How to keep your phone clean
We use our phones to share images, videos, and stories. But did you know that our devices can also share pathogens and bacteria? During the current pandemic, we are all doing our best to stop the spread out COVID-19. Our Leo Clean team knows that we carry our phones everywhere with us, so we want to share with you some information about how to keep them clean and germ-free.
In an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19, health officials repeatedly encourage two simple, yet effective, behaviours – wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
The positive effects of good hygiene can be reinforced by applying a simple step to our routine – disinfecting our phones. Not only do our devices collect germs by being placed on public spaces, we might subconsciously touch our face (even with freshly washed hands) while handling them. It is difficult to ignore that the cellphone is one item that tends to get near our mouth on a regular basis. The good news is that disinfecting your mobile is simple, and can easily become one of the healthy habits used to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
Follow these tips by Leo Clean to keep your phone germ-free!
What to do
First, wash and use clean containers during the process.
Next, you will need two rags, or preferably chamois sheets if available, soap, water, and a bowl for mixing. The ratio of water to soap should be approximately two to one.
Although your device will not get wet, it is important that during the process your phone is turned off and the case/cover should be removed (if the phone has one). The rag that is going to be used for the cleaning should be moistened with the soapy water. Avoid soaking the rag and exerting too much pressure.
Exposed areas, such as the headphone jack or charger, can be cleaned with a cotton-tipped swab dipped in the mix. In this case, it is even more critical to avoid soaking the swab in water in order to prevent water drops from entering and damaging the electronics of the device.
Once the washing is finished, we will proceed to dry the device with the other cloth. Here it is also important to avoid exerting pressure in order to protect the screen.
What NOT to do
Now that we know how to keep our phone disinfected, let’s talk about the things that should be avoided in order to keep our phones well and working long-term.
The easiest way to permanently damage your phone is the temptation of giving it a ‘bath’. However submersible a phone is claimed to be by the manufacturer, the companies’ tests are not done with soapy water. So – once you fill up your bowl with water and soap, do not drop your phone in it!
Although alcohol would certainly be more effective for complete disinfection, it is also not convenient to add it to your mixture. Alcohol can be harmful to the device, and manufacturers do not recommend its usage.
People who cannot resist the urge to super-clean their phones with Alcohol should dilute it A LOT. We recommend using a not higher than 70% Isopropyl – the mixed solution should have a 75:25 ratio of water to alcohol.
Using disinfecting gel and bleach should always be avoided.
How to drying your phone
Anyone who has thought about “drying” the phone by immersing their phone in the famous bowl of rice is not misled (although, if you follow our method, it will not be necessary). This technique is effective in saving mobiles, because the grains of rice absorb moisture. One should not attempt to dry the phone with any type of dryer, as there is a risk of destroying the fragile electronic components by doing so.
What rags to chose for cleaning the phone
Microfiber cloths are preferred over kitchen paper – they are less likely to leave particle residues that can enter through your phone’s openings that could affect its functioning.
If you prefer to purchase a cleaning solution for your phone over the counter – at Canadian Tire you can find some price-efficient products, such as the Vancouver-based brand Frank. You can find these items here.