We all hate it when our gleaming new phones turn into grubby, scratched messes; but a mobile phone firm in Japan believes it has found a solution to your problems. 

The smartphone firm, KDDI, says it has the answer with what it describes as the world’s first smartphone that can be washed with soap and water and withstand a bubbly bath. 

“Our development team washed the smartphone more than 700 times to test its durability,” a KDDI spokesman told website AFP.

The washable phone features Android 5.1 and has a 5-inch display, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP camera and is going for 21,600 yen (€162).

But the spokesman also cautioned consumers that only specific types of soap can be used on the phone, and bar soap is strictly not to be used when washing the phone.