Hardly a minute goes by when we’re not touching our phones at all. And with COVID-19 still an ever present threat, it’s important our smartphones and other devices are also safe and clean for us to use.
Here’s a quick bullet point list we’ve compiled to make sure your smartphone and other devices remain Coronavirus virus-free in these challenging times.
But first…
Wash Your Hands
Frequent and effective hand-washing ensure whatever bacteria or virus is in your hands or on your phone case doesn’t transfer to yourself and in turn, your family or loved ones. For the past few months, we’ve been grilled about the importance of hand-washing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. We totally recommend following this! Taking care to keep clean hands is important for curbing down the possibility of spreading pesky viruses and bacteria.
Cleaning Your Phone
When it comes to cleaning your phone, first, consider if it’s water resistant or not. Most phones that aren’t water resistant will get damaged if moisture enters certain parts. But just because your phone is water resistant doesn’t mean you should just dunk it in soapy water and be good to go. There are far better ways to disinfect your phone.
• According to Apple, you can use Clorox sheets to wipe down the screen and the back of your phone without damaging anything. Samsung, meanwhile, says you can use 70% alcohol wipes to clean the screen and back of their devices. It’s important though to not use direct alcohol on your phone because it will strip off the oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings that come with the display.
• Power down your phone or turn it off before cleaning it. Or at least make sure the moisture doesn’t get inside the openings like the microphone or headphone if it’s not water resistant.
• If there is grime in the crevices, use sticky tape to remove it. Try not to scratch or push the dirt with your fingernails, it could push it in further and cause damage. If the space is too small for a sticky tape, a toothpick or vacuum might work.
• For smudges produced from the oils in your fingertips, use a damp microfibre cloth with some filtered water to give the phone a good wipe down without damaging the screen. The alcohol wipes would also work for this while also disinfecting it.
• If disinfecting with wipes isn’t for you or you just want alternatives, consider investing in a UV light cleaner like PhoneSoap or similar devices. According to the company, the light kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria. Although these haven’t been tested against the coronavirus, it’s still worth looking into.
• Another (less chic) way of keeping your phone virus free is to place it inside a plastic bag every time you go out, then carefully disposing the plastic bag when you get home. Take note the virus can live up to several days in plastic too. It’s not the most glamorous way but if you’re only going out occasionally (like we all are these days) it might be a fast solution to keeping your phone free from the virus.
• Finally, a more extreme option would be to stop bringing your phone out with you. This not only works as a digital detox of sorts but also a way to keep your phone clean. Also, keep an eye out for other gadgets and devices you take with you to the public like your watch, laptop, bracelet, headphones and even your sunglasses or eyeglasses. It might help to check the manufacturer’s website to see if they have recommendations for cleaning the items too.
Keeping your phone free from bacteria and viruses not only ensures your health but also prevents the virus from spreading to other people.
In the meantime, why not grab a shiny new phone case for your smartphone? Head over to The Dairy to check out all our Popular designs. You can even CREATE your own case so it’s the perfect design for you.
