When was the last time you cleaned your phone? If you have to spend more than 5 seconds thinking about your answer, it's been too long. Cell phones are such a huge part of our daily lives and we use them so often that we forget that they can come in contact with germs. A study done at the University of London found that 1 in 6 cell phones are contaminated with some sort of fecal matter. This is due to people not washing their hands after using the toilet. When you don’t wash your hands and then proceed to use your phone, you then spread these germs. And then, of course, one day you go to answer a phone call and now these germs are on your face. It's important to clean your phone frequently! Here are some tips to keep your phone clean.

1. Don't use harsh chemicals on your phone! Many of the phone cleaning products on the market contain chemicals that could damage your screen if you use it too much. A fairly dry wash cloth or a microfiber cloth will do the job.

2. Feel free to use chemicals on your phone case. Most phone cases that don't have an electrical component (like a charging case) can handle your everyday cleaning supplies. Take a cloth and wipe down your phone case on the inside and outside. Rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball is good for your phone case.

3. If you don't have a touch screen phone, you can use a piece of tape to get dirt from in between the keys. This is perfect for when you want a quick and easy way to clean your phone. You can also use this method with a touch screen phone to get rid of fingerprints that may also carry bacteria.

And that's it! You should clean your phone as often as once a day to once a week. Going on for more than a week can create an overwhelming amount of bacteria and make you susceptible to contract diseases. All you need are very basic household items to be able to clean your phone. No excuses!