The spread of Covid-19 has made the world more aware of what we touch and how long we wash our hands. Though one important aspect we might be missing is the importance of sanitising our smartphones and gadgets which are probably our lifeline to the outside world during the lockdown.
The tricky part comes in where you cannot simply wash a smartphone and gaming console with soap for 20 seconds, like you would your hands.
According to the Independent UK, research shows that harmful pathogens like E. Coli and MRSA are capable of clinging to device screens for up to four days, while separate studies show that the average person picks up their device around 76 times per day.
The Solutions
Add some sanitising solution to a microfibre cloth and thoroughly wipe the surface of your devices thoroughly .
Never dunk your gadgets into a cleaning solution as this will damage your device.
UV-C disinfecting lights can also be helpful although expensive, however if you had to account for all the funds you would use to buy cleaning agents, a UV light is a once-off that will be useful for a long time. If you are a tech enthusiast and have a lot of computers, smartphones and gadgets the UV lights would be very beneficial for you. It is also environmentally friendly.
Before sanitising gadgets, be sure to turn them off, unplug it and wipe or spray it with a safe solution. It is imperative to familiarise yourself with the contents of the solution because you don’t want to destroy gadgets worth thousands of Rands. Having a heavy chemical solution could remove coating manufacturers use to protect the screen from fingerprints.
Waterproof phones with an ip67 rating can be submerged under a running tap for a thorough clean. Make sure that it gets some time to dry off and do not try to immediately charge it or plug it into other devices.
When your phone is clean always be mindful of where you place your phone. Keep it in a clean area, maybe on top a microfiber cloth always remember to sanitise as often as you can.