The smooth surface of a smartphone screen can be a hotbed for germs, making it a possible means of virus transmission, experts said, adding that it is important to disinfect screens amid fears about the spread of COVID-19.
A smartphone screen can carry 3.5 times more germs than a toilet seat, said a 2018 study conducted by Insurance2Go, a gadget insurance provider based in Portsmouth, England.
Amid the global spread of the novel coronavirus, Japanese variety show Before and After Being Taught, a Mainichi Broadcasting System production, featured Yoshio Otani, a doctor who specializes in respiratory medicine, in an episode last month to educate people on the type of sanitizers and cleaning cloths appropriate for disinfecting smartphone screens.
Photo copied by Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
It is better to use liquid sanitizers designed for screens to disinfect smartphones, as most regular liquid sanitizers contain alcohol, which could dissolve the screen coating and damage the smartphone, Otani said.
Viruses stay on a rough surface for about 15 minutes, but the time increases to a day on a smooth surface, he said.
Thin-fiber cloths are recommended, or lens-cleaning cloths, to prevent scratching the screen when removing sanitizer, he said.
Toilet paper is not ideal, due to its roughness, he said.
People should spray the sanitizer on the cleaning cloth and rub the screen, not apply sanitizer directly to the smartphone, because if there is too much liquid on the screen, it might flow into openings or ports and damage internal components, he said.
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