my totally disgusting phone case

My phone case looks nasty, but it's what happens when a phone case gets used because these things obviously don't last forever.

While the case would suggest otherwise, my phone is actually in very good condition. The screen only has a few minor scratches on it, the back and sides have no scratches, and I can still clean and polish up my phone to a mirror shine.

The case, however, is just one step away from giving up the ghost. Recently, the plastic finally started coming apart.

The only part of my phone that looks slightly bad is the charge port, mainly because fabric fluff gets in there (which I did clean out) from being in my pocket.

At the charge/data port is where the plastic broke, and on the side next to the bumper is a big ol' crack. On the case, not the phone.

With the case on, it makes the phone look dinged, pitted, rusted and all sorts of horrible. This is a kind of a neat illusion, because again, the phone is actually in very good shape.

Yes, I am one of those people that prefers transparent clear phone cases, and for the very specific reason that I can see what's going on better when the case gets old.

Yes, shockproof cases exist, and they do last longer. But I like the thinner clear cases.

In the way clear/transparent cases age, they start yellowing, then develop staining (just on the case), then fall apart.

This may sound bad, but to me it's not, because I can see the aging happening sooner when the case is clear.

Yes, I have ordered another clear case. Just a basic one. I could have spent more and bought one that's non-yellowing, but I just went with a basic clear since I'm not rough on my phone.

Published 2025 Aug 27