Is Your Smartphone Dirtier than a Toilet Seat? 4 Tips to Keep it Germ-Free

What’s the first thing you do when you walk into the supermarket? Okay, AFTER you grab a shopping cart, buggy, basket, or whatever you call it, what is the NEXT thing you do? I can tell you what you should do and that’s grab a sanitizing cloth or five and wipe down the handle. Personally, I also use one of those wipes to clean my phone. No, seriously. Do you know how dirty that thing can get? Think about it for a minute. All the times you touch your phone (around 2,617 times) throughout the day, all the surfaces you set it on, and the germs it’s collecting in the process. Ewwww, right? It’s simple science and I like science, but I don’t like the thought of turning my phone in a lab experiment so I try to remember to clean it daily and since I’m at the grocery store practically every day it’s a perfect opportunity to wipe down my phone (and my keys, just because). I know you might be thinking I’m a little crazy and over-the-top with my phone cleanliness, but I’ve got information to back it up so you’re welcome in advance because you will be so glad I shared this knowledge. You might be grossed out a little at first, but knowledge is power and a germ-free smartphone is hip and cool, especially this time of year.

Disclosure: I’m a compensated member of the U.S. Cellular Blogger Brigade, but I love a germ-free smartphone and you should, too. Also, this post could contain affiliate links. 

Okay, so my friends at U.S. Cellular are totally looking out for you and your devices, from the Samsung Galaxy S8 (my favorite) to the iPhone 8, and everything in between, they’ve got some helpful tips to keep your smartphones and tablets germ-free this cold and flu season. First, I have a few interesting facts that might be a little gross to hear, but like I said earlier knowledge is power, right?

Does a Cell Phone Carry More Germs than a Toilet Seat?

• The typical smartphone carries 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats according to University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba. *grabs cleaning wipe and immediately disinfects phone*
• Germs can hang around on a device and potentially make you sick, especially if you share it with another person who has recently been ill. This is one of the reasons I avoid allowing anyone else to touch my phone 99.9 percent of the time. I’m not kidding, even a little bit.
• Make it a priority to keep your devices clean, especially this time of year when cold and flu season is at its peak. *grabs another wipe to clean phone*
• Making sure your devices are always clean is a good habit to get into because it can help prevent spreading of germs and possibly illness.
• U.S. Cellular suggests living by the motto wipe before you swipe to avoid spreading of unwanted germs and bacteria.

Now that you believe me (you do believe me, right?) when I say how important it is to clean your smartphone as much as possible, here are a few helpful tips for keeping your devices germ-free and healthy.

1. Wash your hands. Please tell me you do this already because research shows bacteria transfers quickly from your skin to your favorite device. So yeah, wash your hands. 
2. Clean mobile devices and cases often. Regularly use a disinfectant cleaning cloth that does not contain bleach and squeeze it a few times first to avoid getting your phone too wet. After cleaning your device with a wipe, dry it with a device-friendly cloth. You can also use cleaners made specifically for electronics, like Gadget Guard Greener Cleaner, which is sold at U.S. Cellular stores.
3. Non-Toxic Putty. I have to admit, this is something I hadn’t heard of before, but I think I might need it in my life. A device’s speaker and microphone, the headphone jack, and the charging port are the most difficult parts to clean, but you should never poke them with something like a toothpick or cotton swab because they can cause damage to your phone. This is where Cyber Clean putty comes in handy. It’s made especially for electronics and is available at Amazon. Hello, Amazon Prime! 
4. Stop taking your phone with you to the bathroom. I was surprised to learn that a lot of people admit to bringing their phone with them to the restroom. I sincerely hope you aren’t one of those people because ewwwww. If you are, please stop, because I don’t want to have to draw you a picture of the possible germs you could pick up and illness that could follow. 

The bottom line is that I don’t think any of us wants to stick our favorite device under a microscope any time soon because we’d probably be shocked at what’s hanging out on the surface, so let’s make a deal to wipe before we swipe, okay?