Saturday, March 28, 2020

Should You Clean Your Phone to Combat Coronavirus? Definitely... Maybe.


Corona-virus germs can be anywhere, including in our phones. We take our phones everywhere, we touch it with our hands that have touched a variety of things that could be infected and then bring it to our face to make a phone call. For years, famous phone companies like Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft have never recommended to use Clorox or Lysol disinfecting wipes, only a soft microfiber cloth. The reason is because phone screens are protected by a coating called the oleophobic coating, which prevents any liquid from damaging the phone, but will wear out over time. However, all of a sudden, phone companies have approved the use of Clorox wipes in their phones. Why is that so? 

Phones are like a hand that needs to be washed because they are taken everywhere and exposed to millions of germs. Wall Street Journalist Joanna Stern proves in her phone disinfecting experiment that your phone's oleophobic coating will still be fine after disinfecting it more than one thousand times using clorox wipes.

I found this article interesting because it relates a lot to technology, product, and promotion. For years, disinfecting wipes have been disapproved for phones and all of a sudden they are promoted as a way to disinfect our phones. Stern's research video could also be viewed as advertising for the clorox and lysol companies because she specifically addresses those brands, although it was not advertisement. After reading this article and watching the video, it has brought me peace of mind that commonly used disinfecting products are safe for technology. After individuals view the article and video, they will feel more encouraged to purchase the wipes. If we wash our hands, but then touch our dirty phone, then our hands become infected again. Phones silently transmit germs, and it is important that we clean them often during the pandemic. 


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