3.27.2011

Spring Cleaning Your Cell Phone is a Good Idea

Flowers are blooming, birds are serenading, and Apple just released a new device so springtime must be here. If you're not busy standing in line for an iPad 2, chances are you are cleaning and de-cluttering your home. So what better time to also clean your beloved cell phone, and health experts agree.

You see the average mobile phone, like other items in your house you use daily, builds up dirt and debris resulting in harmful bacteria touching your hands and face every time you make a call or text. Chances are your cell phone or smartphone went through a lot this winter, from snapping pics on the slopes  to texting loved ones on a rainy Valentine's day to perhaps downloading a fun St. Patrick's Day app while at a pub just a few weeks ago. That's why today health experts are adding a new item to cleaning list, except it’s not something that should be cleaned every spring as the snow melts in your backyard, but in fact daily.

It’s easy to overlook such a seemingly small task, after all, the clutter in your house can be intrusive and an obvious jumping off point to spring cleaning (check out some spring cleaning tips here). But when you consider the dozens of news reports and studies in the past few years that prove cell phone are carriers of harmful germs, cleaning your cell phone makes as much sense as well, washing your hands.

Unlike tackling every nook and cranny in your home, wiping down your cell phone is a quick and effortless task, and it directly benefits your health by helping to prevent rashes caused by dirty mobile phones pressed to the face, and reducing the chances of serious infections, including MRSA which have been found in almost every study where cell phones were tested for germs. Plus you’ll actually be able to see your cell phone screen!

Most health experts recommend applying some type of anti-bacterial solution to your phone for effective germ removal and cleaning. But these doctors are not device experts so at the same time be mindful of the sensitive electronics and screen of your phone…you don’t want to get water damage to your cell phone during the cleaning process, or scratch the screen. 

There are lots of solutions to use to begin mobile hygiene habits in your home this spring, so do your research and find the best solution for you that fits your lifestyle. 

How often do you think a cell phone should be cleaned?