In light of the spread of the Corona virus, one thinks a lot about the things he carries with his hands, including the smartphone and whether or not it is a source of infection, especially since it is used on the face near the mouth and nose.
"The smartphone is not a source of germs compared to the number of germs that may be spread on the hands, so the bacterial load on smartphones is very little," said Professor Marcus Eiger, a microbiologist at the University of Fortwangen.
"Modern smartphones are very dry and very soft, and therefore very few germs stick to them," added the German Professor. And you won't find what germs eat on the surfaces of new smartphones, so they are difficult to reproduce, unlike older cell phones with buttons, which increase the bacterial load.
User effect
For his part, Sebastian Kloss, of the German Association for Communications and Information Technology (Bitcom), indicated that the user has an influence on the number of germs spread on his phone, and said that "the external surface of the smartphone is a reflection of the identity of its owner."
The German expert added that germs abound on smartphones of users who are not keen to wash their hands frequently, and who use their devices while eating or when using the bathroom, in a way that exceeds the devices of users who do not do such acts.
In addition, the condition of the smartphone affects the bacterial load, and Kloss explained, "Bacteria, viruses and mold sites can stick well to scratches in mobile devices."
Often companies producing smart phones such as Apple and Samsung offer some advice and instructions for cleaning smartphones on their websites, and experts always advise to turn off the device and remove all electrical connections before cleaning the smartphone.
Soft cloth
The best way to clean the smartphone is to use a soft, lint-free cloth and a little wet, and in the case of extreme dirt, the user can use a little water and soap when cleaning the smartphone.
One of the important things to consider when cleaning a smartphone is the lack of moisture in the slots of the smartphone, and although many smartphones have water resistance, Clos advises that they should be wiped immediately with a dry cloth after cleaning them.
Professor Egret indicated that it is not necessary to sterilize the phone and disinfect it at home because there is no specific risk of infection, in addition to that it can get rid of the Corona virus by water and soap.
In turn, Bernd Glasl, from the German Association for Washing and Body Care Products, explained that disinfection is almost possible due to the fact that with the required quantity and time required effect, detergents may leak through the openings into the portable devices.
Other detergents may damage the smartphone, such as glass cleaners, as the touch screens include an oil-repellent layer, to prevent the appearance of fingerprints, and German expert Kloss warned that cleaning the screen with alcohol-based detergents will gradually remove the repellent layer.
Smartphone connection ports are very sensitive parts, so the user must be careful and careful when cleaning them without using any wet means, and cotton sticks or a soft toothbrush can be used here.
Those with single-lens reflex cameras can use an air blowing device to clean a smartphone, and Kloss warned against using high-pressure air cleaning methods.
Number of times cleaning
Glasser added that the number of times a smartphone is cleaned depends on how it is used. If the user travels a lot and meets a lot of people or uses his smartphone in the kitchen, then the smartphone must be cleaned a lot, and the German Professor Egger assured that the smartphone does not pose any risk of infection in relation to For healthy people at home.