How to Effectively Clean your Smartphone & Devices During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

Without meaning to be, we seem to always be on our smartphones or tablets. Chances are you might even be reading this on one of them. Doing small novel things on our devices such as checking emails or replying to messages means they are certainly hard to put down as they are the key to keeping us connected. Our smart devices are more important now than before, keeping us updated on the latest news and keeping us connected to our friends and family during the pandemic. However, we need to pay attention to the fact that they too carry on their surfaces many germs, viruses and bacteria. We are continually handling our devices and putting them to the side of our faces, which means we are constantly spreading these germs and are transferring them to our skin easily.

We have been told that washing our hands during this pandemic is vital and an essential part of preventing the virus from spreading, but what about cleaning our phones? The great news is that disinfecting our electronic devices has now become easier. Tech giants such as Apple and Samsung have offered tips on how to clean our smart devices in this pandemic safely. Apple has said iPhones can be cleaned with disinfectant wipes and Samsung have stated that their devices can be cleaned with a 70% alcohol-based solution applied to the surface with a microfiber cloth.

However, it's important to note that there are still cleaning agents and techniques that should be avoided to keep you from damaging your smartphone and devices. Using these harsher methods might initially help you see good results. Still, they can eventually damage the screen and internal components of your device that you are trying so hard to protect.

For this reason, we are going to tell you the best products to avoid and the best way to disinfect your phone and clean off visible fingerprint smudges on the screen and lint and sand in the ports of your devices.

When disinfecting your phone, you must use wipes and not pure alcohol. If you touch your phone after touching a publicly used item such as a door handle or even the railings in a bus or train you might be tempted to clean your phone with rubbing alcohol. Doing so can be potentially harmful to your phone as straight alcohol can strip the hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings that keep water and oil from damaging your display and other ports on the device.

Doing some research may lead you to some websites which suggest creating a mix of water and alcohol yourself. Although this is a viable method to use, you must get the concentration of the solution right. Getting the solution wrong could damage your phone.

The safest way to practice cleaning your phone without harming it is to use disinfectant wipes which contain 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean your phone's screen. Using wipes with similar concentrations is also allowed, contrary to past advice which states disinfectant wipes were a no for our smartphones. Before disinfecting your phone, it is wise to check with your phone's manufactures to see their guidelines. Apple recently set out these guidelines on their website-

●     Use only a soft, lint-free cloth.

●     Avoid excessive wiping.

●     Unplug all power sources, devices, and cables.

●     Keep liquids away from your device.

●     Don't allow moisture to get into any openings.

●     Avoid aerosol sprays, bleaches, and abrasives.

●     Avoid spraying cleaners directly onto your device.

Another excellent option for day to day cleaning of your phone is to invest in a UV light. For example, PhoneSoap is a UV light that claims to kill 99.99% of germs and bacteria that lives on your phone's surface. However, there is no indication concerning how effective it works on coronavirus. Simple small steps can help you keep safe and simply clenching your phone is one of those ways. Key workers who are still required to work and interact with potential virus carriers are most at risk and so working this into your daily routine is a must.