Wash my hands - what about my phone? Disinfecting your smartphone from viruses and bacteria

Doctors recommend wiping your phone from germs and viruses even in “peaceful” times. And when the coronavirus is raging around, sanitizing gadgets along with washing hands becomes a necessity. Moreover, the more actively you use your smartphone, the more often you need to disinfect it. We learned from specialists how to treat a phone so that it does not turn into a breeding ground for infection.

When and how to wipe your phone?

During the coronavirus pandemic, you need to disinfect your smartphone in the following cases:

• before making a call, if you are in a public place and do not use headphones or speakerphone;
• if a stranger touched him;
• after the street.

Disinfection of the phone should be carried out as follows:

1. Remove the case from your phone.
2. Place your phone face down on a paper napkin. Place the cover on another napkin.
3. Wash your hands or use sanitizer.
4. Take the disinfectant in your right hand and wipe the back cover of the phone as well as the side panels with it. With your left hand, lift the gadget by the side panels and handle the front part (screen and keyboard). Place your phone on a clean surface.
5. Using the same method, disinfect the case and place it on a clean surface.
6. Throw away the paper towels that contained the phone and case, as well as the cotton pad or other disinfectant used.
7. Wash your hands again or use sanitizer.

If after sanitizing the phone remains damp, you can additionally wipe it with a dry cloth or paper towel.

How to disinfect iPhone, Xiaomi, Samsung and other smartphones?

You can disinfect your phone from coronavirus without damaging the coating of the case and screen using different means:

• 70% isopropyl alcohol (sold in hardware stores and some hardware stores, you can also order it online);
• special Clorox disinfectant wipes.

It is strictly not recommended to treat your phone with the following solutions:

• regular medical alcohol;
• ammonia-based preparations;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• household cleaning products;
• alcohol facial lotion;
• cologne.

There is a high probability that after contact with aggressive chemicals, the appearance of the smartphone will suffer.

How to disinfect a phone case?

Leather cases can be disinfected using the same means as a smartphone. Silicone ones can also be washed under running water, after washing with bar soap (toilet or laundry) and leaving for 20 seconds.

Fabric covers and those with decorations made of sequins, rhinestones, and beads cannot be used during the coronavirus pandemic, as they are difficult to process.

Will the coronavirus die if you wipe your smartphone with cognac or vodka?

The higher the alcohol content, the more actively the product fights pathogenic microflora. In alcoholic drinks, as a rule, it is no more than 40% - this amount is not enough to “kill” bacteria and viruses that could potentially harm a person.The desired result can only be obtained by using medical alcohol with a strength of 95–96 degrees. If you wipe your phone with vodka, cognac, rum or whiskey, the weakest and most harmless microorganisms will die. But at the same time:

• some viruses will simply be “washed off” - they will remain on the napkin with which you wiped your gadget;
• alcohol will degrease the surface, and in such conditions microorganisms do not feel very comfortable. Thanks to this, their reproduction will slow down for a short time.

It turns out that strong alcoholic drinks will not make the phone sterile, but will significantly reduce the risk of transmission of infection. The only problem is that, together with viruses, they can wash off the paint and oleophobic coating from the phone.

To reduce the risk of coronavirus infection, you need to properly disinfect your smartphone. You should not lean it against your face during a conversation if you have previously touched the body or screen with unwashed hands.