COVID-19 and cellphones: 3 ways to keep your phone clean

Posted: May 4, 2020

[caption id="attachment_14879" align="alignright" width="450"] It is imperative during this COVID-19 pandemic to wash your hands often, but also critical to keep our phones clean.[/caption] Editor's note: This article was published on May 4, 2020. COVID-19 information and recommendations are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website or view our most recent COVID-19 blog posts. You use your phone a lot – checking social media, doing online banking, reading the news and of course, for communication. We use our phones to find and access pivotal information multiple times, every day. Despite phones being in our hands regularly, phone screens can be overlooked when it comes to cleaning the surfaces we touch most often. Our touch screens are probably the most touched surface we have in our everyday surroundings. In fact, according to a 2019 survey by research firm dscout, the average person touches their cellphone an astonishing 2,617 times per day. It is imperative during this COVID-19 pandemic to wash your hands often, but also critical to keep our phones clean. Studies have found the novel coronavirus may be able to survive on some surfaces for up to and maybe even longer than nine days – including a mobile phone screen. Here are some things to consider when cleaning your mobile phone according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products.
• Consider use of wipeable covers for electronics.
• If no manufacturer guidance is available, consider using alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70% alcohol to disinfect touch screens. Dry surfaces thoroughly to avoid pooling of liquids.

Any sort of moisture can interfere with your phone's function. Apple recommends that people avoid using spray cleaners or heavy-duty products, according to an article in the New York Times. Disinfecting wipes are recommended, and CDC reports household disinfectants registered by the Environmental Protection Agency are effective. Additionally, the NY Times article recommends wearing disposable gloves to clean your phone, and you should wash your hands thoroughly after you're done. Like your phone, reusable gloves might harbor virus particles, rendering them effectively useless. In this pandemic, it is important to keep surfaces clean, so don't forget the most touched surface right in your hand - your cellphone. For more COVID-19 information and tips, visit our Shine365 COVID Hub.