How to properly disinfect your devices to protect against coronavirus

Properly disinfecting your devices

As proper hygiene becomes a major concern with coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, people are taking extra steps to clean everything. But there's a proper way to disinfect your devices and High Tech Texan, Michael Garfield, shows us how.

As proper hygiene becomes a major concern with coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, people are taking extra steps to clean the things and surfaces we come into contact with every day.

The thing we touch constantly, not only with our hands but also our faces? Your cell phone.

Why is it so important to keep your phone clean? After we touch a door handle or shake someone's hand, we often pick up our phone shortly after, transferring germs to the device and then onto our face and mouth when we take a call.

At this time, we don't yet have an exact time frame for how long the virus can survive on certain surfaces.

There's a proper way to disinfect your devices and High Tech Texan, Michael Garfield, shows us how.

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DO NOT use rubbing alcohol on your electronics. Screens often have a special coating to protect the device from oils and water, which rubbing alcohol can slowly erode.

DO NOT spray cleaner directly on the device or speakers.

ALWAYS use a microfiber cloth to clean your devices. Napkins, paper towels, and other materials are too harsh. Spray your screen cleaner on the cloth and wipe down your devices. Alternatively, Apple now says it's safe to use Clorox wipes on their devices.

Wipe down the front and back of your phone, but also don't forget to take off any cases and clean underneath where germs can get trapped.

Repeat this process very often, especially if others handle your devices or if you touch a lot of public surfaces.

Do the same steps with your keyboard, computer mouse, and TV remotes. Spray the cleaner on a cloth and spend a good few minutes wiping down these devices.