Cleaning Your Phone During the Coronavirus Pandemic
As coronavirus spreads through the US rapidly, it’s important to take important measures to keep yourself and others safe. You’ve probably heard by now about the importance of washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is critical to containing the virus. But the CDC has also instructed everyone to clean “high-touch surfaces” at least once a day to reduce the spread of the virus.
What is a “high-touch surface?” Anything you touch daily, like doorknobs, light switches, faucet handles – and, of course, smart devices. Coronavirus can survive on surfaces like phone screens for anywhere from a few hours to over a week, depending on conditions. To reduce your chances of catching or spreading coronavirus, it is important to clean your phone regularly.
Apple’s Advice for How to Clean Your Phone
In the past, Apple has advised against using disinfectant wipes to clean your phone, saying that the chemicals might damage the oleophobic (oil-resistant) screen. However, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, they have revised their guidelines. Apple now says that Clorox disinfecting wipes or any wipes that are 70% isopropyl alcohol is safe to use on their products.
If you don’t have wipes, you can use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean your phone. You may want to dip it in a 50-50 mixture of alcohol and water, but it’s important to get that mixture right. Using pure alcohol or a mixture that’s too strong could damage your phone.
Clean Your Phone Safely, Step by Step
To clean your phone without damaging it:
- Unplug your phone, turn it off and remove it from its case.
- Use a disinfectant wipe or 50-50 mixture of alcohol and water on a damp cloth to gently clean your phone.
- Avoid getting moisture in any openings.
- Wipe down the case inside and out with a wipe or damp cloth.
- Let the phone and case fully dry before putting your phone back in its case and turning it back on.
As you can see, it’s pretty simple to clean your phone. However, there are a few things to avoid doing that you should keep in mind.
How NOT to Clean Your Phone
Certain cleaners and chemicals can damage your phone.
Avoid using the following to clean your phone:
- Bleach
- Hand sanitizer
- Hand soap or dish soap
- Makeup remover
- Compressed air
- Water
iPhone models from the iPhone 7 up may be water-resistant, but that doesn’t mean you can use soap and water to clean your phone. There’s still a chance that water will get into the phone’s ports, which can cause serious damage.
Can a UV Light Clean Your Phone?
You may have seen ads for devices that use UV light to kill bacteria and other germs. But are these devices really effective? First, it’s important to note that the effect of UV light on coronavirus has not been tested, so no one really knows if it will work for the current pandemic. In addition, there is unclear evidence that UV devices are consistently effective in killing other viruses or bacteria.
Basically, we know that disinfectant wipes are effective, and it’s unclear whether UV devices are or not. So you should probably stick with the more affordable wipes to clean your phone.
Mail-In iPhone Repairs
What happens if your phone needs repairs? If you find your Apple devices getting glitchy, we are open for business. Fix Apple Now offers fast and affordable Apple repairs via mail-in and drop off services. From iPhones to Apple Watches our techs can fix it all. If you are experiencing any sort of issue with any of your devices, please do not hesitate to give us a call. If we have the parts in stock, we can typically return a device around within 24 hours. Contact us to learn more about our services.
