We’re all living with new rules in the Covid-19 world like wash your hands and don’t touch your face. Then we pick up our cell phones and slap them to our faces without a thought about that virus.
According to dsout, a Chicago-based market research firm, an average of 2,617 times a day we touch our phones. Yes, they counted each touch, scroll, swipe, and tap. As you can see, those cell phones and tablets are due for a good cleaning.
If that’s not enough to get you moving, remember the CDC says the virus can live on glass and plastic surfaces up to 3 days. And those health experts say a typical cell phone is up to 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat.
Our friends at AARP Magazine and author Marc Saltzman have some great tips for taking care of those germ and virus carrying electronics.
You can clean your devices, such as touchscreen smartphones, in several ways. Most of the advice that major manufacturers like Apple and Samsung give can be summarized as follows:
Turn off the device before you clean it and make sure it's unplugged from the wall. This way, you're avoiding a potential short circuit, you can better see the surface you're cleaning and you won't accidentally call or text someone.
If the phone is in a case, remove it first and wipe down the case, too.
Use a lint-free microfiber cloth, such as a lens cloth for your eyeglasses or sunglasses, to gently wipe the screen down with fluid (see step 3.) Do not use a tissue or paper towel because both can leave a residue on the screen or worse — they might scratch away the screen's protective coating.
Use a small amount of spray with 70 percent ethanol or isopropyl alcohol or use warm, soapy water to wipe down the phone from top to bottom while holding it on its sides. Then wipe down the sides and back, too, while being careful not to get any fluid into ports such as the charging port or headphone jack.
Even if your phone is waterproof, it's recommended never to submerge it.
Alternatively, use 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipes or Clorox disinfectant wipes to effectively clean your phone. Phone makers say to avoid using products like bleach, hand sanitizer and products such as Lysol sprays because those can damage the screen.
The process to clean your smartphone is identical for e-readers and tablets. As you wipe down the screen with a little bit of fluid and a microfiber cloth, make sure no moisture gets into the charging or headphone ports.
We hope that you are well and safe. While we’re working from home, we have solid answers to your insurance questions.
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Sources: CDC, AARP Magazine