If you’re finding that your stylus is dragging, skipping, or feels just plain sticky, it’s probably time to learn about cleaning your stylus. While it’s a simple affair, keeping a few pointers in mind will keep your stylus in good gliding quality for years to come.

How Should Your Stylus Feel?

Most phone, tablet, and other device screens are coated with a special layer with oleophobic properties. That coating is what gives the glass that oh-so-satisfying buttery-smooth feel that also repels dirt and fingerprints.

A stylus should glide over this surface just as smoothly as your finger. However, if you’re finding that your stylus is sticking, dragging, or maybe not registering at all, it can be aggravation-inducing.

Stylus tips, made from a soft, flexible material like rubber or silicone, are designed to be gentle on fragile device screens but can sometimes be magnets for dust and grime. That means it’s probably time to learn how to clean stylus tip rubber safely. Or, if matters are very bad (say, a worn-down tip), it may be time to buy a new stylus pen.

How to Clean A Stylus Rubber Tip

Method #1: Dry Clean

No, we don’t mean taking your stylus to the corner cleaners when we’re talking about how to clean a stylus rubber tip. A few simple swipes on a clean cloth might be all it takes to get your stylus back to smooth-gliding like-newness. The rubberized tip of most standard styluses is relatively durable, but it makes sense to start with the most gentle dust and gunk removal method.

Method #2: Soap and Water

If you have some stubborn buildup on your stylus tip, the next step in cleaning your stylus is a gentle soap and water scrubbing. Basic hand soap or dish soap should do the trick, and a dab will do you for a little area like the round tip of a stylus pen. Any dust or dirt particles will interfere with the stylus’ ability to slide over a screen, so a thorough cleaning might be necessary to get it spotless.

Method #3: If All Else Fails, Replace

If you’re a heavy stylus user, it may just be a fact that your stylus has gotten worn down and worn out, causing excessive friction that’s blocking you from that optimal experience you’re looking for.

Rubber stylus tips can dry out and crack, leading to a rougher-than-ideal surface. Luckily, a stylus can be had at many different price ranges so that a new one shouldn’t set you back much.

Check out our stylus offering, the SaharaBasics Pencil Stylus, for an active stylus, meaning it generates its capacitive charge. Our option’s tip is crafted from hard-wearing copper, so you won’t have the durability issues associated with rubber.

There are also fantastic options out there that use a metallic mesh material that glides very well on the screen but maintains excellent durability.

Walking In Style(us)

Whether a simple cleaning will bring your stylus back to smooth-gliding life, or you decide you need a replacement, we hope these tips have helped out a bit in learning how to clean a stylus rubber tip.

When you’re ready for a new stylus, we’ve got a selection of repair engineer-designed options along with a whole host of protective cases and tempered glass screen protectors, ready for you over at our shop, so head on over and have a look. Styluses are great tools, but only when they work properly, so make sure next time you pull out your stylus, it stays a smooth operator.