5 Tips to Keep Your Cell Phone Germ-Free

You hold your phone near your face and mouth every single day. Needless to say, these areas are hotbeds for germs and bacteria – something you (luckily) don’t have to think about very often. But, because you likely use your phone every single day, it does become more important to keep this clean on a regular basis. Sure, you wash your hands and practice good hygiene, but keeping your cell phone germ-free could be a far-off thought.

Your cell phone likely goes everywhere you go, making the amount of bacteria it collects larger than you realize. Put your phone under a microscope and what you find on its surface could be sickening.

Although germs and bacteria are all around us, there are ways to reduce the amount of germs on your phone, which also reduces your risk of illness. Start taking these precautions and you’ll be a lot safer than you know.

1. Don’t bring your phone into the bathroom.

Chances are, you don’t place your cell phone on the floor while using the bathroom. You might, however, place it on other surfaces, like the back of the toilet seat, on the vanity or on top of the toilet paper holder in a public restroom.

Bringing your phone into the bathroom may keep you entertained, but the bathroom is a breeding ground for germs. And unfortunately, germs lurking on these surfaces can land on your phone. So the less time your phone spends in the bathroom with you, the better.

2. Disinfect your phone.

Many phones come with a microfiber cloth for removing smudges, fingerprints and dust. Even if you wipe the phone with a microfiber cloth on a regular basis, these cloths do not remove germs or bacteria unless combined with alcohol.

Each day, make a habit of disinfecting your cell phone from top to bottom. Mix alcohol with a little water to remove germs and bacteria, or purchase disinfecting wipes designed specifically for cell phones and other electronic devices. Use these often to keep your phone germ-free.

3. Keep your phone off restaurant tables.

As a teenager, I was a greeter in a restaurant and one of my responsibilities included wiping down tables after patrons left. Although I’d use a different cloth for every table, I often witnessed my coworkers using the same cloth to wipe down multiple tables, particularly during busy periods.

I can only imagine how many germs were spread from table to table. This occurred for years before cell phones were commonplace and continues to occur now. But I’ve learned from this experience to never place my phone on a restaurant table. Keep it in your bag or on top of an open napkin on the table.

4. Don’t forget to clean your case.

Not only should you clean your cell phone regularly, make sure you clean your case, too. An outer shell can limit the number of germs coming in contact with the phone, yet your case remains vulnerable to bacteria and germs. The good news is that alcohol and disinfecting wipes can also remove germs from phone cases.

5. Don’t share your phone.

You can’t always avoid sharing your phone. But if possible, don’t let others (especially strangers,) put their hands on your phone. Any germs or bacteria on their hands could end up on your phone and your face.

If you let someone hold your phone, disinfect the surface as soon as possible. And if you let someone talk on your phone, use speakerphone to put some distance between their mouth and your speaker.

Your phone is a trusty companion, but it can also make you sick. Get into a routine of regularly disinfecting your phone and keep it away from areas that are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria.