To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, experts have recommended that we wash our hands frequently, cover our mouths with our sleeves at the elbow to cough and sneeze, and avoid social contact. Knowing now how long the virus survives on surfaces, it is essential that we also keep our mobile phone clean, as it is one of the spaces with which we are most in contact every day.
Why is it important to clean the mobile?
With the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, spreading across the planet, extreme precautionary measures are crucial. Washing our hands is not enough if we refer to our smartphone, an object that we touch at least several times a day – if not every hour.
How to clean your phone to protect yourself against coronavirus
Avoid using sprays and bleaches, and don’t directly spray your phone with alcohol or anything similar. Instead, use an rubbing alcohol wipe.
It’s okay to dampen a cloth with a disinfectant or alcohol-based solution and wipe it gently, but never apply liquid directly to the phone. In no case are harsh cleaning chemicals required. Of course, never immerse the phone in a cleaning product. Take extra care when cleaning to prevent moisture from getting into openings, such as the charging port.
Using cleaning agents on smartphone screens is generally not advisable because it could remove the coating from the screen . Cell phones are coated to prevent oil or grease from your hands from sticking to the phone. And if we use alcohol or another similar solution (bleach prohibited at all costs), it can damage the screen. Using chemicals will only wear down the delicate screen more quickly. If the mobile has a screen protector, you can clean it with greater peace of mind if you are not wearing it down.
The best thing, as we mentioned at the beginning, is to use a soft, damp, lint-free cloth (for example, the cloth that opticians usually offer when buying new glasses) and avoid scourers, abrasive cloths or compressed air products.
Many companies such as Samsung or Apple have published on their support pages some tips to follow to clean our devices. Samsung, specifically, advises us to gently clean the surface with a cloth slightly moistened with clean water to remove dirt . The ideal is to make movements from top to bottom. Then, use the dry area of the same cloth to remove excess moisture that may remain on the mobile phone.
Remember that before cleaning the mobile you must make sure that it is not plugged in or connected to any external power source .
It goes without saying that it is also advisable not to touch our face or eyes when handling this type of device and to clean our hands well after each use, as recommended by the WHO. If you are concerned about this aspect, you can always start using the voice assistant (like Siri) to make any kind of consultation or even for calls.
