Smartphones never leave our sides, we take them to school, work and to run errands. We use them in the kitchen, at the gym and some people even use them on the toilet! Germs spread from touching ATMs, self-serve checkouts and public transport to our phone screens, then we hold them close to our nose and mouth where we can breathe in harmful bacteria.
A study by The London school of Hygiene and Medicine found one in six smartphones are contaminated with faecal matter. Faecal matter (poop) contains thousands of germs that can cause a number of illnesses such as salmonella infection, hand-foot-mouth disease, hepatitis A and meningitis. Illnesses spread through faecal matter often will show symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. Home doctor experts at House Call Doctor suggest if you experience these symptoms it is best to avoid spreading your germs and contact your doctor or After-hours GP.
Without realising we instantly spread germs from our hands every time we pick up our smartphones. Here are some ways you can ensure your smartphone screen stays as germ-free as possible.
- Avoid using your smartphone on the toilet
- Regularly wash your hands with soap to avoid spreading germs to your touchscreen
- Use a microfiber cloth to wipe your smartphone screen regularly
- If your phone is waterproof, use a sanitiser spray and microfiber cloth
- Use anti-bacterial wipes to clean your screen once a day
- Sanitise or wash your hands before using your smartphone after touching public touchscreens like self-service checkouts or ATMs.
By becoming more aware of the surfaces you touch or the places you use your smartphone, you can avoid spreading harmful faecal matter and the illnesses it causes.
