Can Toothpaste Damage Oleophobic Coating

[Android Central Question]

I brushed my teeth this morning and around 1 hour later while I was on my iPhone noticed some dirt on the glass back, so I licked my microfibre cleaning cloth and rubbed the dirt off the iPhone.

Now I come to think about it I probably still had some of the toothpaste in my saliva when I cleaned the phone and now I’m worried this could have caused the oleophobic coating to be damaged.

my question is could I have caused the oleophobic coating to be damaged by using a small amount of my saliva (which may have contained toothpaste) on my microfibre cleaning cloth to clean my iPhone? Any help would be highly appreciated

 

[belodion]

Yes, I think so. Toothpaste is mildly abrasive.

 

[Mike Dee]

Did you clean the whole phone or just the back?
In any event, toothpaste is an abrasive but I doubt you did any damage with a small residual amount.

 

[methodman89]

You licked the cloth you use as a cleaning wipe. In a bathroom. Is anyone else grossed out?

 

[johnathantechno]

Yes, I think so. Toothpaste is mildly abrasive.

Hi I’m the OP, basically this morning I brushed my teeth and then an hour later I was using my phone and noticed some dirt on the glass so I used my spectacles/lens microfibre cleaning cloth and made it a little damp with my saliva and cleaned my phone. Anyway I’m worried that as an hour before doing this I brushed my teeth that the toothpaste chemicals in my mouth may still have been present when I made my microfibre cloth a little damp with my saliva causing damage to the oleophobic coating.

 

[johnathantechno]

Did you clean the whole phone or just the back?
In any event, toothpaste is an abrasive but I doubt you did any damage with a small residual amount.

hi just the glass back

 

[johnathantechno]

You licked the cloth you use as a cleaning wipe. In a bathroom. Is anyone else grossed out?

No I licked the microfibre cleaning lens cloth an hour later I wasn’t in the bathroom

 

[methodman89]

No I licked the microfibre cleaning lens cloth an hour later I wasn’t in the bathroom

Strangely, that doesn't seem to remove my tolerance of the ik factor. To each his own.

 

[Mike Dee]

hi just the glass back

You should be fine. I'm not sure the glass backs have an oleophobic coating but even if they do I think you will be fine.

 

[johnathantechno]

You should be fine. I'm not sure the glass backs have an oleophobic coating but even if they do I think you will be fine.

Hi thanks for your reply, are you saying you don’t think this would have caused any wear/damage to the oleophobic coating at all? Thanks

 

[Mike Dee]

Hi thanks for your reply, are you saying you don’t think this would have caused any wear/damage to the oleophobic coating at all? Thanks

what I'm saying is... I don't think based on your description of the events that you have an issue. That didn't mean I guarantee that you don't.

I did some research and iPhone 8 and later have an oleophobic coating both front and back. Having said that the oleophobic coating wears off over time with normal usage anyway so the only thing you would notice at some is fingerprints.

 

[johnathantechno]

what I'm saying is... I don't think based on your description of the events that you have an issue. That didn't mean I guarantee that you don't.

I did some research and iPhone 8 and later have an oleophobic coating both front and back. Having said that the oleophobic coating wears off over time with normal usage anyway so the only thing you would notice at some is fingerprints.

Thanks for all your help