You've been cleaning your phone the wrong way. Here's how to do it properly.

Not so fun fact: Our phones are dirty as heck.

They're so dirty that several studies have found phones to carry at least 10 times more germs than toilet seats. And those have been found to be viable carriers of coronaviruses. Yikes.

So yeah, this is something I like to push to the very, very back of my mind. It's never fun to admit that you're not cleaning something that should be cleaned routinely. Especially when our phones are essentially an extension our ourselves.

Not to mention the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak. (Thankfully, it's not invincible.)

Well, no need to fear because Mashable Southeast Asia is here. We made a step-by-step guide so that you can keep you and your phone germ-free.

The case for cleaning your phone.

Imagine this, after a day of work where you rode the train to work, shook at least 10 people's hands, placed your phone down on a workstation shared by all your coworkers, and you return home to sleep and lay your phone right next to you on your pillow.

Well did you know, a 2019 study found that coronaviruses can survive on smooth glass and plastic for up to nine days? That's nine days too much if you ask me.

That's why wiping your phone every day is just as important as washing your hands the moment you get home.

Now, let's get into the steps.

1. Unplug your phone from any cables and earbuds. You just need your phone for this so you can put all separate attachments aside.
2. Turn your phone off. Just in case, you know?
3. Wash your hands! There's no point in continuing this tutorial if your hands are dirty so make sure to really clean them well.
4. If you're using a phone case, take your phone out and wipe that down as well! Different types of phone cases have different cleaning methods so here's a handy guide for that.
5. This is where there are many ways to clean your phone. A general rule of thumb is to wipe your phone down using a little bit of warm soapy water and a microfiber cloth to prevent scratches. Cleaning wipes are also an acceptable replacement, though you should opt for those anti-bacterial ones. Recently, using UV light to completely disinfect your phone has become more popular as well though it's also much more pricier.
6. Use a cotton swab or toothpick around smaller area such as your phone's camera, ports, or buttons. You'll be surprised at how much dirt accumulates in those areas.
7. Allow your phone to completely air dry on a clean surface for roughly half an hour before reassembling it into its casing and reattaching things to it.

And there you have it! An easy and surprisingly quick way to ensure your phone stays coronavirus free! Now, if only we could get people to disinfect their surroundings as well.

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Cover image sourced from ubreakifix.