive than a screen protector.

Can scratches be removed?

You can remove small and larger scratches on your phone with just a few products we already have at home. All we need to know is the material used for the phone screen. It will be mentioned in the manual or we can find it online by mentioning the phone’s model and serial number.

You know that scratches can be removed, let’s find out how. Before trying to remove them:

✦ Remove headphones, cables, and the phone case
✦ Power down the phone.
✦ Verify that the scratch is on the phone screen and not on the screen guard
✦ Use cello tape to seal the ports and speakers
✦ Gently wipe the entire surface of the phone with a lint-free, slightly dampened cloth
✦ Place the phone with a towel underneath to avoid unwanted scuffs.
✦ Now you are ready to follow a few tricks to remove stubborn phone scratches. You can do this at home without handing your precious phone to a service center.

Try these easy ways with a handy phone scratch remover

Phone screen maintenance

First, identify the material on the phone screen. It could be either plastic or glass. There are a few options to try at home for scratch removal.

For Glass Screens:

If you have glass polish at home, then it would be ideal to use it on glass surfaces. It contains mild abrasive elements that you can use to gently rub with a circular motion on the surface to erase small scratches. It contains cerium oxide which comes in powder form and in a pre-mixed form. A few buffing pads or a cotton swab may be useful. Micro-scratches can vanish and the deeper ones will become less noticeable. Avoid over polishing as it may remove some oleophobic coating from the screen. 

Toothpaste can work wonders, too. If you don’t have a glass polish handy, you can use toothpaste. Use a non-gel-based toothpaste which is usually mildly abrasive. Use it only on the specific areas of the scratch and not the entire screen. The paste can spread into areas that you don’t want to be covered such as speakers or ports. Spread the toothpaste on the targeted area and rub gently. Use a soft cloth or buff pad to wipe the paste. Make sure that the excess toothpaste has been completely removed from the screen.

Removing Scratches On Plastic Screens: 

Magic eraser: Magic erasers are usually used to remove stains around the house. But, they can also be used to remove scratches on the phone’s screen. Surface-level scratches can be buffed with magic erasers, but not hidden scratches. 

Toothpaste: A mildly abrasive toothpaste that is not the gel kind, can remove scratches from your phone, even on a plastic screen protector. Applying the toothpaste directly to the scratched area and rubbing it for a few seconds in circular motions can be effective. Make sure that you do a clean-up after the paste has been wiped off the surface. 

Other Great Tips To Remove Scratches On Phone Screen

Baking soda and soft cloth:

Baking soda mixture is a handy phone scratch remover. However, it requires care in the amount of water you use to mix. You don’t want a liquid solution to flow into the ports and seep under the phone’s surface. Make a thick paste of baking soda and water – two parts baking soda and one part of water. Use the thick paste of the baking soda mixture on the targeted areas with a clean, soft, and damp cloth. Rub gently in a circular motion. Using a fresh and slightly dampened cloth, or a cotton swab, wipe the baking soda paste and do a further clean-up to make sure that no amount of the paste remains.

Fine Sandpaper:

Sandpaper can be tough on glass or plastic, but there are fine sandpapers and a small drill grinder that can fix scratches. Those are the least abrasive ones and they can be used on your phone. Even so, it is essential that you take extra care so that you don’t make them worse. You need to press gently against the surface. However, using sandpaper may be safer on the phone’s casing or the back of the phone to cure small marks, instead of the screen.

Baby Powder:

Baby powder is a good substitute for baking soda. Talcum powder also works on scratches. Just like the baking soda paste, mix two parts of baby or talcum powder and one part of water to make a smooth paste. Using a soft cloth, apply the paste and rub gently in a circular motion. 

Vegetable Oil:

It is a quick fix and needs only one tiny drop or two of oil to use on the scratch. Rub it gently onto the small scratches a few times and wipe it off. It would be a quick cosmetic fix but will do the trick.

Eggs and Potassium Aluminum Sulfate:

This can take a lot longer to prepare as it needs more than just mixing with water. You need an egg white, potassium aluminum sulfate, microfiber cloth, aluminum foil, and a saucepan. Take a teaspoon of alum and add one white egg. Heat them in a saucepan at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak a piece of cloth in this mixture and place it in an aluminum foil and put it back in the oven at 300 degrees. This will make the cloth dry. Take this dry cloth and rinse it in cold water. This process needs to be repeated three times after which we let the cloth air dry for 2 days. Now it is ready for use on phone scratches. 

Of course, you could prevent future scratches, which is always better.

How to prevent scratches on phone screen?

Preventing Scratches

Screen protector:

Install tempered glass screen protectors to protect your phone from getting dusty and scratched. Screen guards are a must for every phone because it is inevitable that our phones will get scratches from daily use. 

Full-body case:

A case that covers the phone fully can ensure that even a fall doesn’t cause damage. There are silicon-based covers and sturdier plastic cases. There are phone pouches that can protect your phone from getting scratched due to dust and grime from pollution or substances around the home

Phone dock:

We tend to charge our phones wherever we are at the moment. Instead, using a phone dock because it is safer and keeps the phone intact on the stand. 

Cover your phone:

Keep your phone covered before putting it in your purse or backpack to prevent accidental scratches. 

Bonus Tip: Don’t put the phone in a back pocket:

Sitting down on it will give your phone more scratches without you even realizing it. 

How to remove deep scratches on phone??

Deep scratches may be a little harder to get rid of because they may not go away with baby powder or actual toothpaste. Baking soda can help to some extent. However, you may need to replace the screen if none of the usual tricks work. Some people even use car scratch removal products.

Wrapping Up

Removing your phone’s scratches will be at your own risk and maybe a temporary solution. But, it is necessary for a clear display screen to remove unwanted scuffs and marks. A damp, fresh cloth and household products can rescue phones from shallow scratches, and make your phone screen shiny. The fact that you may not have to take your phone to the phone repair shop or get a new screen protector sounds ideal if you can fix it yourself.

About the Author

Neha Pik

Neha Tiwari, Member at Homezilla.in

Neha is the one who is aware of current trends and best practices in our desi community. She also helps and educates people looking for a solution to their problems via online. Her work has been published on countless blogs and notable magazines.