When we think of the germiest places in our homes and out in the world, places like bathrooms or public transportation might come to mind. But have you considered one of the grimiest things you come in contact with on any given day is right in your pocket? Yep, we are talking about phones.
Here's why you should definitely give your phone a cleaning, plus how to do it properly, from an environmental toxins expert.
Why you should clean your phone if you're travelling?
First things first: Phones are virtually one of the dirtiest things we own (when we don't clean them regularly). In a review of 56 different studies on phones from 24 different countries, researchers discovered that phones have an average contamination rate of 68% when it came to things like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. And the study authors even noted that this was likely an under-representation of actual germ values.
When you factor travelling into the equation, you're naturally going to be exposed to a greater variety of germs if you're in places like airports, hotels, trains, etc. After all, loads of people are touching everything from armrests to cashpoints, to door handles in these high-traffic spots.
Quick as we may be to use some hand sanitiser and a good soap, our phones are likely still carrying traces of everything we've touched in transit. So, here's how to clean yours.
How to clean it properly
Here's how to clean your phone properly (without damaging it!), according to environmental toxins expert and certified holistic health coach Lara Adler.
Grab a rubbing alcohol with 70% isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth, or alcohol wipes.
Spray your isopropyl alcohol onto the soft cloth and wipe down all sides of your phone (and your phone case too, if you have one), or simply wipe down with your alcohol wipe.
Don't spray the phone directly, as this could damage the speakers or camera.
Give it a minute to dry.
"The alcohol will be enough to disinfect the surface without unnecessary exposure to harmful chemicals found in conventional cleaning products," says Adler.
The Vintage Avenue Team x