Smartphone and tablet hygiene

As most users access the BloodPressureDB app on a smartphone or tablet, the cleanliness of these devices is worth considering. Especially when colds, influenza or SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus) are circulating, there have been more reports about mobile phone hygiene.

{Fehler für :template{template="id:90" param1="/Lexikon/Informationen Blutdruck: Grundlagen/Hoher Blutdruck Symptome" param2=" Smartphone-Hygiene"}They are our constant companions. We pick them up dozens of times a day to type messages, open apps, search the web, scroll, play, and so on all via the screen, often without first washing our hands after those hands have touched many different things. What does that mean for hygiene? How often and how should the screen or the entire smartphone be cleaned?

Phone screens are often portrayed as real germ hotbeds. Indeed, various bacteria can be found on touchscreens. Most of them, however, are bacteria people naturally carry and that usually don't harm healthy individuals. Opinions differ on how heavily devices are colonized with bacteria. A 2015 study found only one bacterium per square centimeter. Other sources mention more than 100 bacteria, but they don't state the area measured.

Unfortunately, there are no studies on virus transmission via the screen or the phone as a whole. In general, it's assumed that virus contamination is similar to bacterial contamination.

Since the smartphone reflects your personal hygiene, it's important to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap. According to microbiologist Prof. Markus Egert, the smartphone itself should be wiped now and then with a slightly damp cloth or a microfiber cloth such as a glasses-cleaning cloth. This already removes most microorganisms and greasy residues where bacteria can multiply. Even the often unconscious wiping on your jeans or t-shirt helps here.

If you use your phone in a clinical setting or in public, you should disinfect it. But be careful: the screen has a special oil-repellent coating that can be damaged by harsh cleaners including many disinfectants, alcohol, but also dish soap and soapy water which can affect usability or cause streaking. For that reason, the screen should be protected from the start with a screen protector. That can be wiped with a cloth dampened with disinfectant. There are also special screen cleaners that are compatible with the material and suitable for cleaning smartphones. It's advisable to make sure these are labeled "virucidal" or "limited virucidal." For cleaning the ports, you'll find many guides online on how to clean them using cotton swabs, toothpicks and the like.

In summary, a smartphone mainly reflects your hand hygiene. If you wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, it's enough to wipe your smartphone or tablet regularly with a microfiber cloth. If devices are used in clinical settings or in public, they should be cleaned with appropriate cleaners. Harsh cleaners like disinfectant solutions, alcohol, soapy water, etc., can damage the screen. A screen protector is recommended because it can also be wiped with disinfectant. For this, spray the product onto a cloth and clean the smartphone with it. The screen protector also reduces the risk of mechanically damaging the screen if, for example, there are crumbs during cleaning that could cause scratches.

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Smartphone and tablet hygiene

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