Phone Sanitizer?

[paulyron]

Have an iphone and whenever I use it outside or it gets dirty, I always use some 70% alcohol on it with a paper towel. Or I use those other wipes for it.


I heard about phone sanitizers like phonesoap. Do these work and are these better? Seems nice you just put your phone there a bit and it sanitizes it and that is all? Reviews seem really mixed. Some cheaper phone sanitizers are not as good? I check amazon site and there are several.

[JonS77]

How dirty is it getting? Are you in specially greasy situations? I have been using an optic cleaning fiber, one of them small ones you get from any optic store for cheap, and it alway does the job and I don't really need any alcohol or other products. Alcohol might even do more bad than good in the long run if you constantly run it over your phone. If I accidentally get anything on my phone I just use a bit of bottled filtered drinking water to wipe it clean.

 

If you've just bought the phone and just enjoy it looking brand new and want it to stay that way, it's understandable. But I don't think you need to be constantly cover it in cleaning products or things you see advertised. If you are germophobic that's a different matter, but if the phone gets the regular amount of wear during the day as everyone else, then you can just get used to cleaning it with one of those optic cleaning fabrics and occasionally some water.

[IkeaGnome]

Unless there’s something big I’m missing, there could also be some personal hygiene brought up here. 
I have my phone in a case and have a screen protector, but take it underground in a mine every day at work. Grease, smoke, cigarette smoke and my phone has yet to get sticky or gross. I get dust in the speakers, but that’s easily cleaned out. 
In case you’re wondering if mining is actually rough on stuff here you go. Granted they’re coal and not hard rock like I am, so that person has more dust, but similar conditions. 
https://www.lttstore.com/blogs/the-newsletter-archive/miners-backpack-evaluation

[ImWilly]

1 hour ago, paulyron said:

I always use some 70% alcohol on it with a paper towel. Or I use those other wipes for it.

You may use 70% alcohol once in a while, but don't overly use it, as it will bring more wear on the phone, especially on the oleophobic layer on the screen (even if you have screen protector, it will gradually wear the oleophobic coating on the screen protector as well)

1 hour ago, paulyron said:

phone sanitizers like phonesoap

IMO, UV treatment is nice to have but doesn't replace cleaning by wiping with alcohol / optic screen cleaner since UV doesn't remove dirt or visible smudges

My very hot take, even after UV tanning, once you touch your phone or put it on the table, trousers, put it on your face for phone call, just breathe near your phone, etc, it will introduce bacteria/any microorganism immediately. 

So the use case of UV tanning becomes a niche category, such as borrowing phone from a friend, the phone is recovered after falling into the sewer (for some reason), someone with extremely low antibody immunity, or in my personal experience, dealing with someone with extremely high ego profile that want to be seen with VVIP treatment when being handed things over

 

[Godlygamer23]

13 minutes ago, ImWilly said:

You may use 70% alcohol once in a while, but don't overly use it, as it will bring more wear on the phone, especially on the oleophobic layer on the screen (even if you have screen protector, it will gradually wear the oleophobic coating on the screen protector as well)

If you have a screen protector and are hell bent on sanitizing your phone, you can also just replace the screen protector as you see the layer disappearing. You can also replace the coating that's on the glass directly.

[paulyron]

I don't mean dirty as in greasy.  I mean like when you use it when outside, you are touching everything.  Or if you even put it in your pocket, well it's dirty assuming you might put other things in that pocket now or previously.

 

 

How do you use the 70% alcohol correctly?  I would pour alcohol into a bounty towel and wipe the screen and side.  Then use another bounty towel and do it the other side.  The issue with this is I pour too much alcohol usually and it's very wet and the alcohol gets on my hands and I have to wash my hands.  So you should use those pumps where you put a paper towel or napkin into it so that way very few alcohol get in the napkin or paper towel and then you wipe it?  Or what about those wipes that you use once but are in like a huge pack of 50 or 100.  Those are better since there isn't that much alcohol in it right?

 

 

The reason I ask about phone sanitizer like phonesoap and similar things is because with that, it seems to sanitize and disinfect it without introducing liquid to the screen.  I don't use a screen protector.

[Godlygamer23]

3 minutes ago, paulyron said:

I don't mean dirty as in greasy.  I mean like when you use it when outside, you are touching everything.  Or if you even put it in your pocket, well it's dirty assuming you might put other things in that pocket now or previously.

 

 

How do you use the 70% alcohol correctly?  I would pour alcohol into a bounty towel and wipe the screen and side.  Then use another bounty towel and do it the other side.  The issue with this is I pour too much alcohol usually and it's very wet and the alcohol gets on my hands and I have to wash my hands.  So you should use those pumps where you put a paper towel or napkin into it so that way very few alcohol get in the napkin or paper towel and then you wipe it?  Or what about those wipes that you use once but are in like a huge pack of 50 or 100.  Those are better since there isn't that much alcohol in it right?

 

 

The reason I ask about phone sanitizer like phonesoap and similar things is because with that, it seems to sanitize and disinfect it without introducing liquid to the screen.  I don't use a screen protector.

I just use a microfiber towel to my screen. It gets pretty much everything off that is visible. And I would also use a microfiber towel/cloth when applying alcohol as well. If the protective coating comes off, you can reapply one, either a similar solution or a different product altogether, and make it part of your maintenance routine to keep your phone looking new.

[paulyron]

How do you clean the microfiber towel each time?  How big is it?  Do you use it on only for your phone or what other items you use it on?

[Godlygamer23]

2 minutes ago, paulyron said:

How do you clean the microfiber towel each time?  How big is it?  Do you use it on only for your phone or what other items you use it on?

1.) I throw them in the washer, or you can wash them in a sink with soap.

2.) The last one I used was something you would use on a car usually. The ones used for glasses also work.

3.) I use them for my phone and my glasses, but keeping them clean is important, especially with the smaller ones, owing to the more limited capacity to hold material.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

1 hour ago, ImWilly said:

You may use 70% alcohol once in a while, but don't overly use it, as it will bring more wear on the phone, especially on the oleophobic layer on the screen (even if you have screen protector, it will gradually wear the oleophobic coating on the screen protector as well)

i forgot that layer even existed but now that you mention it afaik it basically makes your screen slippery and actually nice to use especially if you drag your finger on it, i only know this because some old everythingapplepro videos or something like that just doing something to get rid of this layer (burning, scratching, idk honestly forgot)

 

i usually just wipe my phone with my clothes, maybe ill spray with 99% ipa if it gets really dirty

[cultronk]

having reviewed about 13 "free" UV sanitizing gizmos from amaz0n the best test IMHO is to leave a piece of fruit on the counter until it starts to grow fuzz.  Direct UV at the fruit.  If it does not 100% retard fuzz growth then it's not for you.

 

there are more-than-cases full enclosures for harsh environments.  enjoy the heat throttling.  

 

The other concern is gunk in phone orifices

 

 

[GamerDude]

I have a phone sanitizer thingamajig from back when we were coming out of the pandemic, it's a box where you can put your phone, watch, rings, any small personal belongings that can fit into it. Connect the box to a USB charger and it'll bathe your belongings in UV. I still have that sucka around somewhere, and I recall buying it online...