August 3, 2018 by 360 Precision Cleaning
Think your phone is clean because it’s still shiny and new? You might want to stop for a minute and reconsider how often you clean it.
On average, a person checks their phone 46 times a day. Younger people tend to check theirs a lot more.
This means that we touch our phones at least 46 times a day without factoring in the times when we’re simply holding it.
If that hasn’t triggered your germophobic senses, then what will? After all those times, most people haven’t even thought about sanitizing it. That’s because we tend to only clean our phones when there’s dirt that we can see.
However, there are plenty of more important reasons for cleaning your phone. Read on to find out why it’s important and how to clean your smartphone.
Why You Should Clean Your Phone
Our phones are in our hands all the time. We reach for it after typing away from the keyboard, after opening the bathroom door, after clinging to the subway poles, after shaking hands with someone, and whatnot.
This means that every bacterium you’ve picked up with your hands transfers to your phone the moment you touch it. We wash our hands to get rid of the microbes, but do you deep clean your phone?
For more insight, take a look at the bacteria and viruses that might be living on your phone as we speak.
What’s Living in Your Phones
According to microbiologist and pathologist Philip Tierno, it’s common to find bacteria from our skin, mouth, and the respiratory tract on our phones. Studies have even found bacteria that live in fecal matter among other types of bacteria and viruses.
The good news is that these won’t usually make you sick, although it’s possible. The bad news is that Streptococcus, E. coli, and MRSA that are also living on our phones might be harmful.
Your Phone Might Be Aggravating Your Acne
If you need another reason to clean your phone, here it is. Some bacteria on our mobile phones might exacerbate acne, dermatitis, and rosacea.
The transfer of bacteria and grime from your phone to your face, combined with heat and friction, might cause inflammation, clogged pores, and altered bacterial environment. These can the worsen your acne or other skin condition.
How to Clean Your Smartphone?
Fortunately, it isn’t all that hard to clean it. All you need is about 5 minutes and some materials that are readily available in your own homes.
Manufacturers also have suggestions on how to clean your phones.
Apple recommends using a soft lint-free cloth that’s slightly damp to wipe your iPhones. Google says to use cleaning wipes or an ordinary household soap for your Pixel. Motorola suggests using a microfiber cloth by itself or with a little water if your phone is extra dirty.
Wash Your Hands
This is a given, but we’d like to reiterate its importance. Every time you go to the bathroom, wash your hands before going out. One study says that the screen of a smartphone can be as dirty as a toilet seat, but at least someone cleans it daily.
Most germs are present in your phones because people are not washing their hands properly after taking a bathroom break. Use soap and rub your hands for at least 20 seconds to be sure, and then dry your hands. Try not to touch the bathroom door on your way out if at all possible.
Make it a habit to wash your hands regularly, and then follow the next tip.
Wipe Your Phone Every So Often
The simple act of wiping your phone every day will remove most of the bacteria on your phone, though not all of them. For more cleaning power, buy a smartphone cleaner or use your own solution.
Why not use antibacterial wipes and disinfectants? Well, a phone screen is a lot like our monitor screens. You don’t want to use harsh chemicals that might damage the screen.
Antibacterial wipes and disinfectants are abrasive. While they are effective at removing the bacteria, they’ll also remove the protective coating of your screen over time. The type of cloth also scratches the screen, and you don’t want too much liquid on your phone.
If you don’t want to buy specialized screen cleaners that are safe for screens, make your own phone sanitizer instead. Some of the materials you need include the following:
- Microfiber cloth
- 70% isopropyl alcohol
- Distilled Water
- Spray bottle
Make sure you use distilled water only. Tap water might leave a residue on your phone.
Aside from protecting your phone from bacteria, this solution will also remove the built-up grime on your screen.
Note that you don’t need to do it every day. A once-a-week wipe down will suffice, although we still recommend you to wipe your phone with a microfiber cloth every day. You can do it before sleeping or upon coming home to remove the bacteria it has accumulated throughout the day.
Get into the Crevices
Ever saw professionals clean a house and take out all the dirt from the most hidden corners and crevices? You have to do the same when cleaning your phone.
You also have to make sure you clean the tiny crevices, which can store a lot of gunk. Some people use a toothpick as it’s pretty malleable and it’s less likely to cause damage. However, if you don’t want to risk scratching anything, use cotton swabs instead.
Gently clean out the speaker, keys, between the display and the chassis, and other potential spots in your phone. If you use a toothpick, use a cotton swab afterward to wipe off the remaining dirt.
You can also dip the swab into your cleaning solution and use it to wipe the camera lenses and the crevices. You’d want to thoroughly clean your phone, but you don’t want to create scratches so remember to be gentle.
In a pinch, a tape will work as well. The dirt and gunk will stick to it, as well as fingerprints. This will work if you’re in the office, though it won’t do anything against the germs.
Consider Investing in Cleaning Gadgets
Ever heard of a UV sanitizer? It cleans your phone for you so all you have to do is to put it in and you can go do other things with your precious 5 minutes.
You can put your phone in before you take a bath and take it out after. That way, both of you get clean at the same time. This is a great way to sanitize the charging and headphone ports, which you can’t normally reach with your cleaning solution.
The best thing about a UV sanitizer is that it can also sanitize other items as long as it will fit. Sanitize your keys, your glasses, your watch, and other things that you handle daily.
The downside is that it won’t remove dirt and gunk for you, so you’ll still have to wipe your phone with a microfiber cloth if you find it too dirty.
Don’t Forget Your Earphones!
We already overlook cleaning our phones, but have you ever thought about cleaning your earphones, too? This is especially important if you use them a lot. They can harbor the same bacteria and viruses that your phone has and more so if you don’t store them properly.
You’ll also likely notice some dirt and gunk when you pull them out of your ears. A quick wipe would take care of it, but it won’t include the dirt on the microscopic level.
When you give your phone a weekly cleaning, include your earbuds as well. You’ll need:
- Soft cloth
- Mild dish soap
- Water
There’s no need to use a microfiber cloth here as you don’t have to worry about scratching anything.
Mix water and some dish soap and then lightly dampen the cloth with it. Wipe down the cord and then the earbuds. Let it dry completely before using it again.
If you bought a UV sanitizer, you can also use for cleaning smartphone earphones and then use a tissue or some sort to remove the gunk from your ears.
Don’t Overdo It
It’s pretty easy to freak out over the bacteria and viruses living on our phones, but you don’t need to remove them all completely. Contrary to popular belief, you wouldn’t want to get rid of 99.9% of germs, which is what hand gels, soaps, and even the UV sanitizer have led us all to believe. Exposure to some amount of bacteria is good for our immune system.
Keep your phone clean and use your common sense in handling it. For example, don’t place it on top of unknown surfaces in public bathrooms. Put it inside your handbag instead.
If you’re working in a high-risk environment, such as in hospitals, you’d also want to be on the safe side by cleaning it regularly to prevent contamination.
Keep Your Surroundings Clean
Now that you know how to clean your smartphone, another sensible thing to do is to keep your environment clean, especially at home. You don’t know what types of germs you’re bringing in from the outside that could also affect other inhabitants.
Like cleaning phones, it doesn’t need to be stress-free. Contact us now and book a house cleaning appointment with us.
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