Tips for Safely Sanitizing Smartphones and Tablets, Part 1

During the recent coronavirus outbreak around the world and resulting cases of COVID-19, sanitation and cleanliness have become heightened topics of awareness. And while these themes are generally focused around the hands and stopping the spread of germs into the nose or mouth, many also focus on related items that are held and touched often – and smartphones and tablets are among the top examples here.

At Bad Apple, we’re proud to offer a variety of phone repair and related services, and we’re here to help our clients get through this difficult period in several ways. Because we know it’s something many are wondering about for safety and health purposes, we’ll spend this two-part blog series digging into the ins and outs of cleaning phones and related devices during this outbreak, including why it’s important, how often it should be done and some simple tips we can offer.

Importance of Hand Washing

For starters, it’s important for us to note that while we’ll go over many tips on cleaning and sanitizing phones and devices here, none of these in any way replace the need for diligent hand-washing during this time. You do not have to wash your hands before every time you touch a device – this would be impractical and unrealistic – but you should observe frequent hand-washing behaviors, especially anytime you’ve touched common surfaces or are preparing to eat.

Recommended Cleaners

As you’re considering how to clean and sanitize your phone daily or even more often, we strongly recommend consulting the phone manufacturer’s website to get instructions about the best available sanitation methods. All major manufacturers have listed specific COVID-19 sanitation tips on their websites, including proper cleaners to use and basic procedures to follow. Newer phone models make it unlikely you’ll damage your phone using a non-approved cleaner, but this is nonetheless possible and should be avoided.

Frequency and Cleaning Method

How often should you sanitize your phone during this outbreak? There is no set answer, and this will depend on how often you hold your phone, but this is a very common behavior for many people and you should proceed accordingly. If you constantly use your phone, several cleanings per day is absolutely appropriate.

One major tip on your cleaning method: Never spray any cleaner directly onto your phone, even if it’s an approved cleaner we mentioned above. Rather, use a wipe or spray a cleaner onto a paper towel or rag, then use it on the phone. Do not allow the wipe or liquid to contact the camera or various ports, and do your best to keep the screen protected as well.

Turn it Off

Finally, one additional tip: Turn your cell phone, tablet or other device off before sanitizing it. This is simply the sensible move for cleaning any electrical item.

For more on proper cleaning and sanitation of phones and other handheld devices during the COVID-19 outbreak, or to learn about any of our iPhone, Samsung or other phone repair services, speak to the staff at Bad Apple today.