February 20, 2024
Courtenay Harris Bond/Philly Voice
Cleaning your phone regularly may help you avoid respiratory illnesses like the flu and the common cold, health experts say. To do so, dampen a lint-free cloth, such as one for eyeglass lenses, with warm, soapy water and wipe along the phone's exterior.
A quick Google search suggests that your cell phone may be germier than a toilet seat. Regardless of whether these reports are true or false, cold and flu season is at its height, making now a prime time to learn how to clean your cell phone.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting at least 24 million cases of influenza, with 260,000 hospitalizations and 16,000 deaths so far this season. Flu cases have fluctuated and remain somewhat level in Philadelphia, after a spike in January, according to the city's department of public health.
The COVID-19 risk in the Philadelphia area – including Wilmington, Delaware and Camden, New Jersey – is low right now, with 465 new COVID hospitalizations last week, according to federal data collated by a nonprofit called COVID Act Now.
People in the United States catch 1 billion colds a year, according to some estimates.
Cleaning your phone will help keep keep you free from all of these germs, according to health experts. Here are some simple tips for going about it.
The first step, whether you own an iPhone or a Galaxy, is to unplug and turn off your phone.
Although directions vary slightly from there, the basics are the same.
If you use a protective case, take that off and wash it with warm soapy water. Let it dry thoroughly before snapping it back onto your phone.
In the meantime, take a lint-free cloth, such as an eyeglasses microfiber cleaning cloth, and dampen it with warm, soapy water. Then wipe down the exterior of your phone. Just a couple of drops of soap is all you need. Any dish soap will work, although Wirecutter recommends Seventh Generation Dish Soap.
Or you can use a technology-safe disinfecting wipe, but make sure it does not contain bleach. Isopropyl alcohol-based cleaning wipes are safe, according Apple and Samsung. Apple even specifically says Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are OK for wiping down the exterior parts of iPhones.
However, it is important to keep liquids and moisture away from any openings on your device. Do not wipe the inside of charging and headphone ports, and avoid using sprays or abrasives.
Clean your phone once a day for the best protection against germs, the Federal Communications Commission recommends. To further minimize your phones exposure to germs and moistures, the FCC also recommends taking the following steps:
• Keep your phone in your pocket, purse or car when you are away from home.
• Use a written shopping list instead of a list on your phone while shopping.
• Use a credit card instead of a mobile pay option on your phone.
• Use a hands-free device to make calls. That way you're not pressing your phone against your face.
