A lot has been said about the fact that keyboards, phones, and tablets are one of the dirtiest surfaces in our possession. According to scientific studies there are more germs and bacteria on an average phone that on a toilet seat. Shocking right? We’ll give you a moment to process that …
The main reason for the above fact arises from our constant touching of phones and the fact that rare individuals take time to actually clean their cell phone regularly.
In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic and as such an increased need for hygiene habits improvement, we decided to provide you with detailed instructions and tips on how to clean a cell phone properly.
Herein we will cover all the dos and don’ts, ins and outs, and other tips on how to clean a cell phone. This article will provide you with all the information you need to learn how to sanitize the phone properly.
Before we move on, please, take a moment to consider when you have last cleaned your phone. Now take the next moment to think where and when you use your phone. Where do you place it? Do you also use it in your bed? Do you touch it while you eat? How about when you use the toilet? Do you put it on your pillow? Just go over your average day and your phone’s whereabouts.
Doing the above, you sure have realized that it is quite essential to learn how to clean a cell phone properly and to actually clean it daily.
Do I Really Need To Clean My Phone
Yes, yes, and yes. You should really make cleaning your phone a daily habit. Phones are one of the dirtiest objects in your possession. And since we use them at all times and situations, in both dirtiest and cleanest environments, it is essential to clean them in between.
Of course, in the end it is completely up to you to decide whether you want to clean your phone or not, and whether you want to expose yourself and your loved ones to the germs and bacteria that are to be found on the phone.
However, if you were to see the “jungle” on your phone using the microscope, you’d be cleaning it like crazy several times a day.
NOTE: Keep in mind that it is extremely important to go about this calmly. The last thing you want to do is to start freaking out about your phone’s dirtiness and start cleaning it like an obsessive germophobe. This is the last thing you should do, as any type of fear greatly increases the chance of catching any disease. Learn how to clean phone and keep calm. Then calmly sanitize it on a daily basis.
For More News And Information About Coronavirus Pandemic – COVID-19, Visit WHO Website “who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019”
Covid-19 & Cell Phones – Your WHY
Elevator buttons, handrails, gas pumps, door handles: It’s impossible to avoid germ-infested surfaces in our daily lives, which is why it’s essential to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly. Your personal hygiene starts with your hands.
Keep in mind that you have no control over the public surfaces, you do have control over making sure that you eliminate touching them to as rarely as possible and to wash your hands regularly. This is the first step. The second step is your belongings, especially your phone. It represents the surface that regularly comes in contact with your hands and face. As such, you need to make sure that you have control over its cleanliness.
There are so many mutations of the Covid-19 and other common viruses that it is impossible to determine how long they survive on a surface; it is from a couple of hours to up to 9 days for some common ‘cold’ viruses. However, the latest studies confirm that Covid-19 can survive on certain types of surfaces for several days.
Research shows that viable coronavirus could be detected on plastic and stainless steel after three days, whereas cardboard didn’t contain live particles for more than 24 hours. Based on this information, we can conclude that viruses and bacteria can transfer from a phone onto your hands and then back onto new surfaces in your home and office. And don’t forget that you place it on your face as well.
That said, it is quite important to take the maximum level of precautions and clean your phone regularly.
Phones Are Not Like Any Other Hard Surface
When it comes to cleaning your phone, you should keep in mind that they are a piece of electronics, often an extremely valuable one. Thus, they are not to be cleaned the same way as other hard surfaces. Number one rule is that you shouldn’t use the same astringent cleaners, which are used to wipe down hard plastic and glass surfaces elsewhere in your home. These include pure bleach, metal cleaners, or bathroom-specific cleansers aimed at tile or grout. These agents are way too aggressive for your phone and your skin and thus not suitable for cleaning the phone. Moreover, never spray anything directly onto the phone, and avoid over-saturating. You may have a highly water-resistant phone (IP68) but if not, then you really don’t want your phone to become wet.
Furthermore, avoid any cleaners that have the ‘scrubbing power’ or anything similarly abrasive. That kind of agent will damage your phone’s surface by creating multiple scratches.
Many leading phone producers, including Apple warn their customers that heavy-duty commercial cleaning agents can damage the fingerprint-resistant coatings on its screens and possibly scratch the glass fronts.
With the above information in mind, you see that it is important to learn how to clean a cell phone or how to sanitize a phone properly. And that is what we are about to cover in the following section.
Are you ready to learn how to clean a cell phone in a way that will provide you with a germ-free device and at the same time keep your mobile safe and sound?
Let’s dig in.
How To Clean Cell Phone? How To Sanitize Phone
In this section, we will cover all the steps and detailed instructions that you need to follow to clean your phone properly – to eliminate all the germs and bacteria but also keep your phone’s functionality intact. Keep the below instructions at hand the first couple of times you clean your phone. Soon you will learn the steps by heart and eventually they will become a part of your daily habit and you will clean your phone like a pro without even thinking about it.
Step #1: Remove your phone case. The phone case is a hard piece of rubber or plastic and should be cleaned separately. Typically it is not as sensitive nor will you freak out if you scratch it. However, keep in mind that the color on it may be sensitive to highly powerful agents.
Step #2: Turn off your phone. This is a safety precaution. Thought the locked screen may be enough in many cases, you want to be as safe as possible, thus all phone manufacturers advise you to power the device off while cleaning it.
