Phones contain high levels of allergens and toxins. Thus, they must be cleaned regularly, but to get rid of them, it is advisable to bet on the most effective products. Explanations.
- Adults use their phones on average 4.8 hours a day.
- Smartphones are consulted 14 million times a day.
“Smartphones are present in 85% of American homes. They are potential vectors of environmental hazards, such as allergens, β-D glucans (BDG) and endotoxin. The prevalence of these toxins and the effectiveness of products cleaning agents targeting these agents on phones have not been studied”, said scientists from the University of Iowa (USA).
To determine if phones are reservoirs of allergens and if their presence can be reduced by using specific cleaning methods, they carried out a study published in the journal Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. As part of this work, the researchers cleaned the front surface of the smartphones of 15 volunteers using electrostatic wipes in order to measure the levels of allergens, BDG and endotoxin.
Smartphones: high levels of cat and dog allergens
According to the results, the phones had high levels of BDG and endotoxin. Additionally, cat and dog allergens have been found on pet owners’ smartphones. “BDGs are present in the cell walls of fungi and have been found in many environments and surfaces, causing chronic symptoms of irritation and airway disorders. (…) Endotoxin is a potent inflammatory agent and marker exposure to Gram-negative bacteria”, explained Hana Ruran, lead author of the research, in a statement.
Allergic or asthmatic? Clean your smartphone more often!
According to the team, the cleaning products, including chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride, reduced the levels of BDG and endotoxin on the phones. As for the benzyl benzoate/tannic acid combination, it significantly reduced cat and dog allergens on smartphones, according to the work.
“The study highlights exposure to inhalant allergens and molecules that trigger immune responses from a source most people haven’t considered. If you have allergies or asthma, you should consider cleaning your smartphone more often to minimize exposure to these allergens and asthma triggers,” advised the authors.
