Busting Myths About Sanitizers and Choosing the Best Phone Sanitizer

What is the best phone sanitizer? The device should be large enough to hold your phone. Enclosed models are safe and, unlike wand-type ones, do not pose risks associated with exposure to UV-C radiation. The cleaning time should be enough to kill all the bacteria on the item, given that some bacteria a very resistant to UV light. Five minutes will be enough for a solid lump to sanitize your device. 

When it comes to phones, sanitizer boxes & bags are more efficient. UV light effectiveness depends on two factors: distance and strength.

You may opt for a larger multi-bag sanitizer that can be used to sterilize baby bottles, keys, jewelry, face masks, intimate clothing, and whatever else you need. This item is portable due to its foldable design, which makes it an ideal choice for traveling.

And it may be a wise choice to sanitize not only your cell phone but the entire house or a car. No, you will not need to call professionals or clean every corner of the room daily.

A more straightforward option is to use an ultraviolet lamp. While portable, this device is highly effective and can disinfect up to 40 square meters of the surface. It features a powerful yet energy-efficient 36 Watt UVC Quartz lamp and has two modes: with and without ozone. The lamp is safe and comes with a 30s delay timing feature. The manufacturer recommends this product for sanitizing homes, offices, hospitals, schools, and restaurants.

Buyer's Guide

Phone sanitizer manufacturers claim that our smartphones’ surfaces are infested with bacteria. They are like a Petri dish, a hotbed for germs and viruses! Are those claims valid, and what should be done about them? Will the wet wipes be helpful, or should you delegate the job of cleaning to modern technologies? In this review, we will cover the types of cell phone sanitizers available on the modern market, rank their effectiveness, and pick the top five gadgets.

We’ll reveal the whole truth about such famous manufacturers as Phonesoap, the brand that compares the dirtiness of cell phones to that of the rim of the toilet bowl. We’ll get down to the tiniest detail and investigate whether their devices are as effective as promoted. Let’s get started!

Scientific Opinion on the Necessity of a Phone Sanitizer

Nowadays, neither kids nor adults ever let go of their cell phones. We use this gadget anywhere and everywhere: in a park, in transit, in hospitals, in the bathroom, or a cafe. While we tend to wash our hands regularly, the same is not true for washing our phones. You can’t wash it, and it’s not quite obvious how to clean it. That’s how the entire germ army migrates to your phone screen from your dirty hands, and then, once you bring the phone close to your ear, they get transferred to your face. The gadget's warm and humid surface is favorable for increasing the germ population.

Why is this so perilous even though myriads of bacteria are everywhere? The thing is that our body becomes vulnerable to viruses once they get inside our body through our nose, mouth or eyes. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services warns that there is a high chance of catching flu if you touch your face with dirty hands. The cleaner your hands are, the less chance you have of infecting your respiratory organs or becoming sick with diarrhea. Since such dangerous causative agents as Staphylococcus aureus can inhabit your phone’s surface, the researchers even recommend that doctors restrict the use of cell phones in medical institutions. Phones should be cleaned, so they don’t become a source of pathogenic bacteria.

How Does a Cell Phone Sanitizer Work?

Most sanitizers use ultraviolet to combat germs. A UV phone cleaner starts working either automatically or after you press a button that sets off disinfection. A small UV lamp inside the device affects and destroys the bacteria’s DNA. The lamp turns off 5-6 minutes later, and you can remove your phone from the device. Some products charge the phone simultaneously with UV treatment. It’s crucial to follow the user’s guide when it comes to sanitizing devices as they emit particular radiation (the wavelength is 253 nm) that cannot be used to dry nail polish or to tan as they will cause a burn!

UV lamps of various power are used to clean water and have proven their effectiveness at the industrial level. However, it is much harder to attest to the quality of portable sanitizers. In general, ultraviolet is supposed to kill germs, but does a particular gadget work properly or is the invisible cleaning a simple illusion?

Journalists have attempted to answer this question multiple times. The FOX Carolina team, for instance, has conducted an experiment in St Francis' Hospital where the doctors treated various objects with a UV sanitizer and then compared the contamination levels before and after cleaning with the help of a special luminometer. It turned out that the sanitizing wand was not almighty as it only reduced cell phone bacteria from 432 to 400. Antiseptic wipes, on the other hand, reduced this number to 4. Pat Kopp, a lab employee, explained that mechanical cleaning is required before using a sanitizer that will remove the remaining germs. Despite its disinfecting properties, ultraviolet is only a supplement.

Another experiment by Dr. Jay Comeaux of McNeese State University, located in Lake Charles, proved the effectiveness of the Portable Sanitizing Wand against three types of pathogenic bacteria. However, it turned out that the sanitizer must be held as close as possible to an object to be cleaned for at least ten seconds for best results. Moreover, the treated surface must be completely flat as any niches, buttons or ports affect the disinfection quality.

