Your cellphone can be a medium of microbial life forms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, there has been much attention placed on preventive actions Trusted Source, such as washing hands, staying home when we are sick, and cleaning commonly touched surfaces or avoiding to touch face without washing hands.
Regarding the latter, however, there is one type of surface that we may be neglecting: the touch screens and carrying cases for our phones touch Screens. Phone touch screens can usually be cleaned using disinfecting wipes, but it is better to check with the maker of your phone first.
Do you need to be cleaning your phone?
If you are washing your hands already, just how important is it to also clean your phone?
If people wash their hands before touching their devices, that would ordinarily be enough to prevent us from transferring the virus through touch.
“However, as often as we touch our devices, washing our hands before every new contact with the device would be impractical,”
First and foremost, you should consult the website for the manufacturer of your phone or carrying case for any specific instructions that they might have in order to avoid damaging your device or case.
Many manufacturers have provided recommendations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While specific instructions may vary depending on your device, We advise you to follow below measures for disinfecting your Mobile phone:
- Use only a soft, lint-free cloth.
- Avoid excessive wiping.
- Unplug all power sources, devices, and cables.
- Keep liquids away from your device.
- Don’t allow moisture to get into any openings.
- Avoid aerosol sprays, bleaches, and abrasives.
- Avoid spraying cleaners directly onto your device.
- Use of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipes or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes to wipe down any hard, nonporous surfaces.
However, we advise you should avoid using them on leather or fabric to prevent damage.