23/03/2020
How to properly clean your smartphone
Date:17 March 2020
Author:Kyro Mitchell
The sudden outbreak of the coronavirus has gotten people into the habit of cleaning their hands as often as possible. While this is indeed a good precaution to take, all that good work can be made redundant if your mobile phone is carrying some type of harmful bacteria or virus.
Recent studies have shown that if the new COVID-19 virus resembles other human coronaviruses, such as SARS and MERS. It can stay on surfaces such as metal, glass or plastic, for as long as nine days (In comparison, flu viruses can last on surfaces for only about 48 hours.)
To ensure you don’t contract any unwanted viruses, here are a few tips on how to properly clean your smartphone without damaging it.
What NOT to do
When cleaning your smartphone, the main goal is to avoid getting any moisture into the device itself. Don’t spray cleaning detergent directly onto your device, as that could enter your phone’s internals through the speaker grill or charging port. Also avoid blasting any dirt away with a compressed-air can, as that could end up pushing dirt and dust further into your smartphone.
Cleaning your screen
Nothing is worse than looking down at your phone just to see the entire screen filled with oily finger print marks. To get rid of them, use wipes that contain 70 percent alcohol, which you can get at the pharmacy (if they still have stock) and gently use them to rub down your screen.
Apple has recently confirmed that it is safe to use 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or disinfecting wipes. They do however also state that you not NOT use bleach or submerge your device into any cleaning agents.
Microfiber cloths
Alternatively, you could make use of a microfiber cloth to get rid of any unwanted dirt. Google suggest you dip the cloth in soap and water, as long as you’re careful not to get moisture in the phone. Another benefit to using microfiber is that it attracts and removes unwanted oils and dust, where other products can simply spread them around.
UV light
If you’re looking for a way for disinfect your entire phone in one quick swoop, UV lamps are the best way to go. While this may not be the cheapest option, it certainly does work. The use of UV sterilisation, or ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, has been found to be extremely effective. Sources of UV sterilisation can kill over 99% of viruses, bacteria, and fungi in an extremely short amount of time. If you’re interested in purchasing a dedicated UV smartphone sanitizer, click here.
Image: Pixabay
