Wash your hands – but don’t forget to clean your phone, too

Published on 23rd April, 2020 at 01:29 pm

We’re all aware of the World Health Organisation’s advice to ‘regularly and thoroughly’ wash our hands, and to avoid touching our mouth, nose and eyes to combat the spread of viruses like COVID-19.

But it’s not only your hands that you should be worrying about as a carrier for the virus. Your phone is just as guilty of potentially harbouring viruses.

“It’s one thing to stop touching your face. It’s another to stop touching the things that touch your face,” writes The New York Times reporter Amelia Nierenberg. The World Health Organisation supports this observation, confirming that coronaviruses can remain on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days

So, how can you clean your phone?

Skip the soap

While basic soap and water might work on hands, cleaning your phone is not as straightforward. According to Apple’s official guidelines, excessive wiping, liquids, aerosol sprays and bleaches can all cause damage to your phone. And if you’re desperate to try, it’s best to know that this type of damage isn’t covered under your product warranty.

Go for alcohol instead

A recent update to the Apple cleaning guidelines revealed that there is a safe way to use a disinfectant on your phone. The addition said: “Using a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces.”

It’s best to note that you should avoid any phone openings and certainly not submerge your phone in any cleaning products or liquids.

Do it regularly

Just like your hands, your phone is regularly in contact with surfaces and other people that all carry germs. Wipe your phone down as often as you’re washing your hands, and definitely after placing it on a public surface or after someone else has handled your phone.

Stop taking your phone everywhere… seriously

Why are we so obsessed with taking our phones everywhere with us, including into the bathroom? Keep your phone in non-public spaces, like your handbag or pocket, to avoid it coming into contact with potential germ sources. Instead of leaving your phone out on your desk, put it away. And please: stop taking it into public toilets with you, okay?

Need help sourcing cleaning materials to clean your phone? Reality Club, Core, Plus and Health members can use their free Personal Assistant in the Sanlam Reality App to source products and more.