Warning: Today’s tip is slightly off-beat – try this at your own risk.

How long have you been using your Nokia 5230? Six months? Nearly a year? If your phone has endured 6 months or over in your hand, you might have noticed that your display has been gradually losing contrast. Also, if you look at your phone close enough, you will notice the thin layers of dust and grime accumulating around the edges and corners of the screen. Time to clean up your phone, huh? No, don’t run to the nearest Nokia Care Center already — this is something you can actually do on your own. Mind though, it’s a slightly risky business – if not done with care, you might damage your touchpad or display, and void your warranty. But if you are the gutsy type, and are ready to take the risk, we’ll show you how.

Firstly, open the flaps of the memory-card and SIM-card slots. Insert your fingernail (or a small screwdriver, but not a needle or knife) near the lower edge, and carefully pry the front bezel upwards. If done correctly, one of the latches that holds the bezel in place will come off.

Now, carefully unlatch all the other latches, moving in an anticlockwise direction. Unlatch all the three sides like this, except the top edge.

This is the riskiest step – unlatching the top edge. On the top-left corner, there is a tiny ribbon-cable that connects your touchpad to the phone’s motherboard. If you cut it, you are done — you’ll void your warranty and will have to replace your touchpad. So exercise extreme caution while you move from the right to the left.

After you unlatch the last latch, you can open the front bezel – open from the bottom end, upwards – as if you have an imaginary hinge at the top edge. Place the phone on a flat surface, and rest the bezel on something 3mm thick so that you don’t strain the cable.

Now, you can do the actual cleaning – use a cotton swap. If the screen is really dirty, you might have to dip it in water, squeeze it dry and use it (in that case, remove the battery and be on the safer side). Never use any strong solvents. The best option is normal spirit, diluted 1:10 in water.

Wipe the display as well as the underside of the touchpad. You can lift the display from it’s position — but DON’T DO THAT — it’s an unnecessary risk.

Once you are done, carefully close the bezel, and press around the edges until each latch clicks in place – examine the edges and make sure that everything in place – and there you go, with your spanking Nuron back in action, with display sparkling like new!

Before I go, let me repeat – try this at your own risk — if something goes wrong, don’t sue me. All I can give you is – “Good Luck!”

However, if you need further help, or want to know more, I’m always there for you, just leave a comment.