In the midst of a miserable flu season, it's good to remember that on average, more dangerous bacteria live on cellphones than on toilet seats. Back in August 2012, a thief stole a cell phone from an Ebola patient dying on an isolation ward in a western Uganda hospital. It wasn't long before the thief himself returned to the same hospital to receive treatment for Ebola. MRSA, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and Escherichia coli are just a few of the sickening bacteria that have been found to contaminate cell phones. Viruses are easily transferred from hand to phone, too. Health care workers and people who are around children and pets tend to have higher levels of dangerous pathogens on their mobile phones than others. Take this short quiz to discover how many germs have probably taken up residence on your cell phone: http://theoatmeal.com/quiz/phone_germs/go It might seem to be a good idea to start scrubbing your cell phone with some sort of household cleaner, but that will probably damage the handset. Apple advises not to use “aerosol sprays, solvents or abrasives” on any of its hardware. David Wallace, Director, Meridrew Enterprises noted that while preparing a product comparison for a new customer, the company found that major brands in search of accessory sales are selling potentially harmful products to unsuspecting consumers to clean high-tech touch screen devices. The range of danger covers the entire spectrum from irritating to toxic. In home cleaning use, many of the chemicals in the cleaners would be washed off with water, but that's not possible with an electronic device. Left to dry on the handset, they come into frequent contact with the skin. Some cleaners contain industrial solvents which are toxic if absorbed through the skin – and no gloves are included in the product packaging. Cleaners that contain industrial solvents are even more harmful if ingested, such as when an infant touches a recently cleaned device with a sticky hand and then puts that hand in her mouth, or chews on a corner of the phone. “Just last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I found a company selling a screen cleaner for touch screen devices,” Wallace advised. “The label said non-toxic and eco-friendly, but the safety data sheet for the active ingredient read, “Warning! Causes eye irritation. Harmful to aquatic organisms. Absorbed through skin. Not exactly what I would want to use on my iPad or smart phone!” Meridrew Enterprises manufactures the iKlear cleaning solution (www.klearscreen.com), which is certified as non-toxic, safe and effective. Wallace stated that manufacturers and fabricators such as Mitsubishi Electronics, Apple, NASA and Lexmark have used iKlear/Klear Screen successfully for years. It might be thought that just wiping down the phone with a damp cloth would be enough to clean it, but a study by HML Labs found that using plain water was the least effective method to remove bacteria. In the study, household cleaners and alcohol were more effective in killing bacteria on cell phones, but their use isn't recommended by the phone manufacturers. One other consideration in regards to cell phone hygiene that consumers should keep in mind, is that soft plastic, rubber or fabric cases attract more microbes than the hard plastic, glass or metal of the phone's original body. If a protective case is desired, choose one that can be easily removed and scrubbed – otherwise your case is just a germ transport system.
