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In my office place, the elevator can only be called and/or operated by buttons that are touch sensitive. Pressing them with gloves or my jacket won't work. With current affairs going on, even though I thoroughly wash my hands, I really don't like to press these buttons with my skin.

My current workaround is taking the stairs (not always practical) or waiting for someone that needs to get to the same floor, with which I have some moral issues.

Is there any practical way to operate these touch sensitive buttons without actually touching them with my skin?

AutomatedChaos
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    Just press the button. Humanity didn't become the dominant species on the planet by avoiding germs. Although, continuing to use the stairs is a good healthy option, too. – Aaron F Feb 27 '20 at 19:31
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    I must be old. I spent WAY too much time trying to picture an elevator button that ISN'T touch sensitive (haven't they always been touch sensitive?). Didn't figure it out until I read the answers below. – James Feb 27 '20 at 20:30
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    @AaronF I agree. Normally germs/viruses wouldn't be a concern to me, but since we have the COVID-19 outbreak in my country, I'd like to prevent further spreading. I am not afraid for myself or my family, but containing the outbreak will significantly reduce risk for the elder, sick and the immunorepressed. The origin of this question was the annoyance that I couldn't touch the buttons with anything else than my skin. – AutomatedChaos Feb 28 '20 at 07:07
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    @AutomatedChaos if it’s got to the point that you’re concerned about touching surfaces in your office, don’t go to the office. – Tim Feb 28 '20 at 07:46
  • You could use someone else's finger life Tom Cruise does with somebody's eye in Minority Report. – Caltor Feb 28 '20 at 15:40
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    @James I travel 20 days/month for work, and have never seen a touch-sensitive elevator button, only mechanical button, even in brand-new buildings. Might be a regional thing, I'm mostly in North America. – nexus_2006 Feb 28 '20 at 19:02
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    My workplace elevators are also handled by a touch panel. I touch it with the corner of my badge (because sometimes when I touch it with my finger it recognizes the wrong floor number). Have you tried that? – Barranka Feb 28 '20 at 21:49
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    @nexus_2006: I can't tell if you understood my comment, but I meant that mechanical buttons ARE "touch sensitive". – James Feb 28 '20 at 22:34
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    @AaronF That's a bad argument. Humanity also lost millions to the plague, long after becoming the dominant species. – Fabian Röling Feb 29 '20 at 17:37
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    @James: If the OP's elevator had mechanical buttons, they wouldn't need to touch them with their skin in order to operate them, and, thus, wouldn't be having their present problem. – Vikki Feb 29 '20 at 18:36
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    If they published the numbers of people that died from influenza every year, or the numbers of people who have died in road accidents in the time that COVID19 has been in the headlines it might be quite a shock to you. Plane crashes make the news because a lot of people die at once but orders of magnitudes more people die from other forms of transport in between each crash. Keep a sense of perspective. Wash your hands, don't fiddle with your mouth. Your far more likely to shake hands with someone who just used the toilet and didn't wash, than contract COVID from an elevator button – Caius Jard Feb 29 '20 at 19:04
  • @Sean: Yes, you are correct. That's why I was confused. The OP said "Touch sensitive", I pictured "mechanical" buttons, then was confused about why touching with a glove or jacket wouldn't work. – James Feb 29 '20 at 19:34
  • Arnold Swartzenegger is fairly down to earth, he sais that eats out of dustbins sometimes and stuff that has been dropped on the floor, that it's good for his health. The immune system benefits from eating a bit of dirt. be like arnie. dont be scared of a bit of dirt. Use a moist surface for the elevator buttons, like a hankey paper with alcohol and throw the hankey. – bandybabboon Mar 01 '20 at 06:08
  • @Caius Do you understand exponential growth at all? Attitudes like this are why we are in a global pandemic right now. – SurpriseDog Aug 26 '20 at 20:56

14 Answers14

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Your biggest problem is not the touch sensitive button, but your (justified) fear of contracting germs.

My quick-hack for all kinds of surfaces that must be touched but aren't clean is to use the back of my hand or my finger. You can push mechanical and touch operated buttons by curling in your finger and pressing the back of a finger joint or knuckle to the button.

You might still catch some harmful germs this way, but they stay on the back of your hand until you wash them away. People usually use their fingertips whenever they touch their face (scratch an itch or rub your eyes). As long as you remember not to rub your eyes with the backside of your finger or hand, the risk of contracting harmful germs is reduced compared to pushing the button with your fingertip.

Of course, this does not eliminate the need to wash your hands. It just reduces the risk of accidently bringing harmful germs in contact with your face before you wash your hands.

