A few minutes of cleaning can help to keep illnesses at bay

If cellphone is a constant companion, make sure to clean it often

If you take your cellphone with you everywhere you go, you aren’t alone.

Cellphones are ubiquitous, always out, always in someone’s hand, pocket or purse.

Those phones go on all sorts of excursions with us: restaurants, shopping centers, schools, work …even the restroom.

It’s a bit strange, just how dependent we are on those phones. We could go a few moments without the phone nearby, but wait! What if boredom sets in after a few moments away from that phone?!

Given the fact that the cellphone has become a constant companion, it’s critical that the phone gets a cleaning once in a while – and even more so amid a cold and flu season with fears of coronavirus lurking nearby.

So let’s think for a moment about using your phone. It touches your hands and your face regularly – think of how many times a day you check something on that phone. So it’s not hard to see how germs can be transferred onto the phone.

A University of Arizona study from 2012 found that cellphones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats. Dr. Charles Gerba, a UA microbiologist, pointed out that while most toilets are cleaned regularly, cell phones aren’t. But it’s not hard to keep that phone clean. The best option is to look up your phone’s manufacturer, and see what they recommend.

Apple, for example, recommends gently cleaning your Apple products with a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipe, but says to avoid getting moisture in any of the openings.

In general, experts recommend diluting rubbing alcohol with water, then spraying it on your phone, lightly, and wiping the phone dry with a soft cloth, like a microfiber cloth. But that might damage certain finishes on phones, so it’s important to check with the manufacturer.

In this time of concern about illnesses, don’t overlook the places that might harbor germs. Cleaning your smartphone only takes a few moments, but could help eliminate germs, bacteria and viruses – making that cleaning a few moments well-spent!

Unsigned editorials represent the viewpoint of this newspaper rather than an individual. Columns and letters to the editor represent the viewpoints of the persons writing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the Yuma Sun.