Give Your Phone a Flu Shot

Cold and flu season is fast approaching, and while people are gearing up with flu shots and hand sanitizer, our phones also need some attention to help protect us from getting sick. Asurion, the global leader in helping people unlock the potential of technology, wants to help keep you healthy this flu season.

Our phones are both the germiest things we touch, and one of the things we touch the most. Research shows that phones have more germs than your toilet, and we check them on average of 96 times a day.

"At Asurion, we're constantly observing how people use their tech to help them get more from their devices. But cold and flu viruses are something we don't want you to get from your phone," said Bettie Colombo, Senior Director of Marketing Communications for Asurion. "We understand that phones have become the remote control to our lives and, as such, are often a constant fixture in our hands. While washing your hands is one of the best preventive measures, we have some simple tips to keep your phone clean throughout the cold and flu season."

Asurion experts are sharing top device disinfecting tips to help keep your phone clean so you can spend time with family and friends, not sick in bed:

Establish a Cleaning Routine

Wipe it down daily: While disinfecting wipes are great for killing germs, they're too harsh on your phone's screen. Instead, try a lint-free, microfiber cloth — the kind you'd use to clean eyeglasses — to remove everyday fingerprints and dirt from your phone's surface.

Cleaning solution: Give your phone a deeper clean once a week by using distilled water and 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Mix one-part water with one-part alcohol in a spray bottle, use it to lightly dampen a microfiber cloth, then rub the cloth across the exterior surface areas of your phone that your hands naturally touch. Remember to first turn off your phone and remove the case (see below for case cleaning), and avoid getting any moisture in the cracks or charging port while cleaning. Stay away from spraying the solution or any spray cleaners directly on your phone, which can damage your device.

Try UV light: Want to skip the dirty work altogether? Consider a UV sanitizing device. These use ultraviolet light to kill 99.9 percent of germs in 10 minutes, and it charges your phone while it cleans.

Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Nearly 45% of Americans have talked, texted or checked their phones while in a public restroom, and nearly 60% of adults admit to pulling out their phones at the table while out eating or drinking with others2. Avoid pulling out your phone in high-germ areas such as bathrooms, restaurants, public transportation or setting it on the table at a coffee shop. And if you do, be sure to disinfect it immediately afterward. People with young children should also disinfect their phones more often.

Don't Forget to Clean

Phone cases: Just take the case off your phone and hand wash the case. For plastic or glass, use soap and water, disinfectant spray, disinfectant wipes or glass cleaner. If you have a leather case but no leather cleaner, just wipe it down with soap and water. Make sure it is dry before putting the case back on your phone.

SOURCE Asurion


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