Elmy
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  • Agreed. If you really have to touch your face or food in public it’s best to properly wash your hands before and don’t touch anything (e.g. door handles, water faucet) afterwards. In public, don’t rub your eyes, don’t use a tissue, don’t scratch your nose or rub your nose with the back of your hand. – Michael Feb 28 '20 at 17:19
  • Very bad idea because you encourage using the inside of your fingers to touch your face. You are going to use the inside of your fingers if you want to get anything done, so you don't touch them to your face (eyes, mouth), period. If you really need to touch your face, use the back of your hand which you automatically don't use to touch contaminated surfaces (knuckles work well for rubbing eyes, but of course you should avoid this too). – Nobody Feb 28 '20 at 19:01
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    @Nobody I agree with you in theory, but in praxis people touch their face unconsciously more often than not. There are some hairs blown in your face, some tiny object got caught in your eye or lashes or your nose just tickles. Your fingers are in your face quicker than you can think "oh I just touched that button, better use ny knuckle insead". That's why I propose using your knuckles in situations where you consciously touch an object and leave your palms and fingertips as clean as possible for those unconscious touches to your face. – Elmy Feb 28 '20 at 19:15
  • @Michael do you have a citation for "don't use a tissue"? – stannius Feb 29 '20 at 00:00
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    @Stannius Speaking specifically about sneezes, Mythbusters showed that sneezing into a tissue or hankerchief only captures part of the contamination, and plenty is still left on your hands (3:31 to 3:45 on the video talks about that). I couldn't find a trustworthy reference regarding just rubbing your nose with a tissue, so I'm not sure if that's much of a problem in public. – Davy M Feb 29 '20 at 06:23
  • I love how this answer makes out that the back of someone's hand is some sort of germ free zone until it is used to touch something, but becomes a germ free zone again after a quick wash. Humans are host to billions of bacteria, internally and externally. It would be sensible to promote an appreciation of this – Caius Jard Feb 29 '20 at 19:07
  • Please clear up the explanation about usually using the front of hands/fingers on ones face to not make it sound like people rarely use the back of them. The backs of hands/fingers are very often used on the face and many people don't seem to realize it. That point might accidentally spread false notions, but the rest of this answer is otherwise ok. – Loduwijk Mar 01 '20 at 14:35
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You can buy some

  • gloves intended for mobile phone use

such as these. They have strands of metal woven into them. Mobile phone screens used to be touch sensitive, but now the electronics do not detect pressure, but the presense of a finger at the surface or nearby (or other detectable object, such as a stylus).

  • tap by hovering a finger close to its surface

but you might still accidentally touch the button.

So my hack solution is to
  • wrap a small piece of kitchen (aluminium) foil around one finger tip

and touch the button with that. Then drop the foil into a bag or bin so you don't have to touch the other side of it. I have tested this on my mobile phone. The first time it did not immediately work: I had to hold my wrapped finger against the screen, but on subsequent attempts I could tap the screen successfully. Using a piece of paper did not work.

