Prep first
Before you start
- Unplug the phone and remove any cables before you touch the screen.
- Start with a dry cloth, and add moisture only if the mark stays.
- Go gently first, because a phone screen doesn't need heavy scrubbing.
Orange and blue marks on electronics, such as a blue stain on a phone screen, can look alarming, but the color on its own doesn't tell you what it is. The screen can take only light moisture, so gentle wiping comes first and anything stronger waits until the mark resists. If liquid has got inside the phone, that is a different problem, and it goes to an authorized service provider rather than a cloth.
A purple stain on phone screen usually lifts with a dry microfiber cloth, so skip any liquid until that fails. If you're dealing with multiple purple stains on phone screen, go gently and check each one before you rub harder. Stop wiping the moment the screen feels warm, or if a mark seems to move under the glass, since that points to moisture inside.
Before you start
What electronics & screens can take
Use with care2
- Water
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
Avoid4
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
4 items
What you'll need
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- Soft, dry, lint-free clothFor the first wipe, and slightly dampened for the second. (opens Amazon)
- Cleaner intended for screensApplied to the cloth for marks that stay. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl alcohol or a 75% ethyl alcohol wipeFor hard-to-remove smudges, used on a cloth and tested in a hidden area first. (opens Amazon)
- Good lightLets you see whether the mark is actually gone.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Unplug the phone first
Unplug the device and remove all cables and external power before you touch the screen. Set it face up on a clean, dry surface so the mark is easy to see.
Step 2 of 6
Wipe with a dry cloth
Wipe the screen with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, using light, even strokes. Check the screen in good light before you go any further.
Tip. Turn to a clean part of the cloth for each pass so you don't drag the mark back across the glass.
Step 3 of 6
Add a little moisture
If the mark remains, dampen the cloth slightly and wipe the same area again. The cloth should feel barely damp, never wet, and the wipes should stay light.
Careful. Keep moisture out of any openings.
Step 4 of 6
Use a screen cleaner on the cloth
If the mark is still there, put a cleaner intended for screens on the cloth, not on the phone. Wipe the area gently, then go over it once with the dry part of the cloth.
Careful. Never spray cleaner directly onto the screen.
Step 5 of 6
Try alcohol on hard smudges
For a hard-to-remove smudge on the glass, gently wipe a cloth moistened with 70% isopropyl alcohol or a 75% ethyl alcohol wipe over the area. Use one light pass at a time and stop as soon as the mark lifts.
Careful. Test a hidden area first and use alcohol with care.
Step 6 of 6
Let the screen dry fully
Let the screen dry completely before you plug the phone back in or switch it on. Check the area once more in good light to see whether the mark is gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for orange on electronics & screens
Choose a cleaner made for screens and pair it with a soft, lint-free cloth. Keep 70% isopropyl alcohol on hand only for hard smudges.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on electronics & screens, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The mark is gone when the area looks the same as the rest of the screen in bright, direct light and from a few different angles. If you still see color after the screen cleaner step, do one careful alcohol wipe and then leave it alone.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your electronics & screens
Purple on a phone screen
A purple mark is handled the same way as a blue one, starting with the dry cloth. Color doesn't change the order of the steps, so only move to the alcohol wipe if the gentler steps don't lift the mark.
Keep the cloth damp, not wet, and put any screen cleaner on the cloth only. Test the alcohol on a hidden corner before you wipe the visible area.
Multiple purple on a phone screen
When several purple marks are spread across the screen, work across the whole screen with the dry cloth first, then with the damp cloth. Do one pass at a time so you can see which marks have lifted.
Treat each mark that remains with the screen cleaner on the cloth, and save the alcohol for the few that stay. Don't go back over the same spot again and again, because that only tires the glass and wastes your time.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
If a mark is old or has been on the screen for a while, don't reach for anything stronger than the steps here. Phone screens can't take harsher products, so a longer or heavier scrub is not a safe fix.
If the mark has dried and the cleaner doesn't lift it, repeat the alcohol wipe once on a cloth, then let the screen dry fully. A mark that is still there after that is not something to attack with a stronger product.
Be realistic: some marks don't come out, even with the gentlest methods. Stop there rather than trying a harsher remedy.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on orange on electronics & screens?
Most kitchen and cleaning remedies are off-limits on a phone screen, so stick with a screen cleaner and, for hard smudges, an alcohol wipe. A dry cloth and a screen cleaner do most of the work, and alcohol is saved for hard smudges.
Works1Skip1Avoid4
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
Both are off-limits on phone screens and other displays. Keep these products out of your cleaning kit for this job.
Don't use paper towels or abrasive cloths.
Both are abrasive, so they are not safe for a screen. Stick to a soft, dry, lint-free cloth for every pass.
Don't use window or household cleaners.
Window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents and ammonia are all off-limits on displays. The cleaner made for screens is the only product you need for the gentle steps.
Don't use acetone on the screen.
Cleaners containing acetone are off-limits on displays, so check the label of any remover before you buy it. If the label mentions acetone, leave it on the shelf.
Don't submerge the phone.
Keep the device out of any liquid, and keep the work to a barely damp cloth. Liquid is never the answer to a mark that wouldn't lift.
When to call a professional
If liquid makes its way inside the device, get help from an authorized service provider. Stop cleaning as soon as you know liquid has entered.
Questions
Why is there a blue mark on my phone screen?
The color alone doesn't tell you what the mark is, so start with the gentlest method. Unplug the phone and wipe with a dry, lint-free cloth first, then move up only if the mark stays.
Can I use vinegar or baking soda on a phone screen?
Better not. No. Baking soda is abrasive and displays can't take abrasives, and vinegar isn't needed. Stick to a dry cloth, a screen cleaner on the cloth, and 70% isopropyl alcohol for hard smudges.
Is rubbing alcohol safe on a phone screen?
Yes, with care. Use 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cloth for a hard smudge that won't lift, and test a hidden area first.
Can I use bleach to get the color out?
No. Bleach and hydrogen peroxide are off-limits on a display, so keep them away from the phone for this job. The gentle steps and the alcohol wipe are the safe options.
Do I need to turn the phone off before cleaning?
Yes, unplug it and remove all cables and external power first. Working on a disconnected phone is the safe way to clean the screen.
Do the same steps work on a laptop or tablet?
The same limits apply to other displays such as laptops and tablets. Unplug the device, use a dry cloth, then a screen cleaner on the cloth, and avoid bleach, peroxide and household cleaners on any of them.
Orange on other materials
Other stains on electronics & screens
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.