With the COVID-19 spreading faster and faster, there’s no better time to be extra careful and keep your devices clean. Smartphones are one of our everyday drivers that we rely on that end up getting a lot of exposure.
According to a study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, viruses such as COVID-19 are capable of surviving up to nine days on smooth surfaces, including your smartphone screens.
“We touch our smartphones more than anything especially now that we try to stay connected to our loved ones who are away from us and keep updated on the latest news. But it can pose a health risk, especially that dirt gets easily transferred into our phones. So in light of the current COVID-19 situation, we strongly encourage our customers to practice proper smartphone sanitation in order to protect themselves from contracting the virus,” says Zen Han, VP of National Sales, Oppo Philippines.
Sanitation is key in keeping clean and safe, making it particularly relevant for Filipinos who are very active smartphone users. Aside from constantly washing your hands with soap and water as advised by the World Health Organization, make sure to practice these tips on how to properly and safely clean your phone, highly recommended by Oppo Philippines:
- Wash or sanitize your hands. To avoid transferring any harmful bacteria, make sure to sanitize your hands before and after you clean your phone.
- Ready a soft, lint-free or microfiber cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths such as towels and paper towels Using such may damage the surface of the screen.
- Use 70 percent Isopropyl Alcohol. Isopropyl Alcohol is a highly effective disinfectant against viruses particularly the ones with 70 percent concentration. Anything beyond it may evaporate too quickly. When cleaning your phone with alcohol, make sure to use cotton balls or felt-tips swabs when cleaning harder to reach areas like ports and mics and to avoid liquid spilling on such parts that may cause damage to internal components.
- Use liquid hand soaps with alcohol content. If Isopropyl Alcohol is not readily available, you may use hand soaps with alcohol content. Add a few drops on the screen and gently wipe the whole phone with a microfiber cloth. Make sure to avoid getting moisture in any openings. Wipe off the soap with a damp microfiber cloth afterward, and then dry your phone off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.
- Avoid using harsh home cleaning products. Window and household cleaners with strong chemical components like ammonia or hydrogen peroxide may damage your smartphone screen.
- Use UV light sanitation. UV-C light, in particular, also used in hospital-grade disinfecting procedures serve as a potent solution that targets certain bacteria. These UV devices can also be used to sanitize your smartphone.
These simple methods have been proven to significantly cut down the number of bacteria found on a smartphone’s surface, as demonstrated by Dr. Lena Ciric, a microbiologist from University College London in her study.
