It's no surprise that grime and grit live on our cellphones. But just how filthy are our beloved mobile devices? 

Let’s just say our phones have 18 times more bacteria than a toilet handle, and a quick wipe on your shirt sleeve isn't going to make it go away.

Take some steps to keep your phone clean with items you may already have lying around the house. 

Before cleaning, disconnect your phone from any external power source, turn it off, remove the battery (if you can) and seal all port openings with tape to avoid liquid damage. When cleaning, the key is to be gentle.

Your phone manufacturer will probably have its own cleaning tips, but here are four household items that can help beat the germ buildup on your cellphone.

1. Soft, lint-free cloth or microfiber cloth

This type of cleaning cloth may have come with your eyeglasses, phone and other gadgets. Using a cloth will remove oily fingerprints, smudges and more from both the screen and cellphone body. Here's how: 

• Dampen the corner of the cloth with a bit of water. Whatever you do, don't apply or spray water directly onto your phone — water and phones don't mix.
• Gently wipe your phone with the cloth up and down the screen.
• Use the dry corner of cloth to remove any excess moisture on your phone.

A word to the wise: Don't use abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels or similar items because they could potentially damage or scratch your phone.

2. Cotton swabs

Say goodbye to the tiny crumbs and dust specs that reside on your phone with cotton swabs. Microfiber cloths are great, but cotton swabs do an even better job of removing the gunk and grime from harder-to-reach areas of your phone. 

These also work well for cleaning out the corners of your phone cases and ports. Simply take a cotton swab and brush it over the dirty crevices of your phone.

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