Cell phone hygiene

Cell phones found to be 7 times filthier than a toilet/

There are articles out there about where are the highest concentrations of bacteria/germs/viruses on surfaces. Air planes - just put on your hazmat suit and respirator - fecal material, vomit, recirculated air . . . .

Hotels - the remote control, bring your own zip lock bag and use it through that.

The most recent I read was the cell phone. It goes to the bathroom with you, through your day as you touch various surfaces, and, without sanitizing, you touch your cell phone. And it is near your face so it is coming in contact with potential pathogens/bacteria.

Nitrile/latex gloves

70% or stronger ETOH

Microfiber cloth

q -tips

Be careful if your phone isn't waterproof.

Take off and clean separately the Otterbox or whatever protective casing it might be in

The recommendation is to clean it once or twice a day.

Just be aware.

It's crazy that I have never thought of that!

Now going to get some antibacterial wipes to clean my phone and otterbox case!

Is there not a possibility that by antibacterial wiping everything we are reducing the effectiveness of out immune system?

Just wondering

question: I know anti-bacterial stuff work on bacteria.  Do they do anything for viruses?  

It depends on what is in the antibacterial stuff.

Wrap your cell phone in a zip lock bag, secured with a little tape, cut outs for speaker and microphone. Change daily - A LOT of plastic.

Please be aware that many chemical antibacterials are toxic to YOU not just bacteria and viruses and can lower your immune function.

 goes to the bathroom with you,

yuck!!!
People really take them into the bathroom?
...and talk on them?

I always joked about not wanting to call someone on a cell phone for fear they were somewhere that I did not want to know....

We still have a wall phone only so this cell phone thing is out of my experience

I'm with you Judith!   We still have our wall phones and love them!
Only certain company cell phones might even work around here anyway!
Liz has one with data so she can use her square reader at craft shows and I have one for calling home while working out of state.  
We both hate them and mine has been at the tips of my fingers while I contemplated how far I could throw it and would it hopefully crash and break! So far I haven't let go...so far!

As far as bacteria and viruses goes.  The folks who have compromised immune systems are certainly in danger ... just like they are every flue season.
For the rest of us, its situation normal for flue season.
Just leave the news off and things will look better!

I just dropped my phone in the toilet, so it is probably ok now.

I figure my cellphone and computer keyboard are a part of my personal biome. It is good to remember how filthy they are. But I don't worry about it since I don't share them with strangers.
Public keyboards and touchscreens are something to watch out for.

I use a phone - constantly- at work. I also use my hands constantly. I use a bluetooth earbug that I can bump to answer or call, using the noncontact part of my hands like the back of the knuckle. Phone stays in its case all day. I wash my hands before contacting the phone and I clean it every day at this stage. Alcohol will kill anything with enough contact time, even your liver...

In wilderness first aid we are taught how to save lives with a knife and a roll of duct tape.  At that time, satellite phones were difficult to get and expensive, so we assumed we would be a week or less away from help.  

The most important thing was, when bandaging a wound, to use the person's own clothing.  Do not use your clothing.  They are already well acquainted with their germs.  Anything with lots of loss of blood, you duct tape the clothing to the person to make it stop bleeding.  

I don't have a cellphone so I don't know cellphone etiquette.  But personally, I can't stand the idea of touching another person's phone.  That's like touching another person's used hankerchief.  yuck.  

If I had a phone, I would probably give it a wipe down each night.  Probably more often during the cold and flu season.  Like a handkerchief, one doesn't keep using it day after day without a good cleaning.