For many vegetarians, the phone comes first.
But if you make your own snap Christmas This year’s dinner, there is bad news.
Experts have issued an urgent warning about using your phone at the dinner table – and it’s not just rude.
Dr Gareth Nye, senior lecturer in physiology at the University of Chester, has warned that your smartphone could contain dangerous germs that could spread to your table.
Worryingly, this includes bacteria that can cause everything from food poisoning to skin infections.
‘Most of the time it’s like GI issues like diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal issues,’ Dr Nye explained.
‘However, in people with a weak immune system, they can cause serious diseases such as sepsis or pneumonia.’
Although Dr Nye recommends keeping your cell phone away from your desk, if you can’t stay away from it, there are a few things you can do to keep germs at bay.
For many vegetarians, the phone comes first. But if you’re planning to eat Christmas dinner this year, there’s bad news (stock photo)
Speaking to Compare & Recycle, Dr Nye revealed some of the types of bacteria found on your smartphone.
‘(It) depends on the job the owner has,’ he explained.
‘Healthcare workers, even if they are not at the forefront, can grow different bacteria that are common Pseudomonas aeruginosa (which can cause severe respiratory or skin infections) and Acinetobacter baumannii (which can cause meningitis).
‘Healthcare workers still carry bacteria on their phones, Gram-positive spore bacteria are the most common.
‘This is linked to food poisoning and other GI issues.
‘Almost every phone station will contain the dangerous bacteria E. coli and faecal streptococci.’
Disgusting as it sounds, these bacteria often reach our phones through our hands, according to Dr Nye.
“Our hands touch about 150 things every day, for example, if you’re a walker,” he said.
Although it sounds gross, bacteria often reach our phones through our hands, according to Dr Nye (stock photo)
‘Each of these places has the potential to cause contamination with very dangerous bacteria.
‘When we’re in our hands, the next place our hands touch most of the time is the phone, and bacteria transfer from everything we touch to the phone.
‘This is especially true when we consider using the phone in the toilet.
‘(Bacteria) naturally find their way to our hands on a trip to the toilet, then to our phones, which will go through the cycle until both surfaces are clean.
‘This can lead to the spread of bacteria around the dinner table if you have your phone with you while you’re eating.’
Experts from Compare & Recycle have taken Dr Nye’s advice to the stage, revealing five tips for cleaning your phone.
Before you even try to clean your smartphone, experts advise to remove it from the ports.
Next, remove your phone case and wash it with hot, soapy water before drying it completely.
‘Use professional detergents to avoid permanent marks if your leather is leather or PU leather,’ Compare & Recycle said.
Wrap the outside of your phone with a lint-free cloth to remove dust and debris, before using a wooden toothpick to remove any dust or dirt from the phone ports.
Finally, use 70 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol or a cloth slightly dampened with warm, soapy water to wipe around the outside of the phone, paying close attention to the areas around the buttons and speaker holes.
‘To reduce the chance of water damage, avoid spraying detergent on the phone and avoid phone ports,’ Compare & Recycle added.
It is also important to wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of germs.
Dr Nye added: ‘Good hand hygiene and daily cleaning of your phone should be enough to prevent many infections.’
