People clean dirtiest object with their clothes: Mobile phones
Several studies show that mobile phones can be dirtier than toilets seats. We have asked people in nine countries how and how often they clean their mobile phones.
Earlier studies
2007 cell phone retailer Dial-a-Phone swabbed everyday household objects from toilet seats to mobile phones. The research confirmed the presence of skin bacteria including staphylococcus aureus on the phones. These bacteria are toxic to humans, and can cause infections if they have the opportunity to enter the body.
In 2008 news channel KCBD swabbed ear pieces, mouth pieces and keypads of 18 different cell phones. They tested phones belonging to people who work in sales, daycares and hospitals, not to forget mentioning phones belonging to teenagers and news people. The results were the same.
Another interesting study was published in 2009 by P Datta, Rani H, Cahnder J and Gupta V at the Department of Microbiology in Chandigarh, India. They discovered that mobile phones used by health care workers are a means of spreading hospital infections, making patients sicker.
What makes cell phones so dirty?
There are several factors making cell phone especially dirty:
- They are frequently used;
- They are used in every thinkable situation – in the kitchen, in the office, on the bus, on the toilet, on the street, in the restaurant etc.
- They get handed over to other people if needed;
- They generate their own heat, making bacteria grow;
- They are kept in sweaty areas, e.g. pant pockets.
At the same time we lack routines for cleaning mobile phones. There are no cleaning instructions available. There is no big market for cell phone cleaning kits. And bacteria on cell phones enter our bodies easily through the skin, mouth and ears.
Hygiene Matters 2010
The survey behind SCA’s hygiene report Hygiene Matters 2010 included the question “How often do you clean your mobile phone to get rid of dirt and bacteria?”.
About 5,000 people in Australia, China, France, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, the UK, and the USA answered, with 22,1 percent never cleaning their mobile phones. However 15,9 percent say that they clean their mobile phones daily.
As many as 36,8 percent of the Swedes are never cleaning their cell phones, while Mexicans and Russians are with 33,3 percent and 23,3 percent respectively ranking highest amongst the daily cleaners.
Hygiene question of the month
As we wanted to know more about people’s cell phone cleaning habits, we asked more questions as a “Hygiene question of the month” on hygienematters.com in December 2009 and January 2010.
Almost half of the respondents use their clothes to clean this means of communications that might be dirtier than a toilet seat. 27,2 percent use a paper towel, while only 8,8 percent use some kind of mobile phone cleaning set.
Some survey participants stated that they don’t clean their phones because they might get damaged by dampness, soap, chemicals etc. Other respondents recommended computer cleaning formula, a lint free cloth and wet napkins.
Text Konstantin C Irina
