Wipe your smart phone clean

Interacting with one’s phone is a task that has turned from a simple 10-digit puncher, to a swipe, tap and pinch process that is repeated dozens of times daily.

The old days of using a phone as a phonecall-only device are gone; the proliferation of ‘smart phones’ that can handle everything, functioning as music players, video cameras, email and web browsers, has increased the amount of hands-on interaction with these devices.

Considering how a large number of viruses is passed on by human contact and not through the air, smart phones offer the perfect environment for such cultures to germinate.

I’m referring to nasty bugs and viruses that cause headaches, sore throats and will give you sweaty hands; the circle is then completed ad nauseam, by further interacting with your phone while you’re sick.

As a precaution, it’s advised that you refrain from using your phone while either eating, interacting with others in public, or in the bathroom. The latter, is very obvious, but for those that still don’t get it I will point you to this two year old research.

Additionally, consider carrying disinfectant wipes with you that allow you to wipe clean your screen and overall case. Personally, I recommend wiping your smart phone or tablet on a daily basis, using alcohol. It takes 2  minutes and it also makes your screen all shiny and smudge-free.

To recap: bugs and germs proliferate at faster rates these days, because we’ve changed our use of phones. The more we use our hands on objects, the more we need to keep those hands and objects clean.