The iPhone: The Dirtiest Item A Person Owns
Over time, iPhones have been incorporated into practically every aspect of a person’s daily routine. People check their phones when they get up in the morning, use them to play music in the shower, take them with them to school or work, use them on practically all forms of public transit, and more. For this reason alone it shouldn’t be surprising that these little boxes of metal often carry more germs than a public bathroom toilet seat.
Why is this? What makes peoples’ handheld devices so gross? Well, according to a survey by Deloitte, the average American checks their phone approximately 47 times a day. One thing that is for sure is that the average person definitely does not wash their hands that many times daily. This gives those pesky bacteria plenty of time to be transferred from your hands to your phone, making it not so surprising that your phone often is covered with that many germs.
Scientists at Arizona University definitely agree with this, as after conducting a recent study, they found that the average person’s cell phone is ten times dirtier than a toilet seat. While this is probably true, and understandably gross, most of the germs and bacteria found on a person’s iPhone do not make them ill. In fact, a person’s hand often holds many natural bacteria, different oils, and microbes (the human skin is naturally covered in them!).
Although this is true and for the most part people have nothing to worry about, there are still the most harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella or E.coli to worry about. So how can people prevent the transmission of these pathogens and subsequently becoming ill?
For one, everyone needs to stop bringing their phones with them to the bathroom. Many people enjoy “mindlessly scrolling” on their phones as they finish taking care of business. This is a problem. When doing this, the person increases their chance of introducing their device to a multitude of harmful bacteria, such as E.coli and others that are spread through the transmission of feces. Furthermore, even if people wash their hands thoroughly after using the bathroom, chances are there is still lingering bacteria on the phone, which just gets on the person’s hands again once they pick up the device just a few minutes later.
Another way this spread of bacteria can be prevented is to make a habit of sanitizing the smartphone. After using public transportation or the bathroom with their phone in hand, it is important for the person to not only sanitize their hands, but also their phone. This way they can get rid of all the leftover bacteria that their phone is harboring.
Although this issue isn’t a severe threat to everybody’s well-being as a society, it shouldn’t be taken lightly either. For some, these bacteria can be deadly, especially for the immunocompromised, or for those who suffer from other health conditions. This is why it is important to keep clean, to keep everybody healthy!
