One often-neglected item in the household cleaning routine is something even the most diligent of cleaners might miss: your phone.
Your mucky mobile – or a shared landline or office phone – can be a breeding ground for germs. With up to 25,127 germs per square inch, they harbour more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
While it’s easy to forget to clean your phone, there are straightforward methods to reduce the germ exposure you face daily, whether you’re at home or on the go.
Experts advise: “Phones and headsets are used frequently and can easily become contaminated with bacteria – especially in offices with shared phones and devices.”
Hygiene experts at the Digital PR Agency recommend using disinfectant wipes to clean these devices daily, especially the mouthpiece and earpiece areas.
They say: “If your headset has foam parts, consider buying some replacement pieces to replace the original every few weeks.”
For foam components, they suggest: “Alternatively you can use warm water or hydrogen peroxide to clean foam pieces. Since they tend to act like a sponge, soap, or liquid detergents will be impossible to rinse fully.”
But it’s not just phones that are teeming with germs, reports the Mirror. Keyboards, mice, and computer screens are also revealed to be veritable hotspots for bacteria, according to the cleaning expert.
They added: “High-touch items can harbour a lot of germs. And an average of 1,676 per square inch with an average mouse measuring roughly 10 square inches, there could be up to 16,760 germs on your computer mouse right now.”
They continued: “Wipe them down with disinfectant wipes or a cloth sprayed with a mild cleaning solution at the end of each day to help minimise the risk of illness. Also, don’t forget to wash your hands before eating lunch.”
However, there’s a silver lining as it turns out that computer screens, though still in need of regular cleaning, aren’t typically as ridden with germs as other items.
They suggested: “They can collect dust, grime and fingerprints over time, as well as germs and bacteria. Use a microfiber cloth and a screen-safe cleaner to wipe down your screens weekly, ensuring clear visibility and a germ-free environment.”