When cold and flu season arrives, most of us wash our hands more often and wipe down door handles and counters. But the things we touch most, our phones, keyboards and remotes, usually get forgotten. This checklist helps you add your devices to your seasonal routine.
Why Devices Matter This Time of Year
Researchers have found that phones can carry a wide range of microbes, and we touch them constantly, often right after touching other surfaces. Keeping your devices clean is a simple habit that fits alongside handwashing, which public health agencies still name as one of the best ways to stay healthy during flu season.
Checklist: Every Day
- Phone: wipe the screen, back and case with a microfiber cloth.
- Earbuds: wipe the outside and the charging case with a dry cloth.
- Wash your hands before you pick up your phone after being out.
Checklist: Every Few Days
- Laptop: wipe the keyboard, trackpad and palm rest.
- Mouse and desk phone: give them a quick wipe.
- Family devices: tablets and game controllers that get passed around.
Checklist: Every Week
- Deep clean your phone: take off the case and clean both.
- TV remote: clean the buttons and the gaps between them.
- Wash your microfiber cloths so you aren't wiping old grime back on.
When Someone at Home Is Sick
- Try not to share phones, tablets or controllers.
- Clean shared devices more often.
- If you want to disinfect a device, follow the maker's guidance first. Some phone and laptop makers allow specific disinfecting wipes on certain surfaces, and some don't.
Clean Safely
More cleaning shouldn't mean damaging your screens. Always power off first, spray the cloth and not the device, and use a cleaner made for electronics instead of household sprays.
Stock Up for the Season
Keep a cloth and cleaner at home, at work and in your bag. Shop phone cleaning essentials →https://tech2clean.com/pages/shop