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I always use Lysol wipes. I've used them on all my devices, and its been fine so far. After I wipe them down I'll use a paper towel or damp towel to clear the smudges off the screen.
 
OK, so saying they become resistant to antibiotics was an error. But over use of disinfectants will lead to bacteria becoming resistant to antimicrobial agents. Which, if you exchange "antibiotics" for "antibacterials" the method of bacteria becoming resistant is the same.

Just for a brief example: Disinfecting Wipes May Spread, Not Kill, Germs




Disinfectants Cause Some Bacteria to Adapt, Thrive

You aren't going to catch Anthrax from not sanitizing your phone. Within minutes it will be just as dirty again. Just get on with life and let your body deal with it. I'm a farmer and have lost count of how many times my face has been splattered with cow ****. Haven't had a day off work sick for 7 years (when I tore a ligament in my foot).

What? There isn't talk of anthrax. I like some others want my phone to be decreased and cleaned. I'm not germophobic do not use a paper towel to open the bathroom door. However I use 70% alcohol daily.

Phone has that new, clean phone feeling.
 
OK, so saying they become resistant to antibiotics was an error. But over use of disinfectants will lead to bacteria becoming resistant to antimicrobial agents. Which, if you exchange "antibiotics" for "antibacterials" the method of bacteria becoming resistant is the same.

Just for a brief example: Disinfecting Wipes May Spread, Not Kill, Germs




Disinfectants Cause Some Bacteria to Adapt, Thrive

You aren't going to catch Anthrax from not sanitizing your phone. Within minutes it will be just as dirty again. Just get on with life and let your body deal with it. I'm a farmer and have lost count of how many times my face has been splattered with cow ****. Haven't had a day off work sick for 7 years (when I tore a ligament in my foot).

Alcohol won't cause antibiotic resistance. It is an antiseptic, not an antibiotic. I do avoid using it however since I'm not sure if the oleophobic coating tolerates alcohol well

Since you mention being a farmer... using antibiotics in animal feed is a big cause for antibiotic resistance. IIRC the FDA finally put some restrictions on that earlier this year, but much of the damage is done. And of course overuse in India gave us many of the multi resistant superbugs we have today.
 
There is no way of disinfecting an item like the iPhone. Too many nooks and cranies like the home button, other buttons, joints between screen and metal, etc.

Like some of our wonderful members stated, an autoclave will sanitize your iPhone but it will no longer work.

Cell phones are very high on the list of items with lots of germs but there is little you can do to change this.
 
Alcohol won't cause antibiotic resistance. It is an antiseptic, not an antibiotic. I do avoid using it however since I'm not sure if the oleophobic coating tolerates alcohol well

Since you mention being a farmer... using antibiotics in animal feed is a big cause for antibiotic resistance. IIRC the FDA finally put some restrictions on that earlier this year, but much of the damage is done. And of course overuse in India gave us many of the multi resistant superbugs we have today.

My farm is organic. And in the UK. Dairy cows can't have routine antibiotics anyway because antibiotics aren't allowed in the milk so there are withdrawal periods from the end of administration to milk being allowed back into the food chain. Milk is checked by the buyer every day for antibiotic traces. That has been practice for years.

Like I said, my initial use of antibiotic was wrong choice of word. Thread title was "What is the safest way to disinfect an iphone?" to which I posted links to articles relating to the downside of overuse of disinfectants.

My reason for hyperbolising about Anthrax is that there is nothing to gain from disinfecting a phone.

Also, I don't think I mentioned "alcohol" in any of my posts.
 
I've used alcohol for years, applied to the cloth first. Phones, pads, laptops, assorted electronics. Twice a month on my heavy use items.

Extra note: higher % evaporates faster
 
I must be the only one that doesn't clean my phone to that extent.... A quick wipe if actually dirty but other than that nothing at all!
 
My reason for hyperbolising about Anthrax is that there is nothing to gain from disinfecting a phone.



Also, I don't think I mentioned "alcohol" in any of my posts.


The point is not to make the phone sterile (impossible, as someone pointed out because of the buttons and gaps), but to reasonably reduce the amount of infectious agents on the device.

People generally hold phones up to their face when making a call. It's basically the same as wiping your face with your hands, which is how cold viruses and influenza can infect you (eyes and nose are common entry points).

