Even before the rise of the covid-19 pandemic people needed an easy and effective way to properly disinfect cell phones. Following the pandemic, however, there is a heightened need to keep cell phones sanitized and clean which according to researchers are teeming with bacteria and microbes at any given moment.
When was the last time you used your cell phone? Maybe you just got off a call with a coworker. Maybe you just liked your friend’s post on Facebook. Or maybe you are reading this very article from your cell phone. Regardless, most of us use our cell phones on a daily basis, and most of us consider our cell phones as integral components of modern life.
Believe it or not, your cell phone is actually one of the dirtiest objects that you come in contact with on a daily basis.
How to Disinfect a Cell Phone?
According to Time Magazine, the average cellphone is 10 Times Dirtier than a toilet seat. This might leave many with the question: “How do you disinfect your cell phone properly?” This article will delve into the different options people have for disinfecting their cell phones and discusses why UV light cell phone disinfection is the safest and most convenient way to keep your cell phone clean.
Why is it important to disinfect a cell phone?
Studies have shown that cell phone disinfection is incredibly important to maintaining a healthy and sanitary life. Cell phones, on average, harbor over 25,000 microorganisms per square inch! This is compared to 8,600 for a public doorknob, and 1,700 for your kitchen counter. Furthermore, cell phones facilitate bacterial longevity, and some bacteria have been shown to be able to live for up to 16 months on the screen of a cell phone. Overall, cell phones are incredibly dirty and harbor a multitude of microbes that can pose dangers to your health.
The situation only worsens when you consider the ways we actually use our cell phones. 88% of people say that they use their cell phones while in the bathroom. When we speak on the phone, our phones touch our faces and go near our mouths. In many situations, we even share our cell phones with others. Given all of this, it is clear that cell phone disinfection should be an integral component of regular cell phone usage. And the best way to disinfect cell phone devices is via UV light.
Best Way to Disinfect A Cell Phone
There are many ways to disinfect a cell phone. Traditional cell phone cleaning generally involves the use of chemical cleaning products. Using this method, one manually wipes the device with a chemical cleaner, trying to reach all of the surfaces on the cell phone. Though this is how cell phones are typically cleaned, there are a host of problems with this method.
First, cleaning products can be toxic to the environment and the product being cleaned. Chemical cleaning products can be corrosive to the cell phone itself, degrading and discoloring the plastics used in cell phone manufacturing.
Second, chemical wipes and cleaning products have finite lifespans and are generally only good for one use. This creates large amounts of avoidable chemical waste, and replacing these products is very expensive. In a professional setting, disinfecting mobile devices with chemical cleaners requires the constant ordering, socking, and disposal of cleaning products which is wasteful, time-consuming, and expensive.
Third, many cleaning products are actually harmful to the skin and can cause serious damage with prolonged exposure. During the covid-19 pandemic, when people were using greater amounts of chemical cleaning products than ever before, we realized how irritable constant exposure to chemical cleaning products can be.
Fourth, chemical cleaning processes are susceptible to human error and are often imprecise. It is very difficult to ensure that you reach every square inch of surface for the necessary amount of time when using chemical cleaning products.
And finally, traditional cleaning products leave behind residues which may lead some microbes to develop resistance. This means that over time, the harmful microbes on your cell phone develop resistance to chemical cleaners.
Thankfully, ChargeTech offers an alternative to chemical cell phone cleaning. UV sterilization of cell phones eliminates all of the issues with traditional chemical cleaning methods. Disinfecting a cell phone using UV Light is safe, fast, efficient, and environmentally friendly. It is also cost-effective, incredibly efficacious, and is completely chemical-free. 
The Swift UV can disinfect a cell phone in just 15 seconds. Click on the image to learn more
How does disinfecting a cell phone by UV light work?
Disinfecting a cell phone by UV involves exposing the entirety of an object to germicidal UVC light. UVC light is defined as any light with a wavelength in the 100-280nm range, and wavelengths of 250-280nm are germicidal.
UVC light from the sun is “filtered” by the Earth’s atmosphere and does not naturally reach its surface. This is why UVC light is able to kill harmful microbes--their DNA has no natural resistance. When microbial cells interact with UVC light, the cells’ DNA is damaged and degrades.
Specifically, UVC light interacts with the nucleotide base thymine and stimulates the production and substitution of a thymine dimer in the microbe’s DNA. This prevents the microbe’s DNA from properly coding new cellular proteins, which both prevents the microbe from replicating and kills it.
What can UV light kill?
The germicidal properties of 250-280nm UVC light have been studied extensively, and studies have proven that UVC light kills a multitude of viruses and bacteria including but not limited to:- Sars-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19)
- OC-43 (human coronavirus)
- MRSA
- VRSA
- C. Diff
- E. Coli
This means that UV-C light can kill nearly all pathogens that are known to exist on cell phones and other mobile technology devices.
The Swift UV Light Disinfection station
Is disinfecting my cell phone by UV light safe?
