Let’s face it—our phones go everywhere with us: the bathroom, the kitchen, public transportation, even the gym. But how often do we actually clean them? At The Biology Buzz, we decided to get scientific and investigate a surprisingly unsettling question:

Can you grow bacteria from your phone?

Spoiler: You can.

We ran a hands-on microbiology experiment to find out what kinds of bacteria might be lurking on a phone screen.

You will need:

• 2 sterile agar plates
  
• Cotton swabs
  
• Gloves
  
• Sharpie- for labeling
  
• A warm, dark spot for incubation (like a cupboard)
  
• A phone (used daily and never sanitized for ~1 week before the test)
  

Procedure:

1.  We labeled two agar plates: one for the phone swab and one as a control (untouched).
   
2. Wearing gloves, we dipped a sterile swab in sterile water, then thoroughly swabbed the phone screen, home button, and side edges—basically everywhere your fingers tend to touch.
   
3. We gently rubbed the swab across the surface of the agar in a zig-zag motion to transfer any bacteria onto the plate.
   
4. The plates were sealed in Ziplock bags and stored in a dark cabinet at room temperature for 3–5 days.
   
5. Each day, we checked for bacterial growth without opening the plates.
   

The Results

By day 3, the phone-swabbed plate was crawling with life—cloudy white, yellow, and even some orange colonies had formed. The control plate, meanwhile, stayed clear.

We counted:

• 10+ distinct colonies, varying in size and color
  
• Some colonies were fuzzy (likely fungal), while others were smooth and shiny—typical of bacterial growth like Staphylococcus or Micrococcus (common skin bacteria)
  
• One particularly funky-looking orange colony suggested possible environmental bacteria

Why It Works

Phones are constantly in contact with our hands, faces, and surfaces that aren’t exactly sterile. Bacteria love warm, oily environments—and a smudged phone screen is prime real estate.

The nutrient agar provides the essential food and moisture bacteria need to thrive. Once transferred to the agar, any viable bacteria multiply, forming visible colonies within days.

This process mimics how scientists isolate and identify microbes in lab settings—and yes, it’s super easy (and a little disgusting) to try at home.

What We Learned

Yes, your phone is dirtier than a toilet seat—and we have the petri dishes to prove it.

This experiment was a fun, eye-opening way to explore microbiology in the real world. It also reminded us of the importance of hygiene, especially in the age of touchscreen everything.

So, the next time you touch your phone and then your face… maybe grab a sanitizing wipe.

Stay Curious and Clean!

The Biology Buzz