Fresh out of the box, your Galaxy S10 is a sleek, jet-black glass monolith. But enjoy it while you can, because it’ll rarely look that good ever again.

The moment you touch the Galaxy S10, it starts to take on natural oils deposited by your fingers, along with makeup, food debris, lint and dust, and other contaminants. At best, it’ll be routinely smudged, and the reflective glass surface seems designed to reveal every defect.

That’s why, if you love the way the Galaxy S10 looks when it’s new, it’s good to know how to clean it.

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Galaxy S10 (From $849.99 at Best Buy)

Tips on cleaning your Samsung Galaxy S10

Because your Galaxy S10 is water resistant, it’s easy to clean safely, as long as you follow some basic rules. Specifically, it has an IP68 rating, which means it is water resistant in up to five feet of fresh water, for no more than 30 minutes.

That's not a license to give your phone a deep cleaning in soapy water, though. Here are some important things you should not do with your phone:

  • Don't subject it to high pressure water, like the sprayer in your sink. This can force water into ports and openings, damaging the phone.
  • Don't use soapy water.
  • Don't use household cleaning agents on your phone, like disinfectant wipes, window or countertop spray cleaners, rubbing alcohol, or makeup remover. All of these things can permanently damage the phone's surfaces.
  • Don't wipe the phone with rough surfaces. In time, even paper towels can scratch the glass.

How to properly clean your Samsung Galaxy S10

As a general rule, clean your phone exclusively with microfiber cloth. This ultra-soft cleaning surface can wipe away most gunk from your phone - top to bottom - all on its own. You can also wash microfiber cloths, and use them again and again.

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Foto: The best way to keep your phone clean is by wiping it with a microfiber cloth.sourceDave Johnson/Business Insider

You can also dampen the microfiber cloth with lens cleaner spray, but you should avoid spraying the cleaner directly on the phone. Always spray it on the cloth. You can buy small bottles of lens cleaner spray for camera lenses and eyeglasses, and the liquid works very well on phones as well.

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Foto: A small bottle of lens cleaner can wipe away smudges, makeup residue, and other gunk.sourceDave Johnson/Business Insider

For stubborn dirt, you can also briefly run your phone under water, such as a kitchen or bathroom sink faucet, as long as you don't use a high-pressure sprayer. Dry the phone with a soft towel or a microfiber cloth. If you get water in the USB port, it won't charge until it dries completely.

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