This month, the American Media website cnet has published an interesting article about how to keep our smartphone safe from the Covid-19. Because this is an hot topic and public should be aware of this, we report a summary of the article.
….Clorox wipes will safely disinfect your phone, but there are lots of common cleaners that you should never, ever use.
If the possibility of Coronavirus (or Covid-19) living on your most frequently touched surfaces (like Amazon packages, clothes or shoes) for more than a few days gives you any degree of anxiety, you’re not alone in your thinking. Though surfaces aren’t considered the primary way that the coronavirus transmits, in general, any germ that’s on your phone or case can potentially transfer to your fingers and face.
Early studies showed that RNA of the novel Covid-19 may be able to survive on some surfaces — including your beloved phone — for nine days or even longer, but so far there’s insufficient evidence to determine if the virus can infect you after that amount of time.
As Coronavirus cases surge across the country and the planet, knowing how to correctly wash your hands as well as wearing a face covering will help lower your risk. Cleaning your phone more often is a good idea regardless, but what’s the correct way to remove the gunk without damaging your device?
Some websites suggest creating a mix of alcohol and water yourself, but it’s crucial to get the concentration right. Get it wrong and you could damage your phone. The safest bet is to use disinfectant wipes that contain 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean your phone screen.
In the past, we were instructed to not use disinfectant wipes on our phone screens, but now Apple says it’s OK to use Clorox Wipes and others with similar concentrations.
AT&T’s revised cleaning guidelines suggest that you “spray a nonabrasive or alcohol-based (70% isopropyl) disinfectant directly on a soft lint-free cloth and wipe down your device while it is powered down and unplugged.” An earlier version of the company’s post suggested using paper towels, which are far too abrasive (see below). After we reached out, AT&T changed its post to reflect the soft cloth. Samsung has also said you can create an alcohol-based solution of 70% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, applied with a microfiber cloth.
Another option for day-to-day cleaning is investing in a UV light, such as PhoneSoap or UV light Bags. This UV light company claims to kill 99.99% of germs and banishes bacteria. As far as we know, it hasn’t been tested in relation to this strain of coronavirus.