I brought up alcohol because many disinfecting wipes are alcohol-based. Check any medical occupational setting. When patients get injections the injection site is swabbed with an isopropyl alcohol wipe.
 
I must be the only one that doesn't clean my phone to that extent.... A quick wipe if actually dirty but other than that nothing at all!


Ditto. I never saw the point of disinfecting everything in daily life. I rarely get sick though so maybe I'd feel differently if that wasn't the case.
 
Ditto. I never saw the point of disinfecting everything in daily life. I rarely get sick though so maybe I'd feel differently if that wasn't the case.

Yeah, really the only thing I clean regularly is my computer mouse, mostly because it gets physical gunk build up... Keyboard comes second once you start seeing the grime. Other than that I'm terrible about germs, really don't even wash my hands. The most I'll do is hand sanitizer if I've touched something particularly gross.

The most sick I get is a cold every year or two. I've never had the flu and only started getting the flu shot the past couple years. Can't even remember the last time I've been throwing up sick.
 
My farm is organic. And in the UK. Dairy cows can't have routine antibiotics anyway because antibiotics aren't allowed in the milk so there are withdrawal periods from the end of administration to milk being allowed back into the food chain. Milk is checked by the buyer every day for antibiotic traces. That has been practice for years.

Like I said, my initial use of antibiotic was wrong choice of word. Thread title was "What is the safest way to disinfect an iphone?" to which I posted links to articles relating to the downside of overuse of disinfectants.

My reason for hyperbolising about Anthrax is that there is nothing to gain from disinfecting a phone.

Also, I don't think I mentioned "alcohol" in any of my posts.

Sounds like the UK is better about limiting antibioitic use. Good.

Most people, myself included, mentioned alcohol since it's commonly used to clean screens and such, and it will be able to disinfect without causing resistance issues. I do generally agree that many people go over the top disinfecting things.

The point is not to make the phone sterile (impossible, as someone pointed out because of the buttons and gaps), but to reasonably reduce the amount of infectious agents on the device.

People generally hold phones up to their face when making a call. It's basically the same as wiping your face with your hands, which is how cold viruses and influenza can infect you (eyes and nose are common entry points).

I brought up alcohol because many disinfecting wipes are alcohol-based. Check any medical occupational setting. When patients get injections the injection site is swabbed with an isopropyl alcohol wipe.

Unless someone you know to be infected or potentially infected handles your iPhone, I wouldn't bother going out of your way to disinfect it. Fact of the matter is that bacteria are everywhere, and the vast majority are not harmful. Many are even beneficial. Alcohol is great for general cleaning, but if the phone is reasonably clean, it's just a waste of time and an alcohol swab.

Wiping an injection site is warranted, because you are bypassing the body's lines of defense and potentially giving an infectious agent direct access to your blood. In such a case, reducing infection risk is wise.
 
I like how everyone is arguing here. I just want to disinfect my iphone because I bought it second hand 3 months ago. Don't ask me why I waited that long to clean it, I just started thinking about it.
 
I like how everyone is arguing here. I just want to disinfect my iphone because I bought it second hand 3 months ago. Don't ask me why I waited that long to clean it, I just started thinking about it.

Do what you want. My iPhone and iPad gets cleaned daily with isopropyl. When I don't have alcohol I use windex.
 
Do what you want. My iPhone and iPad gets cleaned daily with isopropyl. When I don't have alcohol I use windex.

I don't know why buy it is very hard in my country to buy isopropyl,hard to find
 
Phonesoap.com I haven't tried this product but maybe its what you're looking.


That's an interesting gadget, but way overkill (literally) LOL. Reasonable reduction of pathogens is useful for some people. Not sure that irradiating everything provides additional benefit in most cases.
 
What? There isn't talk of anthrax. I like some others want my phone to be decreased and cleaned. I'm not germophobic do not use a paper towel to open the bathroom door. However I use 70% alcohol daily.

Phone has that new, clean phone feeling.

I actually think opening the bathroom door with a paper towel is more sensible. That way, you don't get the cooties on your hands to transfer to the phone in the first place.

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I like how everyone is arguing here. I just want to disinfect my iphone because I bought it second hand 3 months ago. Don't ask me why I waited that long to clean it, I just started thinking about it.

By all means, do the alcohol wipe, but I'm thinking after three months, you would have already caught whatever was on the phone.
 
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