January 31st, 2024, Kineree Shah
According to a new YouGov Survey (Serviced) only a modest 14% of Brits clean their phones daily, a figure that could make some people squeamish given that phones are often dirtier than toilet seats.
This percentage of daily cleaners, albeit low, varies across age groups. It's higher among older individuals, reaching 17% for those aged 55 and above.
Additionally, our data reveals what is perhaps a concerning trend – a quarter of Britons clean their phones less often than once a month (24%), and 8% never clean them at all. Looking at the data by age, about one in 10 Britons between 18 to 44 never clean their phones.
This lack of regular cleaning may be somewhat alarming given the health risks associated with dirty phones. A study in 2023 found that 92% of cell phones carried bacteria capable of causing illness, including strep and E. coli.
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 27-28 November, 2023 with a nationally representative sample of 1,990 adults (aged 16+ years) in GB, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education level, region, and social grade and to be representative of all adults in GB (16 years or older), and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.