Are you concerned about the coronavirus? Consumer Reports tells us how to sanitize your devices. This article’s advice is for Apple product users.
When’s the last time you wiped your smartphone with just a microfiber cloth? While the microfiber makes your screen nice and shiny, unfortunately, it does nothing to disinfect or sanitize your phone.
Studies have shown that smartphones are a breeding ground for germs and other pathogens. According to WebMD, coronavirus can survive on surfaces for hours or even days, making the cellphone a carrier culprit.
How to Sanitize your Apple Devices
Recently, Apple updated its guidance on keeping iPhones and other electronic devices clean and free of germs by using alcohol to wipe the product’s screen and body.
According to Apple’s updated guidance, “Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces.”
Apple also recommends that you power the device down first and avoid using bleach, submerging the unit in cleaning agents, or allowing moisture to enter any opening in the shell.
“Don’t use [the wipes] on fabric or leather surfaces,” Apple adds.
In an email to Consumer Reports, a Google representative confirmed that it’s okay to use isopropyl alcohol wipes on the company’s devices (including the Pixel smartphone), without fear of causing damage.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that hand sanitizers containing at least 60 percent of alcohol are effective at eliminating germs.
When to Use Soap & Water to Sanitize Your Device
Consumers who protect their phones with a screen protector or a protective case may have a more natural way to keep the device clean: soap and water.
James Dickerson, Ph.D., Consumer Reports’ chief scientific officer, regularly washes his smartphone case and screen cover in his sink with soap and water. And according to the CDC, soap, and water is more effective at eliminating germs than alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
“So if people have those types of covers, that’s probably the best thing they can do,” he says. “They don’t have to go out and buy special sanitizers or anything like that. Just scrub it down.”
Do not, however, do that with a case that features a built-in battery for recharging on the go, he adds.
How Often Should You Sanitize Your Devices?
Dickerson explains that how often you clean your device depends on your situation. For example, a physician who sees patients regularly will want to wipe down the phone several times a day. But, the average consumer doesn’t have to do it that often. It comes down to how often you interact with other people.
Overall, Dickerson warns that you must heed the advice of professionals in the medical field, and to not get swayed by outside influences.
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