Keeping your Cellphone Clean

Trending Tech, Wireless 101

It’s a great time for a refresher on keeping our devices clean. Check out these five tips that can help minimize germs lurking on your phone.

  1. Use common sense. Think about where you place your phone when you’re not using it, and think about what you just touched before touching your phone. Putting your device on a public bathroom counter, or pressing an elevator button then immediately reaching for your phone, might transfer possible germs.
  2. Microfiber cloth. Your phone likely came with one, but if it didn’t you can get a microfiber cloth from any drug or electronic store. Touch screen phones and tablets have delicate services, so something as simple as a paper towel may scratch the screen. With the soft cloth, wipe the device down vigorously until it is free of any residue.
  3. Alcohol and water. Even if you don’t take your cellphone to the bathroom, it’s a great idea to follow-up the microfiber cloth with a small amount of a water and alcohol mixture. PC Magazine suggests, “mix a solution that is 70 percent [isopropyl] alcohol and 30 percent water and put it in the spray bottle. Then remove any case from your phone or tablet, spritz the cloth with the solution, and thoroughly wipe down your phone. Do not reuse the cloth.”
  4. Phone case. Consider adding a case to your device, which can add another layer of protection. Don’t forget to clean your case occasionally as well though!
  5. UV Lights. There are products on the market that claim to sanitize devices using UV lights. We don’t know if these work, but it’s an interesting concept nonetheless.

PC Magazine is also a great resource on finding the right microfiber cloths and cleaning wipes. “You may want to dunk everything into a vat of bleach, but before you go that route, grab some microfiber cloths, cotton swabs, distilled water, isopropyl alcohol, and dish soap and read our guide to getting your gadgets gleaming—after you unplug or turn off, of course,” the article says.

One important thing to note: When using any liquid near your device, a small amount is key. Many devices are NOT waterproof, and some manufacturers recommend against using anything other than a microfiber cloth.