COVID-19 and flu vaccines are now available. Find out how to get them at a location near you.

Low angle view of people grouped together using their smart phones.
Low angle view of people grouped together using their smart phones.

Can Your Phone Make You Sick?

Germs Lurk on Your Device

Your cell phone is dirtier than you think. From home, to work, to the coffee shop around the corner, your phone picks up germs everywhere it goes. In fact, cell phones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats.

Germs Lurking On Your Phone

  • Cell phones collect the dirt, oil and bacteria that all people have on their skin. The average American checks their phone about 47 times per day. And each time they do, they transfer tiny microorganisms from their fingers to their phone’s surface.
  • When you hold a dirty phone to your face for a prolonged period of time, bacteria can enter your pores, increasing your chance of getting acne, which occurs when oil and debris clog your pores.

“Chances are you’re not regularly getting sick from germs on your phone, but viral diseases like influenza and bacterial diseases like E.coli can spread through contact with a phone carrying viruses and bacteria,” says Sarah Latoria, APRN, primary care clinician at Northwestern Medicine.

Clean Your Phone to Avoid Germs

  • To avoid contracting those germs, clean your device once a day with diluted vinegar or alcohol, especially during flu season.
  • Avoid letting others touch your phone to minimize the spread of germs. And definitely keep it out of the bathroom.

Of course, it’s difficult to adhere strictly to all these rules. So, when in doubt, just remember to wash your hands.