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It’s time to give everything a good spring clean, including your mobile phone! We’re not just talking about giving the screen a quick wipe – it’s a good idea to clean out the clutter that’s under the hood too.

Having a proper clear out of unused files, apps, photos and other stuff can really help with your phone’s performance. We’re talking speedier performance, longer battery life and quicker loading times. Plus, when you want to find that great holiday snap, you won’t have to dig through years of memes and screenshots to find it. So, let’s begin your mobile spring clean…

Cull your contacts

Take a look at your contact list. Are there any unfamiliar names on there? If so, it’s time to delete some numbers.

If you want to double-check the name before you remove them entirely, go into WhatsApp. Their profile picture should (hopefully) remind you. And while you’re on WhatsApp, why not clear out your old chats? That group organising your friend’s hen do from a couple of years ago hasn’t been touched since. It’s time for it to go.

Organize your home screen

Tidy up your home screen by grouping similar apps into folders. This cuts down the onscreen clutter and makes it easier to find what you need. Plus, fewer icons mean less strain on your phone's processor, which can give the speed a bit of a boost.

Get rid of unused apps

We’ve all got apps we don’t use anymore. And a lot of them continue working in the background, even when we’ve completely forgotten about them. Uninstalling them is a quick way to free up some space, and it’ll save your phone from working harder than it needs to.

Top tip: once you’ve binned your unused apps, check that the remaining ones are all updated. You don’t want to miss out on the latest bug fixes or handy new features.

Delete photos and videos

Having tons of photos and videos in your camera roll can take up a lot of storage space. So, the best place to start is by having a good tidy. Get rid of anything not worth keeping – do you really want loads of versions of that unimpressive selfie? Then move everything else to external or cloud storage. Even if storage isn’t a massive issue, it’s still worth doing. And if you do ever lose your phone, you’ll have everything backed up.

Turn off location tracking

Do you really want X (formerly known as Twitter) to know your exact whereabouts? It’s not just a question of privacy - apps constantly checking your location can drain your battery. That’s why turning off location tracking can make a big difference to your battery life.

Turning location tracking off – or controlling which apps can see where you are – is really easy. Just search for ‘location tracking’ in your settings and you can do everything from there.

Clear your cache

Websites and apps store information on you. This helps you log in, fill out forms, or remember what’s in your basket. But over time, all this saved data can slow things down. You can clear your cache through your internet browser, and it only takes a few minutes to do. The exact method varies, but if you go into settings you’ll usually find a menu called something like ‘Clear browsing data’.

Reset. As a last resort

If your phone is still slower than you’d like and you’ve tried everything else, it might be time for a factory reset. It’ll wipe everything from your phone, giving you a complete fresh start – as if it was fresh from the factory!

Before you take the plunge though, make sure you back everything up properly. Use iCloud for iPhones and Google Drive or OneDrive for Android.

Wipe clean your phone

Phones can get pretty dirty, from smudged screens to dusty charging posts. So it’s a good idea to clean them regularly.

Before you start cleaning, unplug any cables and switch off your phone. Then you can get to work. Google and Apple recommend using a 70% alcohol wipe for the job, but only use it on your screen and the casing at the back - you don’t want to risk getting any moisture into the headphone port or speakers.

Oh, and let’s not forget your phone case. Remove it, then clean it. With plastic, silicone, and rubber cases, you can soak them in some warm water and detergent for a couple of minutes. If there are still any stains, use an old toothbrush to get rid of them. Then just make sure to dry the case off with a cloth before you put it back on your phone.

 

Giveaway Time!

Want to give your house a good spring clean too? We can help you there as well because we are giving you the chance to win a brand new EUFY RoboVac 15C!

To enter, all you need to do is tell us what your top spring cleaning tip or hack is. Whether it's weird, wonderful, or just plain common sense we want to know!

Simply write your response below and click reply. 

Entries close at 23:59 on 14th March 2024, and we'll announce the lucky iD community winner shortly after.

Good luck! 

I like to use lemon scented cleaning vinegar on everything. It works a treat on all surfaces, can be diluted if necessary and smells lovely and fresh. I fill an old spray bottle so it saves on plastic waste too. I won’t go back to separate cleaning products now. Another hack is to use it in place of fabric softener, again smells good and leave clothes soft after a wash, just add a cupful to your wash.


Get yourself a RoboVac!!

Better still... win one from your mobile provider 😃


Hire a cleaner - simples

 


Clean a room at a time or clean as you go 👍


Rent a container (10’ X 16’) and bin all the things you haven’t used for 3 years, then when the weather is better go back and see if you wish to keep anything or wasn’t it worth paying to store it.

Langton


That's what the robots are there for 


If you can’t reach the place you want to get to without standing on a chair, fetch a ladder!


Vinegar and baking soda get off a lot more things than you think! 🧼


Never leave a room without doing just ONE thing, however small, to make it cleaner! Trust me - when this becomes automatic, this works a charm. Failing that, buy an EUFY and let that little robot take the strain… 


Magic sponge..  only cost a £1 and cleans of near anything that I've come across at work 


Moving furniture to vacuum behind


Get someone else to do it…..😅


Once the cleaning is done, grab your favourite scented fabric softener or disinfectant, mix a capful with warm water in a spray bottle and spritz your walls. They hold the scent really well and make your house smell like freshly washed laundry


 

Have a quick look around for things you no longer use or need and sell, throw out or donate to charity. Why waste time cleaning and tidying things you don’t need to have cluttering up your life?


