Understanding UV Phone Sanitizers

While you’re likely used to wiping down your phone to get rid of those pesky fingerprints and smudges, cleaning it is just as important. Smartphones are exposed to a lot of bacteria throughout the day! 


Many of the major smartphone players recommend wiping down devices with a slightly damp cloth and warm soapy water for protection, but this can be tricky. You need to be careful of excess water — you don’t want to damage your phone! — and you don’t want to miss any spots. 


That’s where UV phone sanitizers come in: they can thoroughly clean your devices without worry. 


But do UV light phone sanitizers work? Let’s take a look.

What is a UV Phone Sanitizer?

Before we address whether UV phone sanitizers do work or not, we need to establish what they are. These device sanitizers are essentially small boxes or wands containing UV-C light bulbs that shine on your phone, keys, credit cards, earbuds, and other small objects to kill surface bacteria and give you cleaner, safer items. 


You put your device into the sanitizer’s chamber — which looks like blue LED light, close the lid, and let it run for 5 minutes. No soap, water, chemicals, or additional equipment is required — the UV light does all the cleaning! 

 

So, Do UV Phone Sanitizers Work?

Do UV light phone sanitizers work? 


The short answer: yes. UV-C light, which is used to sanitize phones, is widely known as the germicidal UV light for its ability to kill microbes and prevent them from reproducing.


How effective is a UV phone sanitizer? 


Ultraviolet light-C has long been used to kill bacteria and viruses in various practices, from sanitizing surgical tools and surfaces in hospitals to making fruits and vegetables safer in the farming industry. 


Why not use UV-A or UV-B light? 


UV-C light has the shortest wavelengths — 100 to 280 nanometers — of the three types of ultraviolet light. This is important to note because shorter wavelengths of around 200 nm are most effective at eliminating bacteria. To put it into perspective, UV-A and UV-B light have 320 to 440 nm and 280 to 320 nm, respectively.


How do UV phone sanitizers work? 


UV-C light gets absorbed by microbes’ DNA, which completely kills them or prevents them from reproducing and functioning. When used for the full cleaning cycle, third-party-tested devices like mophie’s UV sanitizer have been shown to kill up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and staphylococcus — commonly known as staph — in just 5 minutes.

 

UV Sanitizer Myths and Facts

Now that we know that UV phone sanitizers do work, we can differentiate between common myths and misconceptions and the facts:


1. Hospital UV sanitizers and UV phone sanitizers are the same. 


They are not the same. UV phone sanitizers typically have a much lower dose of UV-C light, which is why they take slightly longer to sanitize — 5 to 10 minutes — compared to hospital-grade UV light — around 90 seconds.


2. UV light phone sanitizers will damage your phone after prolonged usage.


This is incorrect! UV light phone sanitizers do not need any heat or chemicals to work — two elements that can damage your phone. UV phone sanitizers are safe for your phone’s touchscreen, cameras, and other sensors.


3. UV light is dangerous.


It can be, but not to your phone. You should always exercise caution with UV-C light since direct exposure to UV light is harmful to the eyes and skin. 


For that reason, you should be especially careful when using a wand UV phone sanitizer. Because they’re not enclosed like chamber UV sanitizers are, you’re exposed to more of their light. Be careful when using wand sanitizers, or choose an enclosed UV phone sanitizer for peace of mind.


4. Any UV light sanitizer will work.


This is untrue. While UV phone sanitizers do work, they don’t necessarily work the same. 


For one, wand phone sanitizers don’t concentrate the light on the objects, which may impact how effective the UV phone sanitizer is. Additionally, you should be aware of manufacturer claims. Try to choose a sanitizer that’s been tested by a third party for efficacy.

Find The Best UV Sanitizer at ZAGG

Protect yourself from harmful germs with help from the experts at ZAGG. Explore the world of  UV phone sanitizers — they also come with wireless charging capabilities to power phones at the same time. Pick the best UV sanitizer for a cleaner and safer phone, today! 

FAQs

These chamber-like sanitizers contain built-in UV-C light bulbs, which shine down on your phone to eliminate surface bacteria. You put your phone, earbuds, or other small items inside the sanitizer and let them sit for 5 minutes to let the blue UV light clean them. No chemicals, liquid, or heat are used or needed.
Yes, UV light phone sanitizers do work against germs! The UV-C light in these sanitizers kills them and prevents them from reproducing by literally damaging their DNA. Just how effective a UV phone sanitizer is can vary depending on the product. Handheld sanitizers are less effective because spots can be missed and proper sanitation requires UV light to hit your items consistently for around 5 minutes, which many UV wands fail to do. Box sanitizers, on the other hand, concentrate the light on your phone for the allotted amount of time to eliminate germs, making them more effective.
UV light sanitation uses Ultraviolet-C light, also known as UV-C light, to disinfect surfaces. Its low wavelength light is absorbed by the DNA of microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, and fungi, destroying its structure and rendering the living cells inactive. It’s known as germicidal UV light because it eliminates these microorganisms and cleans your device without any chemicals.
Yes, UV phone sanitizers do work against these microorganisms because they use UV-C light! This small wavelength UV light has been used in the healthcare industry for decades for its ability to eliminate harmful germs, bacteria, and viruses. Like in hospitals and other healthcare settings, the UV light in UV phone sanitizers reduces the spread of bacteria and effectively disinfects your phone from germs and viruses. Make sure to use a sanitizer that’s been tested by a third party that substantiates any sanitization claims.
Phones, earbuds, keys, and our other items are regularly exposed to germs and bacteria, making it vastly important to keep them clean. Use a UV phone sanitizer daily, weekly, or as frequently as you’d like to clean them. Some UV phone sanitizers even come with charging capabilities so they can do the cleaning work on one device while charging another!

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