Before cell phones, it wasn’t uncommon to find a magazine rack or newspaper in the bathroom. Nowadays, people tend to carry their bathroom readers around with them in the form of their smartphones. While it’s made things more convenient, it can lead to a higher transfer of bacteria & viruses.
In a survey conducted by Vital Vio of 1,200 Americans, 88% of people said they bring their phone into the bathroom with them, and 46% of people admitted to bringing their cell phone into a public restroom. The same group of people surveyed said they use their phones in the kitchen and bedroom as well, and only one out of three said they actually clean their phones.
If you’re a cell phone user, you should begin treating it as an extension of your hand. It’s a magnet for bacteria, viruses, and germs, but you can clean it. The first step in keeping yourself safe is sanitizing your phone. But how can you safely disinfect your phone?
- Select your disinfectant. A2Z or L2Z are some of our favorites, but there are many more to choose from. NEVER use bleach.
- Turn off and unplug your phone.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean your phone, avoiding rougher materials, such as paper towels.
- Apply disinfectant to your cloth, not directly onto your phone.
- If your phone has a waterproof rating (here’s how to tell) you can use soap and water. However, do not apply directly to the phone. Continue to apply the product and water to your microfiber cloth.
- Wipe down your phone with your cloth, repeating daily.
Getting germs on your phone is avoidable, even if you refrain from taking it with you into the bathroom. Our phones pick up germs when we go out in public and pull them from our pockets or purses or even set them down on everyday surfaces. The good news is, cleaning them is an effortless and easy task that’s possible to make part of any daily routine.
