We now live in a world surrounded by touch screens at every turn. Between smartphones, tablets, and even making some purchases, there is essentially no way to avoid swiping fingers across open surfaces that countless other hands — and even just our own — have touched.

Unfortunately, the cleanliness of these surfaces, especially those used publicly, have come into question. But according to the Greenwich Daily Voice, Greenwich, CT, resident Tony Galazin has invented a tool that can at least eliminate the need to use touch screens used by retailers to make purchases on bank cards.

Galazin came up with the idea after using a dirty touch screen at the Apple Store.

“Once I had to do that, I was disgusted,” Galazin said. “I started thinking about what I could do to end that problem.”

Galazin’s solution was to create a slim credit card sleeve that can easily slide onto the card’s edge to be used as a universal stylus, called Slivver.

The sleeve is not only antibacterial but also conductive to allow the electricity needed disrupt touch screens to transmit from the hand to the screen.

After a long development period, Galazin hopes to ship out the first batch within 30 to 60 days at a retail price of $4.99. It will be available in five colors to start out with.

Galazin also plans to offer the sleeves to companies as promotional items, as well as approaching doctors for using their tablets to avoid germs while treating patients.

While Slivver is covering the public side of touch screens, CIO.com of Massachusetts reports that Japan’s Kyocera has developed technology a little closer to home with a phone that can safely be washed with everyday hand soap.

People may be surprised by the desire to clean a smartphone screen, but some germs can live on dry surfaces for as long as several hours; germs can even survive on moist surfaces for up to three days.

Multiple studies have determined that smartphones can be covered in bacteria as a result of being taken to a wide number of locations and the countless surfaces they are placed on.

As phones have become more popular, these germs are able to spread rapidly. No community or demographic is safe, be they Millennials or the elderly, Caucasians or Hispanics.

Strangely enough, Hispanics may be at an even higher risk for the spread of germs, with 79.4% of the U.S. Hispanic population projected to have smartphones by the end of 2015. That’s in line with 80.3% of the entire U.S. population, who will be smartphone users by the end of the year.

Even though waterproof phones can be cleaned with soap if necessary, they are not constructed to withstand multiple washes as this new phone is.

The fully featured smartphone runs Android 5.1, has a five-inch display, and contains a 16-megapixel camera.

While there are no plans yet in place to release the phone overseas, those living in Japan can go about their day enjoying their smartphones without the worry of germs.