Have you
ever wondered if your cell phone is making you sick? In October 2012, it was reported in the Wall
St. Journal by Caroline Porter that yes, your cell phone can pass along germs
that could make you ill. People are
taking their cell phones everywhere these days – to the gym, to the rest rooms,
to the dinner table, to bed and under their pillows even! And because of this,
they are also taking the bacteria they pick up along the way with them. Your phone shares a closeness with your
mouth, eyes, nose and ears and the bacteria that can cause flu, diarrhea and
pink eye are going along for the ride. One
doctor in the Wall St. Journal article is quoted as saying “People are just as
likely to get sick from their phones as from handles of the bathroom.”
So how do we
keep our cell phones clean? What doctors
recommend and what device makers suggest for phone sanitizing do not appear to
line up. Alcohol cleans nearly 100% of the bacteria off of a phone and plain
water is probably the least effective. However, phone manufacturers don’t tell
you what coating is on the phone and if alcohol will strip the coatings or
damage the phone screens. Gorilla Glass has said that their screen has an easy
to clean coating that will survive repeated cleanings of alcohol wipes,
waterless sanitizers or Windex, but does not make any claims on how it will
affect the smartphone itself afterwards.
Wireless cell phone companies advise against using most household
cleaners though and most manufacturers do not carry an official policy on
cleaning methods. Some tech savvy geeks
have recommended a UV disinfectant wand because the light rays can kill germs
without touching the screen. So HPA’s
advice is to be cautious with whichever method you ultimately choose and do
your best to remain healthy!