What conclusions come to mind after this? Undoubtedly, a Portable Sanitizing Wand is only suitable for patient users. If you don’t want to hold your device for a while, opt for a closed sterilizer that will automatically sanitize your phone and turn it off afterward. Make sure you’re buying an actual UV lamp and not just a blue bulb. A meager price will signify the latter.

Phone Sanitizers | Reviews

There are two main types of UV phone cleaners: closed gadgets with a lid and portable sanitizing wands. There are also ozonators, i.e. devices that use ozone to remove bacteria. In this article, we will review all these sanitizer types starting from the most popular and expensive device.

1. PhoneSoap 3 UV Smartphone Sanitizer 

This Salt Lake City brand is the most famous manufacturer reviewed. PhoneSoap’s story began in 2016 when it first appeared on Shark Tank. Lori Greiner gave the green light to this start-up and invested $100,000 in it. As a result, the business is still up and running in today’s market.

One thing PhoneSoap is good at is marketing. You can’t help but be frightened when you hear their slogan stating that a cell phone’s surface contains 18x as many bacteria as a public washroom. This can be argued, but not forgotten! Don’t you immediately want to clean your phone with wipes, at least? Another slogan of this brand, “Be healthy with PhoneSoap,” also beats the bull’s eye. We understand that this is not an entertaining but a helpful gadget that is as irreplaceable as antibacterial soap.

Is there any proof of its effectiveness, though? The official website of the brand mentions “lab test results” but cites no reference to any research. An expert wearing white scrubs can be seen in the presentation (which is staggering; it even compares sole shoe smears to a cell phone screen), but neither his name nor the name of his lab is mentioned. Who knows, this may be a breakthrough scientist from Salt Lake City or it might as well be an actor. PhoneSoap brags of mentions in Forbes or CNN, but all these mentions resort to short articles about the venture’s success in Shark Tank. All cell phone sanitizer manufacturers claim to kill 99% of germs and give the same arguments for using their products.

Its design is its unique selling point. Its exterior is pleasant and usable and resembles a smartphone case (specially targeted at iPhones). Its design is very straightforward: inside a UV lamp and a charging port. The latest version also features a port for a second device. After you’ve put your phone in the case and cleaned it for 5-6 minutes, you can charge the battery or use the gadget as a portable power bank. Any other objects of suitable size (credit cards, keys, or smartwatches) can also be sanitized inside the device. As for the model range, there are XL sanitizers for tablets, two smartphone cleaners (different in size and color), and a wireless PhoneSoap. We are most interested in the classic PhoneSoap: a 6.8x3.74x0.78-inch case weighing two pounds.

Let us note that although this is the most expensive sanitizer covered, it’s not a very durable item. Customers complain that the lamps are not removable, which means that if a lamp breaks down, you’ll have to replace the entire device.

What do buyers say? 

«EASY! I truly liked the simplicity of operation; your phone shuts the top and immediately sterilizes the phone with ultraviolet light in 10 mins (though I did not time it). Once the light heads out, your phone is sterilized and set to go. You can even bill your phone while it's being cleansed!! I additionally such as the sanitizer's design; it advises me of the sleek appearance of Apple items. I wish it were a little smaller, but I understand they needed to make the "bay" huge sufficient for phones of all sizes - in this way, I won't need to purchase a new sanitizer if I get a larger phone».

Finally, we have some good news. This is a known American brand rather than a no-name. The manufacturers have a blog (which provides statistics on how often users drop their phone in a toilet or other trivia), answer consumers’ questions, and even do charity work. This gives a competitive edge to PhoneSoap, as this must be the phone sanitizer brand with the best communication. Naturally, this improves its level of trustworthiness.

Portable UV Cell Phone Sanitizer

A closed UV sanitizer does not promise to clean everything around with its magic light but offers extraordinary possibilities. While you look like a maniac when using a Sanitizing Wand in public, this small box won’t give you away as it looks like a regular cell phone accessory. You can put your phone in it without drawing any extra attention.

Disinfection takes six minutes and seems more reliable than the two or three-second sanitizing offered by other brands. However, there are some buts. Some users claim that the UV light does not cover the entire surface of the phone. The light is emitted only from two sides of a rectangular case, so only the top and bottom of your phone can be reached. True germophobes will have to use wipes to disinfect their screen.

Portable Sanitizing Travel Wand

Verilux sanitizer has been known since it was featured in The New York Times review in 2011. It successfully passed all the tests conducted on kitchen utensils instead of smartphones. Charles Gerba (an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona), an expert invited by the New York Times, claimed that cutting boards require more disinfection than cell phones. According to him, UV sanitizers are pretty effective on flat non-porous surfaces (such as cutting boards). However, Farhad Manjoo, a journalist, found a defect in the gadget: the lamp only works when it’s inclined down and it shuts off automatically if you put it up or sideways. This is caused by a built-in protection system that blocks the lamp when its position is anything but horizontal. For that reason, it is impossible to disinfect armchair rests or door handles, although the manufacturer promotes this kind of use.

