Coronavirus Phone Cleaning. How should you best clean your phone?
- Whether you are heading out to the shops to get some essential supplies or are one of the millions of key workers still having to perform their daily role, one thing you will probably have with you is your mobile phone.
Cleaning Phones in these Coronavirus Times
It seems logical to assume that if we are cleaning our hands on a more regular basis, we ought to be cleaning on mobile phones just as often. It has been noted by health officials that COVID-19 can live on hard surfaces, and therefore to reduce the spread it makes sense that we keep our mobile phones clean as well.
Don’t Dunk It
Submerged in hot soapy water might be the best way to clean your hands but it is definitely a no-no for your mobile phone. Previously tech giants have not recommended that antibacterial product to be used on phones. But, in the wake of the pandemic both Apple and Google have changed their advice and now state that you may use 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes as a means of disinfecting your handset. Before you head over to Amazon to grab some it is worth noting that they are in short supply and you may be out of luck. But here are some other great ways to help you clean your mobile phone and cut down the risk of viruses living on the surface.
Soap and Water
Because the virus has a lipid layer, which is fat to you and I, it cannot survive soap. So, if you really can’t get your hands on any of the wipes, you can make up a solution of soap and water but instead of dipping your phone, you should be using a microfibre lint free cloth. Dip this into the mix and squeeze out excess water so it isn’t dripping wet and use this to wipe down your phone. The reason we suggest microfibre is because it is soft and not likely to damage the phone display.
Waterproof Ratings
Many handsets claim to have waterproofing features, and it is fair to say that if a handset such as the Apple iPhone XS, or the Samsung Galaxy S10 has an IP rating of 67 or higher it is waterproof to a certain degree. IP 67 confirms the handset is able to be submerged into 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. IP 68 is the similar, again 30 minutes but this time for water up to 1.5 m deep.
The aforementioned iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max can actually be immersed for 30 minutes into 2 m of water. So, technically, you could wash your phone off; if you are 100% sure of the IP rating being 67 or 68. But it’s not something we are going to recommend. It is better to use wipes or at worst a very light washing in a soapy solution without being submersed.
As a final note, one product you should never ever take near your phone is bleach. It is also best to avoid things like kitchen rolls which are scratchy and can’t damage the screen.
