Do you know how many germs are on your cell phone right now? If you were to take a guess, you’d probably say in the millions—which, for some reason, we’ve come to accept as normal and expected. According to the Seattle Times, your phone has about 25,127 bacteria per square inch, which makes it one of the dirtiest objects we come in contact with every day. But when was the last time you cleaned your phone? Like really cleaned it. (And no, blowing your hot breath on it and rubbing it on your pant leg to get rid of all the smudges doesn’t count.)
It’s probably been weeks, if not months. But every single day, hundreds of thousands of germs, including Streptococcus, MRSA, and even E. coli accumulate on that precious 3x5-inch pocket computer. In addition to pressing our faces into it while we talk—and now we know exactly how easily droplets of airborne respiratory fluids can spread—we scroll the news or social media with our often-dirty fingers while we eat, bringing thousands of said germs in direct contact with your fork, and even worse, mouth. It’s a wonder we’re not all sick all the time.
Instead of living in fear and filth, you can just clean your phone. Every day. I have a terrible memory and need visual cues, so I like to pour a little bit of Glass Cleaner into a squirt bottle and leave it on my bedside table. Every night before sleep, I give it a quick clean. The alcohol in the Glass Cleaner kills just about everything that’s living on there without harsh chemicals like ammonia, and it’s fragrance- and filler-free, so it’s safe to use on your glasses and smartphone screen (and anything else that touches your skin). I feel so much better knowing that I don’t have something with a billion um, waste particles sitting on my nightstand.
There’s no way to know if and how our phones get us sick, but why take the chance? No time like the present to start a new habit!
xx LC