Judging by the reviews, the gadget’s design has not changed since this review was published seven years ago. The lamp still shuts off when you turn it even slightly, but this might be for the best: there is no chance you could ever burn yourself. 

Judging by the description, this device enhances everything it touches, just like a magic wand. It is even capable of sanitizing objects 8 inches away! It is light enough for your hand not to get tired. Having enough patience to hold it is another matter. The manufacturer assures that three seconds will be enough, but all stationary devices take at least 5-6 minutes to sanitize a phone. Does this magic wand indeed kill germs faster? Unfortunately, you’ll never be able to find out in domestic use without conducting special tests.

Nevertheless, it has conducted lab research confirming the effectiveness of even one-second-long disinfection. Its UV wavelength is 253 nm, which is standard for bactericidal lamps. One of their advantages is that they do not emit ozone.

The device must be equipped with a hold button that will be handy if a child plays with the wand. Moreover, the automatic lamp will turn off if pointed upwards. However, there is too little customer feedback to judge its protection quality. Open UV lamps are potentially more dangerous than closed ones.

 Excerpts from buyers’ reviews 

«You can utilize this sanitizer in numerous methods. I use it for my phone, keyboard, trackball, and tablets. You can easily utilize this for your shoes, doorknobs, and so on. Before purchasing this I had a Phonesoap as well as it just worked for my phone and also maybe a couple of various other small items you might fit within. Likewise, among my previous Phonesoaps was supplied with a busted leading bulb ... the other one stopped working. Then I stumbled onto this stick as well as it has actually been great. You require to aim it downward for the light to come/stay on. This is a safety and security attribute so I have no issues. Also, I like how you do not need the device pointed straight down for the light to function - you can have some angle to it which is good for certain things you are sanitizing. The cable it features is a decent size yet you may require to use a longer cord (USB to mini USB) depending upon where your source of power is in connection to what you're sterilizing. Or you can not stress over the cable in any way as well as utilize it with batteries. I will likely bring this with me on trips, in addition to using it in your home».

Even though the manufacturer recommends sanitizing everything from your phone to shoe insoles, you should be careful when using this gadget. UV waves are effective against germs but are dangerous for the eyes and skin.

Cell Phone Sterilizer Cleaner + Ozone Sterilizer

This model range includes salt night lights, UV diodes for house plants, and fire-like lamps. This phone sanitizer is not a UV lamp, though, but an Ozonator.

You might be confused with the gadget’s design as it works like any other UV sanitizer: you must plug it in and press the button. The lamp will turn off automatically after six minutes once the disinfection is over. The official description claims that the device kills 99% of bacteria, but it gives no details on how the actual sanitizing is performed. Additional effort is required to find this out. One of the users asked: “How does this sterilize and sanitize my phone? There's no mention of UV o a light” Here is LEDMEI’s reply: “Hello, you must connect the power supply. Connect the power, and press the O3 Sanitizer button. When the blue light is on, the sanitizer is working. The sterilizer will release ozone to disinfect your phone.” The manufacturer claims that your phone will be almost sterile when you remove it from the device six minutes later. Is the ozone concentration sufficient for such results? The sterilizer claims to generate 3 mg of ozone per hour. It looks like a special study is required to calculate the concentration of this gas in a 6.3 x 3.2 inch flask for six minutes of action. Otherwise, it is difficult to assess its effectiveness. The manufacturer has received a positive review of a Chinese microbiology center, and it is up to you to decide whether it is a reliable document.

Expert Opinion: David J. Brenner, Director, Center for Radiological Research

“What we are looking at here is a particular type of ultraviolet light that is generated by a particular type of ultraviolet lamp. And the ultraviolet lamp is called XML lamp and this XML lamp produces ultraviolet radiation of one particular wavelength and that’s about 207 nanometers. What is special about this particular wavelength is that while it kills bacteria very efficiently, it is very strongly absorbed in biological materials, so it cannot penetrate through the very surface layers of our skin. So it is pretty safe for human exposure and yet it is lethal for bacteria”.

" target="_blank" class=" external">https://youtu.be/M65kmB8Svy4}

Cell Phone Sanitizer FAQ

How do I know whether a sanitizer kills bacteria? You can’t check it without lab tests. A pro luminometer used to assess the level of contamination is much more expensive than a sanitizer. That’s why you should find a decent brand, trust its research and follow the user’s guide.

Are ozone level detection strips capable of proving the effectiveness of a UV sanitizer? Ultraviolet generates ozone, that’s why some users try to measure its concentration and, thus, find out whether a UV lamp is practical. Special strips detect ozone concentration over 90 micrograms per meter cube (0.0451 ppm). Sanitizing lamps are way below these figures.

Is it better to wipe your phone with alcohol or buy a sanitizer? That is up to you. Even if you invest in sanitizer, you must use wipes regularly because a gadget cannot entirely replace mechanical cleaning.

Are UV waves harmful to your phone’s screen? They are not. Many customers are worried about this when it comes to buying a closed UV phone sanitizer. So far, no such cases have been registered.