A simpler version would be to

  • hold a strip of aluminium foil against the button with one hand, press with a finger of the other hand
Weather Vane
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    Mobile phone touch screens are not "heat sensitive". They're capacitive. Obviously we can't know for sure about these particular elevator buttons but it is highly unlikely that they're "heat sensitive". – Alex M Feb 27 '20 at 17:31
  • @AlexM maybe, but put it this way: the heat from my finger is detected by my phone, without even quite touching it, but a pencil is not, and nor is a gloved finger (unless the special kind). – Weather Vane Feb 27 '20 at 17:38
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    The buttons are very likely capacitive, as @AlexM says. As such, a smartphone stylus would also work well. – BillThePlatypus Feb 27 '20 at 17:49
  • @BillThePlatypus but then, the OP will need to clean the stylus. Is the technological quibble about how the touch screen works relevant? My answer is a hack solution, which is the focus of this site. – Weather Vane Feb 27 '20 at 17:50
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    @WeatherVane likely not, if they are fine with gloves. It depends on OP. The details of how the button work are important, because a warm, nonconductive object won't work, but a cold, conductive object, will, even with a thin non-conductive layer. – BillThePlatypus Feb 27 '20 at 17:54
  • @BillThePlatypus the gloves were not a hack, just on the way to it. The hack solution is to protect the finger with a small peice of foil. – Weather Vane Feb 27 '20 at 17:56
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    @WeatherVane yes, it matters because heat has nothing to do with it, your phone doesn't detect the heat, It detects changes in electrical field. Your solution works, but because your explanation is incorrect, people that try to apply it may have inconsistent results if adjusting to what materials they have available to them. – Mr.Mindor Feb 27 '20 at 18:05
  • @Mr.Mindor so are you saying that (aluminium) foil will not work? As stated, I tested this hack on my phone. I don't have access to OP's elevator though. The "heat" thing is repeating what the sales assistant said in the phone shop, when I changed my older phone that was actually touch-sensitive. – Weather Vane Feb 27 '20 at 18:06
  • @AlexM thanks, I edited the answer to remove references to heat. – Weather Vane Feb 27 '20 at 18:15
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    No, I explicitly wrote:"Your solution works" I am saying your claim that it works because of heat is wrong. Because you repeatedly mad that claim, the answer risked misleading someone who does not have foil handy, but has some other heat conductive material into some frustrating actions. – Mr.Mindor Feb 27 '20 at 18:18
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    I see you've removed the references to heat, I'll clean up my comments shortly. – Mr.Mindor Feb 27 '20 at 18:19
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    WeatherVane: Cool, I think this is a substantial improvement for the reasons laid out by @Mr.Mindor. Thanks for being receptive to feedback – Alex M Feb 27 '20 at 18:19
  • Update: plastic foil didn't work on this type of button. For this moment I'll go for the thorough hand washing on arrival and taking the stairs when leaving. Next week I'll try other options, for science! – AutomatedChaos Feb 28 '20 at 07:12
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    @AutomatedChaos what’s plastic foil? By kitchen foil, Weather Vane is implying Aluminium foil. – Tim Feb 28 '20 at 07:48
  • @AutomatedChaos you are thinking of plastic film. The answer did originally mention aluminium but got lost in the "quibble edit" which had the opposite effect to that intended by the complainers: you used the wrong material. I've added it back. – Weather Vane Feb 28 '20 at 08:54
  • Weird, I only see edits from one person and no complaints about aluminum whatsoever... – Andreas Feb 28 '20 at 09:22
  • @Andreas the complaints were about "heat". In removing "heat" somehow "aluminium" was also removed. – Weather Vane Feb 28 '20 at 09:23
  • This answer should be at the top and I would have written it if it weren't here. It's the only answer that doesn't instruct OP to get over his fear of germs (not what he asked about) and actually answers the question. – ribs2spare Feb 28 '20 at 18:39
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    "Mobile phones used to be touch sensitive, but are now capacitive" is incorrect. All touch-sensitive is capacitive. There are pressure-sensitive screens which are resistive rather than capacitive, but these are awful to use and never (to my knowledge) appeared on any mainstream mobile phones, only antiquated credit card terminals (as signature pads) and such. In any case, if you do have a resistive touchscreen it's even easier; you can apply pressure with ordinary gloves or any hard object. – R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE Feb 29 '20 at 20:34
  • @R..GitHubSTOPHELPINGICE thanks, I have edited the answer. – Weather Vane Feb 29 '20 at 21:06
23

An easier solution might be to just bring alcohol wipes in your pocket and wipe the button first. (the small kind that would be used before blood work or a injection).

May as well wipe them all and help everyone out.

Kyle
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Assuming the buttons use a body capacitance detector (as is the case with touch controlled lamp dimmers, wall switches, and smart phone screens), you can use a stylus intended for a cell phone or tablet and get the same effect -- and the business end of the stylus need never touch your skin.

Zeiss Ikon
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  • I have a pen with a touch-screen stylus on the tip opposite the side that writes, in my shirt pocket right now. This is the first thing I thought of. Then I thought "I better have anti-microbial wipes to wipe the pen after I use it to touch that button." – Monty Harder Feb 27 '20 at 19:25
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    Still, any germs on the stylus tip aren't attacking your immune system during the interim between touching the button and cleaning the stylus. A little bottle of hand sanitizer will work great for cleaning the stylus. – Zeiss Ikon Feb 27 '20 at 19:32
  • anti-microbial products generally attack bacteria, not viruses. – Hobbes Feb 27 '20 at 21:02
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    @Hobbes https://www.livescience.com/5822-fighting-flu-hand-sanitizers-work.html says alcohol-based sanitizers do well against viruses. – Monty Harder Feb 27 '20 at 21:17
  • There even exist mini styli that can be put on a keychain (Search keychain phone stylus) which might work great for this purpose, you could clip it to your belt or something and use it exclusively for that purpose so that it doesn't come into contact with anything else until you get the chance to clean it. – Davy M Feb 28 '20 at 18:49
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The simplest and least wasteful method: use your hands to operate the buttons, wash your hands afterwards.

Any other methods will just move the (potential) contamination around, so you'd have to use disposable or washable items.

