Germs are indeed everywhere, and your smartphone is one of the worst germ carriers. A study done in England in 2013 confirmed that smartphones are in fact dirtier than toilet seats, according to The Telegraph. It's riddled with strains of bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.
Washing your hands before picking up the phone to check messages can be tedious, especially when you have to do this every few minutes. However, getting in the habit of cleaning your smartphone should become a regular habit just like brushing your teeth. Below are some tips to keeping your phone and yourself germ-free:
1) Stop bringing your phone to the bathroom. About 75 percent of Americans said in a survey that they check their phones while in the toilet, and it is becoming an unhealthy habit, according to CBS News. Although bacteria doesn't exactly jump from the toilet to your phone, you might not be bothered to wash your hands before leaving the bathroom because of your constant phone fiddling. However, doctors have another reason for warning against use of phones in the bathroom, as it encourages extended toilet time. The longer you sit in there, the more likely you'll develop hemorrhoids, Real Clear Science noted.
2) Keep wipes handy. Have this in your bag at all times, as well as on your desk at the office and home, and also by your bedside table. However, make sure that the wipes are alcohol-free, so as not to damage your phone. Check out any of these products for wiping: Windex, 3M, Whoosh or Wireless Wipes.
3) Disinfect regularly. Do this twice or three times a week by removing your phone from its case and doing a thorough cleaning using a soft cloth and spray. Some use soap, water, alcohol and blow dryer set on low for the phone cases, as CNET advises. But you need to be more careful handling the actual device itself.
For the phone, bear in mind to:
- Turn off your gadget before cleaning.
- Never spray or apply any cleaning solution directly.
- Use q-tips to go over the corners and crevices.
- Never use paper towel.
