Don't Put Your Phone In The TSA Bin. There's A Better Solution

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It's a familiar scene for any frequent flier: As you approach the airport security line, you see people dumping their items into the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) bins, including the person you just saw coughing into their hands. When it's your turn to empty your phone and other items into the bin, you reluctantly follow the order, knowing you just saw another traveler drop their dirty boots into the tray. But there's a better solution than placing your cell phone directly into the bin without added protection, and that's having an extra barrier between your device and the grime-ridden tray.

If there's one thing that gets touched numerous times a day, by hundreds of thousands of fingers, it's TSA security bins. Quite literally being fed through a conveyor belt minute by minute for hours on end, there's no time to stop the line to disinfect them. Yet the bins, and the items that go inside them, may be carrying dirt, viruses, and other germs. Should someone happen to toss in their dirty shoes, having trekked through an assortment of less-than-desirable germs, well, those little microbial hitchhikers are then transferred onto the bins and eventually your phone.

In an Apartment Therapy article, Michael Delgado, a previous Transportation Security Officer (TSO), shares his views when it comes to the cleanliness — or lack thereof — of the TSA security bins, saying, "The security bins are disgusting. ... I've seen people place containers of food in them, dirty shoes with rainwater on them, spilled soda, baby food — you name it, I've seen it." So, what can you do to make sure you're only bringing memories home with you and not a surprise illness?

Just as having your electronic devices charged is considered one of the 11 must-know dos and don'ts for getting through airport security, knowing some hacks to keep your phone clean at the airport can be invaluable. Start by adding a protective layer between your cell phone and those dirty security trays. Phones are one of the electronic devices that can stay safely stowed away in your carry-on or personal item, such as a purse, according to the TSA website, which can protect them from dirt and bacteria. While some TSA rules can be annoyingly inconsistent, the general guideline is that electronics larger than a cell phone must go directly into the bin. 

Another way to keep your cell phone separated from clingy germs is to bring a plastic zip bag with you to the airport and, just before you enter security, place your phone inside the bag to add a protective barrier. After you're through security, remember to wash your hands — one of the best ways to avoid getting a cold while traveling – before reaching for your phone. If you want to add another layer of cleanliness, there are handy isopropyl alcohol wipes for electronic devices, such as the iCloth 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Electronics Wipes on Amazon. These can be tucked into your carry-on to give your phone a much-needed wipe-down after a trip to the airport.

When you really put into perspective how often we touch our phone screens per day (roughly once every five minutes, according to a 2021 study published in Computers in Human Behavior), it's a lot. It's unsettling to imagine all of the potential germs that may be transferred from our screens to our skin, nose, or mouth just by tossing our devices into a TSA security tray. Simply put, nobody wants to deal with the sniffles, or worse, when embarking on or returning from a vacation.