Hobbes
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    Carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser with you. Press the button, then dab a little sanitiser on your fingers and rub. – CJ Dennis Feb 27 '20 at 22:53
  • Hand sanitizer is not a bulletproof answer for every disease thus transmitted, we had a stomach bacterial? Virus? tear through here and they said "don't even bother with the sanitizer". – Harper - Reinstate Monica Feb 28 '20 at 01:05
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    @Harper-ReinstateMonica ...and then you start reading on wikipedia about Prion diseases. – Stian Feb 28 '20 at 13:38
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Use your elbow, just make sure not to lick it later.

SephB
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Use a touch screen pen which can be used on mobiles - example is https://www.amazon.ca/LifeFan-Stylus-Precise-Double-Replacement/dp/B07FJXMMRP

Notice the wired gauze portion on the back. That works on touch screens.

Criggie
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Nagendra
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Do everyone a favour - bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer, and use it on the button before (or perhaps while) you press it. Clean button! Then possibly clean your hands again afterwards.

KlaymenDK
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Wrap your finger in cling wrap. Discard after use.

Cristobol Polychronopolis
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Use a pomme frite.

I have only tried with hot or luke warm pommes frites but see no reason why it should not work with a cold.

You can make them at home or buy them at a shop; then keep them in a small box in a pocket. Make sure the box is tight and does not leak oil though, as pommes frites are quite oily.

You can reuse the pomme frite several times (there is no need to estimate how many times you go up and down in the elevator every day and cook before hand) so unless you plan on travelling vertically for many many times one pomme frite a day should work. If you should happen to wear out your pomme frite there is often a shop nearby (ysc may vary)* to purchase a new.

Depending on your respect for germs you might not want to eat it afterwards; but the taste should be about the same.

Finally, if you are sensitive about your health. The best thing you can do is probably taking the stairs anyway.

*)Your Size of Community

LosManos
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    Great. Now we have oily food residue on the buttons, which provides a breeding ground for additional bacteria, viruses and fungi. At least this emphasizes the usefulness of hand washing suggested in another answer. – Stephie Feb 28 '20 at 16:32
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    Your entire post is in English except "pomme frite". In English that would be "chip" - UK or "French fry" - US – Glen Yates Feb 28 '20 at 19:19
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    And one more thing... If the French call French Fries pomme frite, what do they call fried apples? – Glen Yates Feb 28 '20 at 22:00
  • @GlenYates If you call the side of a river “bank”, what do you call the company you have store your money? – 11684 Feb 29 '20 at 01:30
  • @GlenYates For the most part, the Americans call fried apples "deeply wrong" :) – user45266 Feb 29 '20 at 02:11
  • This answer goes really well with @Magmatic's suggestion to bring a knife. – Aleksandr Hovhannisyan Feb 29 '20 at 17:58
  • A sausage would work very well too - raw or cooked - but might result in even more complaints than the chips.

    https://www.wired.com/2010/02/korean-iphone-stylus-its-made-of-meat/

     – Robyn Mar 01 '20 at 06:59
  • @GlenYates Since there is no canonical way to describe the dish I used the "international" word for it. (fries/french fries (am.eng), chips (br.eng.), finger chips (in.eng) – LosManos Mar 02 '20 at 09:02
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    @GlenYates Fried apples are called pommes confites but then then they are slowly fried in butter. Used for tarte tatin if I am not incorrect. Deep fried apples lack a French name AFAIK. – LosManos Mar 02 '20 at 09:05
  • @user45266 I am confused, what is wrong with fried apples? – Glen Yates Mar 02 '20 at 17:19
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There are gloves available that allow you to use your mobile phone while wearing gloves. They conduct enough electricity to allow "touch" sensitive (actually electric conduction sensitive) interfaces to work. The gloves are pretty cheap and available everywhere.

Here's an inexpensive version from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/HONYAR-Gloves-Winter-Touch-Screen/dp/B07WJ4TPTZ/ref=sr_1_14?crid=27NFPMNHAV1JB&dchild=1&keywords=cell+phone+gloves&qid=1582904607&sprefix=cell+phone+glo%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-14

user30768
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Do you have keys on you? Use those.

A pen on hand? Use the back end.

Aleksandr Hovhannisyan
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Use the point of a knife and touch it to the edge of the button where no human finger usually touches. The surface area contacting the button is extremely small, a lot smaller that the surface of your finger. Statistically speaking, if the surface area is a thousand times smaller, that's a thousand times better than using your finger.

Or use a copper wire and burn the end of it with a lighter to sterilize it afterwards.

Magmatic
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Carry some toothpicks to office. How about pressing the buttons using some toothpicks?

user600016
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    I am quite sure that this won’t work for the touch-sensitive buttons in the question. If a gloved finger doesn’t work on them, the toothpick won’t work either. – Stephie Aug 23 '20 at 21:34