How to Clean Your Phone

Elevator buttons, handrails, petrol pumps, door handles: in our daily life, contaminated surfaces cannot be avoided, which is why it is important to Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly. While there is no way to ensure that all public surfaces are cleaned routinely, there is one surface that comes into regular contact with your hands and face do Control over: your cell phone.

How dirty is the average phone? A study from 2017 published in the magazine Germs In 27 teenage phones, it was found that viruses and bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus as well as other nasty germs could be found on the screens.

Research has shown that your phone is likely to be home to viruses and bacteria.
Experts say that not only should you wash your phone regularly, you should also thoroughly clean it at least twice a week.
The best way to disinfect a phone is with a Lysol disinfectant wipe.

It’s worth noting that phones aren’t one of the main causes of the spread of disease, but some viruses can persist longer than you think. Charles Gerba, Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Institute for Environmental Sciences at the University of Arizona says viruses can stay on hard surfaces for between a few hours and a few weeks. “Most cold and flu viruses [can] survive from a few hours to 9 days depending on the temperature and relative humidity, “says Dr. Gerba.”[However] Norovirus can survive on surfaces for up to four weeks. “

The CDC still determines how long the current strain of the coronavirus, COVID-19can survive on surfaces, but has recommended that people disinfect “High touch surfaces.” According to a Reuters reportNew research from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases suggests that novel coronaviruses can live on surfaces for several days. A viable corona virus was detected on plastic and stainless steel after three days, as studies show, while cardboard contained no living particles for more than 24 hours. Based on his own research, Gerba says that viruses and bacteria can be transferred from a phone to your hands and then back to new surfaces in your home and office (“It’s like a mobile device,” he says).

That said Carolyn Forte, the director of Good Housekeeping Institute cleaning laboratory, says cleaning your phone shouldn’t make you lose sleep – but a regular disinfection routine could reduce your risk of contact with germs. especially during the flu season.

When cleaning your phone, you should not initially use the same astringent cleaning agents that you use to wipe hard plastic and glass surfaces elsewhere in your home, e.g. B. pure bleach, metal cleaner or bathroom-specific cleaning agents aimed at tiles or grout. “Never spray anything directly on the phone and avoid over-saturation as you don’t want your phone to get wet,” advises Forte. “Also avoid cleaning agents that promote ‘scrubbing power’ or similar abrasives.” Similarly, Apple warns customers that high-performance commercial cleaning products can damage the fingerprint-resistant coatings on the screens and potentially scratch the glass fronts Samsung has released the same warning for his popular Galaxy models.

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to safely clean your phone without damaging it.

How to clean and disinfect your phone:

How to clean your phone properly - disinfect your phone safely

Remove the phone case and turn off the device.

Polish with a microfiber cloth. Gently wipe the outside of your phone Microfiber fabric Get rid of stains and crude oil. “This physically removes germs due to the friction between the fabric and the glass surface,” says Forte. That doesn’t mean it kills germs, but it does lift them off the surface – and microfiber does better than a washcloth or paper towel because the fibers have more surface to trap dirt and absorb grease well.

Next, grab a Lysol disinfectant wipe. Lysol products are marketed to buyers as safe for current use in electronics, Forte adds that they effectively neutralize leftover germs. “If the wipe is excessively wet, wring it out first,” says Forte. Then gently wipe any surface of your phone while avoiding the connections.

Let your phone air dry for at least 5 minutes. Like most disinfectants Lysol spray is most effective if it is allowed to air dry on the surface for at least 10 minutes. But even if you don’t keep your phone wet for so long, “a Lysol wipe will disinfect your phone a lot,” explains Forte Manufacturer says these wipes Disinfection only takes four minutes.

Grab a clean paper towel or microfiber towel. Wipe off any residual moisture. Ideally, you should not use the same microfiber cloth as in step 2, but a different one that you recently washed with a laundry disinfectant (e.g. Lysol laundry disinfectant). “Some microfiber cloths can be bleached, but not all. Dirty cloths should be cleaned regularly to prevent the floor from settling on the surfaces again and no germs from spreading,” says Forte. “Normal washcloths can be washed with bleach. Both normal and microfiber cloths can also be boiled for a few minutes.”

Finally, clean your phone case. Repeat the same process with your phone case. However, keep in mind that like most other astringent cleaners, you can use them Phone cases are made of durable hard plastic. Apple claims that you shouldn’t use bleach for accessories that have fabric or leather surfaces.

Can I use Clorox wipes on my phone?

Forte says most Clorox wipes should be safe for use in electronics, but first recommends Lysol products because of the brand readily advertising that the cleaning cloths do not affect the screen quality of your smartphone. If you don’t have access to Lysol wipes, you can use a Clorox wipe. Apple has just updated its advice Saying that Clorox disinfectant wipes and other common disinfectants can be safely used on your phone. Or you can try a mixture of mild soap and water that is applied to a microfiber cloth. “Soap and water aren’t as effective as a wipe, but it can also help reduce the amount of germs on your phone if you use it carefully as you would use it with a wipe,” says Forte.

You may also want to buy a screen protector. These covers not only protect your phone’s screen when you drop it, but also withstand strong astringents, Clorox wipes, or most other cleaners, as most models are made of glass or plastic only (with no smudge-proof layers) that can dissolve ).

How often should I clean my phone?

It may not be the answer you are hoping for, but Forte says you quickly wipe your phone with a microfiber cloth is most effective if you do it daily. “You don’t have to do a thorough cleaning every day, but I have a few microfiber cloths at my desk and at home, so I can quickly wipe the dirt off my screen every day,” Forte says. “”Especially in the colder months I recommend using a Lysol towel every other day or at least twice a week. ”

If wiping your phone every day sounds like something you won’t remember, try using the power of ultraviolet light. “UV light damages the nucleic acid of the virus and makes it no longer infectious,” explains Dr. Gerba. The UV light dose and the proximity to your phone determine how long you have to use it. Good housekeeping‘s Forte says products like PhoneSoap, a device is available that allows users to leave their phone in a closed room with UV light for a full 10 minutes. However, both experts agree that washing your hands and using a disinfectant wipe to disinfect your phone is a better option than using UV light.

How to keep your phone clean:

Even if you take the time to clean your phone regularly, it can quickly become exposed to germs and other harmful bacteria. What are the best ways to reduce the amount of ick your phone is exposed to? Here are some situations where your phone should stay firmly in your pocket.

Avoid scrolling on public transportation. If you can do it, avoid using your phone while commuting on public transport, as the germs you come into contact with on railings and handles can easily land on the phone’s screen. The best time to use your phone on the train, bus, or ferry is when you sit down with no bar or handle clasped.

Let the phone out of the bathroom. ON 2018 survey found that 3 out of 4 Americans either write, call or scroll text while in the bathroom. And while you should wash your hands before and after using the toiletThere is a lot of research how many harmful germs lurk in bathrooms In general, it is easy for them to land on your screen.

Print out your recipes. If you can have your phone read instructions aloud, this is a good alternative. Cross contamination between your phone and the kitchen surface can be easy if you cook with raw ingredients like poultry, beef, pork and fish. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling raw ingredients while cooking. You also save the screen of your phone.

Buckle up in the gym. Place Your phone in an armband or safe in a utility bag is a much better option than letting it rest on exercise equipment that may not have been thoroughly cleaned between uses.

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