With sufficient light intensity, UV-C light can kill 99.9% of any of these viruses or bacteria, yet many people wonder whether or not it is safe for humans. ChargeTech UV-C products are carefully designed to protect the user from possibly harmful exposure to UV-C rays. ChargeTech's UV-C Clean and Charge Carts, for example, are equipped with a protective window that filters UV-C light to protect the user. This barrier between the user and UV-C bulbs ensures that our products are 100% safe.
Is disinfecting a mobile device by UV Light harmful to the cell phone?
There is a common fear that UV-C light may be harmful to your cell phone or electronic device. In fact, is virtually impossible to experience noticeable deterioration from UV-C light. It would take years of constant exposure to UV-C light to deteriorate the plastic, glass, or metal in common cell phones, whereas in our units, cell phones are only exposed to UV-C light for several minutes at a time. Therefore, disinfecting your cell phone by UV-C is safe for your cell phone and does not corrode it like liquid and chemical cleaners.
The ChargeTech UV-C Clean and Charge Carts are ideal for disinfecting large numbers of devices at once.
Does UV light sterilize or disinfect your cell phone?
It is important to note that UV-C light sterilizes, meaning it kills microbes but does not remove dead microbes from a surface.
UV-C light disinfection is safer, more efficient, more convenient, and more environmentally friendly than chemical disinfection techniques. This is why ChargeTech produces an entire suite of products that allow users to disinfect their cell phones.
What is a UV disinfection system?
A UV disinfection system is a product or device which is used in a standardized process of disinfecting cell phones or other devices. ChargeTech UV-C disinfection products allow our customers to implement a standardized system and protocol for disinfecting mobile devices, keeping them clean in offices, schools, and workplaces of all kinds. It's one of the best options for how to disinfect a cell phone.
ChargeTech UV cell phone disinfection products
CleanCharge by ChargeTech is a collection of antimicrobial and UV disinfection products that are specifically designed to improve the health and safety of today’s classrooms and workplaces. We are dedicated to delivering the next generation of products that meet the highest standards of efficacy in disinfection technology in order to create a cleaner and safer world for us all. Our new generation of UVC products is perfect high-volume cell phone disinfection solutions. These products are described below:
CleanCharge by ChargeTech 10 Bay UV-C Clean and Charge Cart
10 Bay R-Series UV-C Charging Cart
$985.00
The R-Series UV-C Charging Cart conveniently charges and cleans up to 10 devices at once. This unit is ideal for charging a high volume of cell phones or other personal devices. The simple One-Touch control system makes it easy to control the charging and UVC disinfection cycles with the touch of a button.
This second generation of our best-selling UV Clean and Charge Carts comes with several updates to improve the efficacy of UVC disinfection. Newly updated in 2021, the interior of these carts is now made from reflective stainless steel and comes with white dividers that increase the exposure of UVC light on your devices.
The unit’s smart internal cooling system prevents overheating and promotes a more efficient charge. This new and improved unit is the perfect charging solution for healthcare, education, and hospitality clients.
CleanCharge by ChargeTech 30 Bay UV-C Clean and Charge Cart
30 Bay -Series UV-C Charging Cart
$2,445.00
The 30 Bay UV Clean & Charge Cart 2.0 conveniently charges and cleans up to 30 devices at once. This unit is ideal for a high volume of cell phones or other personal devices. The simple One-Touch control system makes it easy to control the charging and UVC disinfection cycles with the touch of a button.
This second generation of our best-selling UV Clean and Charge Carts comes with several updates to improve the efficacy of UVC disinfection of mobile devices. Newly updated in 2021, the interior of these carts is now made from reflective stainless steel and comes with white dividers that increase the exposure of UVC light on your devices.
The unit’s smart internal cooling system prevents overheating and promotes a more efficient charge. This new and improved unit is the perfect charging solution for healthcare, education, and hospitality clients.
Partnership with iCleanse
The Swift UV Cell Phone Disinfector by iCleanse
Swift UV Quick Cell Phone Disinfector
$1,495.00
ChargeTech is also a proud partner of iCleanse, a worldwide leader in UVC personal device disinfection. Through this partnership, ChargeTech is now a licensed reseller of iCleanse’s newest cell phone disinfection product, the Swift UV.
The Swift UV is just what we need as we prepare to re-enter fast-paced environments like restaurants, shopping centers, retail stores, entertainment venues, airports, hotels, hospitals, schools, corporate campuses, and all corporate or public sector facilities.
ChargeTech has partnered with iCleanse to distribute their suite of patented UVC disinfection products in order to provide our clients with the best options available to keep their schools and workplaces pathogen-free.
Learn More about UV Disinfection Cell Phone Disinfection
UV disinfection is the best method you can use to clean your cell phone. Between ChargeTech’s offering of high-volume cell phone disinfection units and the highly efficacious Swift UV, we have a cell phone disinfection solution for all types of clients. For more information about UVC disinfection or cell phone disinfection products, please visit our website or contact a ChargeTech team member.
