It’s hard to go anywhere these days without seeing someone on a cell phone. They’re talking, tweeting, texting, playing games, listening to music. In the street, in the store, in the car, in the theater, even in church. And … in the bathroom.
I confess that I’m a lifelong “bathroom reader.” I don’t like to waste that time, so I read. But I’ll also confess that I sometimes use my cell phone while I’m in the bathroom—reading emails, playing games, checking the weather. Have to know what the weather is going to be for my tee time, right?
I saw an article recently that shows I’m not alone. It appears that apps and games have replaced magazines as a way to pass time in the bathroom. A company called “11mark” recently surveyed 2,000 people who own cell phones to see if they used them in the bathroom, and if they did, what were they using them for?
The results showed that 75 percent of the men and women surveyed admitted that they “multi-task” on their phones during toilet time, and 59 percent had texted while doing their business, while 45 percent typed out entire e-mails.
Most of the people who said they used their phones in the bathroom admitted to using them while they were on the commode. For men, 25 percent said they chose to sit on the toilet instead of standing, just so they could keep on talking or texting, or whatever. So the chances are pretty good that those phones spent some time pretty close to the toilet, right? Would you want to borrow someone else’s phone?
The survey that the article referred to was commissioned in Britain by Sony and O2, which are marketing a waterproof smart phone, good news for the many people who reported that they had accidentally dropped their phones into the toilet! It’s also good news for 50 percent of survey respondents who said they used their phones while taking a bath.
Yeah, I know, you’re saying that if a corporation sponsored the survey, they can skew the results any way they want, but there seems to be plenty of evidence that would suggest that cell phones can pick up germs one way or another. I saw another survey, an “observational” one, conducted by the Harris Poll back in 2005 that found almost one-fourth of people do not wash their hands after using the restroom.
We’ve all heard that washing your hands can do a lot to prevent infection during cold and flu season. But according to an article I saw online from the New York Times, you might want to wash your cell phone, too, because (at least according to this article) your mobile devices can carry more germs than the bottoms of your shoes, making them hotbeds for disease transmission.
Then I saw another article online from the Wall Street Journal which said that in 2012 they tested eight randomly selected iPhones from a Chicago office and found that they all showed “abnormally high numbers of coliforms,” a bacteria indicating fecal contamination. Yeah, I know, this is getting a little disgusting, right? But this is just a little public service I’m offering today because I’m concerned about your welfare.
I did a little research and found out that you can “wash” your phone a couple of different ways. Bleach wipes (Clorox makes several products) can completely kill the bacteria, and they’re safe to use on your phone. Apple doesn’t recommend using them, but some laboratory tests showed they worked.
The Geek Squad, Best Buy’s tech repair service, recommends an effective home cleaning solution that they’ve come up with: a 1:1 ratio of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and distilled water. They say, “You want distilled water and purer alcohol so there are fewer chemicals or minerals left behind when the solution evaporates.”
Mind you, I’m not recommending these practices—because some phone makers say you shouldn’t “wash” your phone; I’m just telling you what I read.
Well, I hope I’ve made you aware of some valuable information. I’ll probably still play “Words with Friends” and “7 Little Words” in the bathroom, but I promise not to loan you my phone!
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