Community Chat

[Tukey]

I bought a UV cleaner that is larger, like for baby bottles.  I wipe down our phones with alcohol and put them in there.  I also put stuff like keys, work ID badges (when still going in to office) and store bonus cards, etc.  This one I got on Amazon.  I've been trying to everything I can, be that much cleaner than before.

[Pearlee]

I have an Android and am hesitant to use a wipe containing alcohol on the screen for fear of damaging it.

[Fressa]

I use a Lysol wipe on our cell phones and i pads. So far.....do good. 

[tsavorite]

---

@Pearlee wrote:
I have an Android and am hesitant to use a wipe containing alcohol on the screen for fear of damaging it.

---

Me too.....I wonder if it's safe to use a small amount of alcohol on it?  Don't want to ruin my screen protector.

[Abrowneyegirl]

---

@Tukey wrote:

I bought a UV cleaner that is larger, like for baby bottles.  I wipe down our phones with alcohol and put them in there.  I also put stuff like keys, work ID badges (when still going in to office) and store bonus cards, etc.  This one I got on Amazon.  I've been trying to everything I can, be that much cleaner than before.

---

I am going to look into one of these as the UV is much more thorough and effective.

A couple of yrs ago my friend's son did an experiment for a school science experiment testing cell phones for bacteria and several methods for cleaning. 

The only cleaning method that came CLOSE to the effectiveness of the UV light was to dip the phone in 91% alcohol for a few minutes.  Obviously the testing was done on an old phone as the testing he tired ranged from wiping down the phone to submerging the phone. 

It was a very interesting project.  He used my phonesoap as the UV light portion as I was impressed at the results, but I have to admit prior to COVID I only used it 1-2 a month......now DAILY.

[Snooky60]

@Abrowneyegirl - definitely agree with you about the Phone Soap.

[Pearlee]

@Abrowneyegirl I read a lot online in the past few days about Phone soap and one thing I read was it hadn't been tested as being effective on the corona virus so they couldn't yet it is.

[Abrowneyegirl]

---

@Pearlee wrote:
@AbrowneyegirlI read a lot online in the past few days about Phone soap and one thing I read was it hadn't been tested as being effective on the corona virus so they couldn't yet it is.

---

This is true, as NOTHING has been tested for COVID 19 yet, everything the government is recommending the public use is based on assumptions based on similar types of viruses.  

[Moonlady]

Apple says you can use Clorox wipes on phones, 🤔but they also said that you can use a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution. Well, of course you can. IF you don't mind damaging the screen.

Every cell phone manufacturer knows, and every owner should know, that alcohol destroys your screen's oliophobic coating. And they only changed their recommendation of alcohol AND Clorox Wipes, previously a no-no, after the CDC recommended them.

That coating, there to repel fingerprints and oils, and maintain a shiny, slippery, "new" screen surface, which allows for touch-responsiveness, supposedly lasts for the "life of your phone," generally meant to be about 2 years. But poll after poll of users, reflects an average of 6 months.

For people who don't care about their screens, alcohol is a great disinfectant. I used it myself...when my new phone was being shipped lol. By then, I didn't care about the screen.

The Phone Soap gets the job done without removing what's left of that coating. Until the industry decides to improve the life of their oliophobic coatings, that's what gets my vote.

[Abrowneyegirl]

@Moonlady 

Thank you for that additional info.  I was not aware of this coating and the damage caused to it by chemicals.  I sure many are not aware of the damage they are causing.

Since we own a PhoneSoap I only use a damp wipe to remove surface dirt from our phones before placing in the phone soap for disinfecting.