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Apple

Apple Issues Guidelines For Disinfecting iPhones (macrumors.com) 19

AmiMoJo quotes MacRumors: Apple today updated its support document on cleaning Apple products with new information that confirms it's okay to to use a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes for the purpose of cleaning germs from your devices. Prior to now, Apple's cleaning guidelines have recommended against all cleaners, warning that the chemicals have the potential to damage the oleophobic coating on iPhone and iPad displays. Apple still warns against aerosol sprays, ammonia, window cleaners, hydrogen peroxide, bleach, compressed air, and abrasives.

The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern tested Apple's new guidelines over the course of the last week. Using a new iPhone 8, she wiped the display 1,095 times with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, the estimated equivalent of the number of times an iPhone might be cleaned over the course of three years. After all the wiping, the oleophobic coating on the iPhone's display was in good condition with no perceived damage.

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Apple Issues Guidelines For Disinfecting iPhones

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  • by david.emery ( 127135 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @10:22AM (#59832486)

    There's a planet full of phones just waiting to be sanitized!

  • by FudRucker ( 866063 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @10:27AM (#59832500)
    and not one of those nasty iphones infected with the corona virus
    • If you get a Cat phone it is waterproof, Corona-proof, even Budweiser-proof.

      But please don't drink and app.

  • by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @10:33AM (#59832510)

    A lot of modern electronics have special coatings over the screen, to help reduce glare and improve durability.

    So it is nice to know if it's OK to use specific products that a lot of people will be using for cleaning often.

    I would have thought it was probably OK, but it's still good to have validation.

    Something I used on a laptop once did actually take away a small portion of screen coating... so it's good to be cautious with that stuff.

    • It's usually Windex which ruins screens. People use Windex figuring it's good for glass windows, and screens are glass, so it should work for screens too, right? Unfortunately, regular Windex contains ammonia as its cleaning agent, and the ammonia can remove certain protective or anti-glare coatings.
      • I've not seen Windex hurt a screen yet. Granted, I try not to use it, but getting used electronics from people who can't seem to keep their grubby fingers off of monitors/TV's/laptop screens usually requires something a bit stronger than water and a mild soap and Windex will usually do the trick.

  • by LynnwoodRooster ( 966895 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @11:19AM (#59832584) Journal
    Go buy a new iPhone. You cannot be sure you cleaned the old one, so Apple would like you to buy a new phone every day. For your own safety, of course!
  • Don't damage the grease repelling coating on your scratched battered cracked screen. You wouldn't want to dull the coating of that iPhone with it's $2 Chinese screen protector and case.

    Seriously TIL Apple thinks its iPhone is some kind of precision optical instrument. What next, Tesla suggests that at the end of a trackday you should wipe down your Model S with a microfibre cloth?

    • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      Don't damage the grease repelling coating on your scratched battered cracked screen. You wouldn't want to dull the coating of that iPhone with it's $2 Chinese screen protector and case.

      Seriously TIL Apple thinks its iPhone is some kind of precision optical instrument. What next, Tesla suggests that at the end of a trackday you should wipe down your Model S with a microfibre cloth?

      It sort of is, actually. Bad screen protectors are terrible - they add a ton of glare to the screen. If wasn't too long ago when

  • - Add a few drops of bleach to some water, then bring to a boil.
    - Immerse the iPhone in the water for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove. (Be careful, it'll be hot!)
    - Allow to dry for ten minutes.
    - Go back to taking selfies.

    • by quenda ( 644621 )

      Are you the guy who told me how to drill a 3.5mm headphone socket on my iPhone 7?

  • Phones are not "high touch" devices as classified by the WHO/CDC, because while they are touched very frequently, *it is always the same person doing that touching*.

    It is highly unlikely you will catch anything from your own phone that you would not already catch via some other means. Unless you use some kind of communal cell phone (which would be, well, weird and unusual), all of the germs on your phone came from YOUR hands.

    Sure, clean your phone if dirty, this is a good practice and always has been. But t

  • NEVER USE 70% ALCOHOL TO CLEAN. It is for human use and contains oils you donâ(TM)t want all over your electronics. 90% isnâ(TM)t stronger itâ(TM)s just purer.

    • 90% really is stronger than 70%, though.

      And for human use you need 90% so you can mix it with glycerin and it is still strong enough. For cleaning you use the 70%, because you're not diluting it.

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