Coronavirus And Your Phone
If you haven't cleaned your phone in a while, this might make you think twice before holding it up to your face the next time you have a phone call. Your phone can spread germs between you and other people. Here are some ways to keep it clean and disinfected.
Keeping your smartphone clean is a good idea under normal circumstances. But with the threat of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, a good cleaning is essential to protect yourself and other people from potentially getting infected.
To avoid any scratches to the screen, the best thing to use is a micro-fibre cloth, the small cloths that come with glasses or camera lenses work well.
Disinfect your Phone: Wipes, not pure Alcohol
If you touch your phone after touching a public door handle or grocery cart, you may immediately think to clean it with rubbing alcohol. Don't. Straight alcohol can strip the oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings that keep oil and water from damaging your display and other ports.
Dunking the phone in water or running it under a faucet will get water into the ports, which means you won't be able to charge it until they're dry, and that can take time. Remember that having a water-resistant phone is more about peace of mind than it is about purposely taking your phone for a swim.
Some websites suggest creating a mix of alcohol and water yourself, but it's crucial to get the concentration right. Get it wrong and you could damage your phone. The safest bet is to use disinfectant wipes that contain 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean your phone screen.
In the past, Apple had discouraged users from cleaning an iPhone with alcohol or disinfectant wipes for fear of damaging the screen and coating.
But with the coronavirus outbreak, Apple has updated its guidelines with more leeway and says to use such things as Clorox disinfecting wipes and avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don't submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents, but don't use on fabric or leather surfaces.
Cleaning for Smartphones
Several phone cleaning and sanitising products are available commercially. Typically, these take the form of containers into which you place your phone or wands that you pass over your device.
Such products can be more gentle and safer than wipes and can more thoroughly clean every area of your phone. PhoneSoap 3 UV sanitizer is one product that neutralises bacteria on your phone and lets you charge it at the same time.
Tips to keep your phone clean while using it.
Beyond cleaning your phone, think about how you use it. During a typical conversation, you place your phone up to your ear where germs can potentially spread via face contact.
During an outbreak such as coronavirus, try to use your phone on speaker or through a headset or earbuds whenever possible.
Sharing your phone with other people obviously is a risky practice these days. If you must share your phone with someone else, ask that person to conduct the conversation via the speaker or a headset.
If you don't already enwrap your phone in a case, now is a good time to do so. Beyond using it to protect your phone, you can easily remove the case to thoroughly wash it as needed.
Finally, be careful where you place your phone, especially in public places. When you need to put your phone down or away, keep it on your person rather than placing it on a counter or, other objects in public.
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