Some apps build up their own cache and become huge! Try deleting and reinstalling the app, and you’ll likely see it reduced in size dramatically (Meta apps are particularly bad at being efficient 🙂


It’s time to give everything a good spring clean, including your mobile phone! We’re not just talking about giving the screen a quick wipe – it’s a good idea to clean out the clutter that’s under the hood too.

Having a proper clear out of unused files, apps, photos and other stuff can really help with your phone’s performance. We’re talking speedier performance, longer battery life and quicker loading times. Plus, when you want to find that great holiday snap, you won’t have to dig through years of memes and screenshots to find it. So, let’s begin your mobile spring clean…

Cull your contacts

Take a look at your contact list. Are there any unfamiliar names on there? If so, it’s time to delete some numbers.

If you want to double-check the name before you remove them entirely, go into WhatsApp. Their profile picture should (hopefully) remind you. And while you’re on WhatsApp, why not clear out your old chats? That group organising your friend’s hen do from a couple of years ago hasn’t been touched since. It’s time for it to go.

Organize your home screen

Tidy up your home screen by grouping similar apps into folders. This cuts down the onscreen clutter and makes it easier to find what you need. Plus, fewer icons mean less strain on your phone's processor, which can give the speed a bit of a boost.

Get rid of unused apps

We’ve all got apps we don’t use anymore. And a lot of them continue working in the background, even when we’ve completely forgotten about them. Uninstalling them is a quick way to free up some space, and it’ll save your phone from working harder than it needs to.

Top tip: once you’ve binned your unused apps, check that the remaining ones are all updated. You don’t want to miss out on the latest bug fixes or handy new features.

Delete photos and videos

Having tons of photos and videos in your camera roll can take up a lot of storage space. So, the best place to start is by having a good tidy. Get rid of anything not worth keeping – do you really want loads of versions of that unimpressive selfie? Then move everything else to external or cloud storage. Even if storage isn’t a massive issue, it’s still worth doing. And if you do ever lose your phone, you’ll have everything backed up.

Turn off location tracking

Do you really want X (formerly known as Twitter) to know your exact whereabouts? It’s not just a question of privacy - apps constantly checking your location can drain your battery. That’s why turning off location tracking can make a big difference to your battery life.

Turning location tracking off – or controlling which apps can see where you are – is really easy. Just search for ‘location tracking’ in your settings and you can do everything from there.

Clear your cache

Websites and apps store information on you. This helps you log in, fill out forms, or remember what’s in your basket. But over time, all this saved data can slow things down. You can clear your cache through your internet browser, and it only takes a few minutes to do. The exact method varies, but if you go into settings you’ll usually find a menu called something like ‘Clear browsing data’.

Reset. As a last resort

If your phone is still slower than you’d like and you’ve tried everything else, it might be time for a factory reset. It’ll wipe everything from your phone, giving you a complete fresh start – as if it was fresh from the factory!

Before you take the plunge though, make sure you back everything up properly. Use iCloud for iPhones and Google Drive or OneDrive for Android.

Wipe clean your phone

Phones can get pretty dirty, from smudged screens to dusty charging posts. So it’s a good idea to clean them regularly.

Before you start cleaning, unplug any cables and switch off your phone. Then you can get to work. Google and Apple recommend using a 70% alcohol wipe for the job, but only use it on your screen and the casing at the back - you don’t want to risk getting any moisture into the headphone port or speakers.

Oh, and let’s not forget your phone case. Remove it, then clean it. With plastic, silicone, and rubber cases, you can soak them in some warm water and detergent for a couple of minutes. If there are still any stains, use an old toothbrush to get rid of them. Then just make sure to dry the case off with a cloth before you put it back on your phone.

 

Giveaway Time!

Want to give your house a good spring clean too? We can help you there as well because we are giving you the chance to win a brand new EUFY RoboVac 15C!

To enter, all you need to do is tell us what your top spring cleaning tip or hack is. Whether it's weird, wonderful, or just plain common sense we want to know!

Simply write your response below and click reply. 

Entries close at 23:59 on 14th March 2024, and we'll announce the lucky iD community winner shortly after.

Good luck! 

I do my spring cleaning in the winter, usually just before Christmas.  That way I can enjoy the spring rather than let it pass me by.


Clean as you go 


Well would need the Robot cleaner for the spring because Have a blower summer blow to 1 corner  Autumn to another Summer the third ready for spring to clean all !! 


Never leave a room with your hands empty - if there’s rubbish that you can throw away a mug that’s been left out, making sure you pick something up before you leave the room is a great way to avoid clutter.


A nice new little 🤖  robot 


Furniture polish on your shower screen olive oil on your stainless steel oven door.

I clean all stainless steel in the kitchen with baby oil,it brings everything so clean it looks brand new.


To spring clean, I start from the top of the house then work room by room, same in the rooms, work from the top down, from coving to skirtings to carpet seams, and all in between. Having a method makes sure you don’t miss anything. Buy the best product, to suit what you need it for, and always open a window to help circulate the air for a while.


When sorting your wardrobe out make sure all the hangers are the same way in the wardrobe over the next 6 months every time you wear an item hang it up the other way. After the 6 month period declutter the items you haven’t worn, either gifting to a charity shop or selling online. Either way it puts money in your pocket or the charity’s, winning all round.


I just try and keep on top of things year round but I have to admit that the low spring sun does show up the dust under the sofa. Oh well, get the vac out again.


Open windows as you start. The fresh air will energise you as you work by getting rid of stufiness