Step #3: Polish with a microfiber cloth. In this step you can use any piece of soft fabric. The goal is to eliminate all smudges and crub. By doing so, you will physically remove germs. The friction between the cloth and the phone’s surface will take care of physical removal. Keep in mind that this step alone does not typically kill germs, however, it does lift them from the surface. This is why a microfiber cloth is recommended for this part since it does this way more effectively than a washcloth or a paper towel. The microfibers have way more surface area (on a microscopic level), which is great for trapping dirt and absorbing grease.
Step #4: Use Lysol disinfecting wipes. Lysol products (or other similar products) are marketed to shoppers as being safe for topical use on electronics and they effectively neutralize any leftover germs. In case the wipe is excessively wet, wring it out before applying it to the phone’s surface. Make sure you gently wipe down every surface of your phone while avoiding the ports, which are the most sensitive to moisture.
You may also use a soft lint-free cloth and spray on it a nonabrasive or alcohol-based (70% isopropyl or ethanol) disinfectant.
Step #5: Air-dry your phone for a minimum of 5 minutes. Lysol spray or most other disinfectants are most effective if left to air dry on surfaces for at least 10 minutes, however, 5 min will get the job done as well. A Lysol wipe will sanitize your phone greatly; according to the manufacturer, these wipes only need four minutes to disinfect.
Step #6: Use a clean paper towel or a clean microfiber cloth. Use it to wipe away any leftover moisture. Ideally, you shouldn’t avoid using the same microfiber cloth as in step 2 (which has been contaminated), but another one that you’ve recently washed with the help of a laundry sanitizer (like Lysol Laundry Sanitizer). Keep in mind that some microfiber cloths can be bleached, however, not all. Dirty cloths should be cleaned regularly to avoid re-depositing soil back on surfaces and that way prevent the spread of germs. Regular washcloths can be washed with bleach. Both regular and microfiber cloths can also be boiled for a few minutes. Also, keep in mind that a paper towel might be a valid alternative, it should not be your primary choice as it is way too abrasive.
Step #7: Clean your phone case. It is important to properly clean your phone case. Here you have a much wider option. Basically, you can repeat the same steps as with your phone, with the notion that you can use more astringent cleaners. Most phone cases are made from durable hard plastic. Though, examine your case’s material first. It may be made out of fabrics or use prints that may be damaged using certain agents. Also know that you shouldn’t use bleach on accessories that contain fabric or leather surfaces.
Note: Even though expert on cleaning mobile phones prioritize Lysol products, they do state that most Clorox wipes are a good option as well. For instance, Apple lately updated its advice to say that Clorox-branded disinfecting wipes and other common disinfectants are safe to use on your phone. Moreover, you can try a mixture of mild soap and water applied to microfiber cloth. “Soap and water won’t be as effective as a Lysol wipe, but it should also work to reduce the germs living on your phone if carefully applied in the same way you would use a wipe. (This applies to step #4.)
How Often Should I Clean My Phone
Now that you’ve learned how to clean cell phone, you should also learn how often you should do that. According to the expert, you should clean your phone at least once per day.
You don’t have to into such details as described above every day, though, you should keep several wipes with you at all types and wipe your phone over at least once per day; preferably several times per day.
Moreover, it is a good practice to wipe your phone before bringing it into your bed or if you plan on using it during the meal. Basically, pay some extra attention when you transit from less clean environments to a cleaner environment or tasks that require a cleaner environment (such as eating, food preparation, and sleeping) and wipe your phone in transition between those.
How To Keep Your Cell Phone Clean Longer
Since you probably want to eliminate the frequency of cleaning your phone as much as possible, it makes sense to take some precautions that will help you keep your phone clean longer. Moreover, wipes are trash, and we want to be environmentally conscious at all times and produce as little waste as possible.
Here are the top suggestions to help you keep your cell phone cleaner longer:
- Avoid scrolling your screen on public transit.
- Leave the phone out of the bathroom/restroom.
- Print out your recipes or use voice reading.
- Strap it on at the gym (don’t let it rest on workout equipment surfaces).
- Wash your hands as often as possible (every time after touching public surfaces).
- Use headphones to avoid transferring germs from your checks to your phone and wise versa.
The Don’ts & Dos of How to Clean a Cell Phone
The above two paragraphs may serve you as the main guidelines and summaries quite nicely all the key points covered in the ‘How to clean cell phone section.
The Don’ts …
- Any kind of moisture can interfere with your phone’s proper functioning. Most phone companies recommend that people restrain from using spray cleaners or other heavy-duty products.
- No aerosol sprays and no bleach. The goal is to have a working phone, so don’t kill it with these powerful against.
- Don’t dunk your phone into any sort of liquid, anti-bacterial, or otherwise even if you have a waterproof model. Water-resistance is something else that resistance to other liquid. It could damage your phone and void your warranty.
The Dos …
- A gentle wipe with a product that has 70 percent isopropyl alcohol will get the job done.
- Apple recommends Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, and the C.D.C. claims that household disinfectants registered by the Environmental Protection Agency are effective as well.
- It is recommended to wear disposable gloves while cleaning your phone. Also, wash your hands thoroughly after you’re done.
- Don’t forget about your phone case. This one you may wash under the running water and hand soap and then sterilize it. Mind the material and colors. Wipe the case down, in and out, through and through. Let it dry before reassembling it.
- Consider changing your behavior and your old phone-use practice. Try not to pass your phone around. Also consider using headphones, headset, or earbuds to eliminate bringing your phone to your face.
