Strong disinfectants may damage hardware; Apple suggests ethyl alcohol instead
Apple has added hydrogen peroxide to the list of Things You Absolutely Should Not Use To Clean Your rig, and instead suggests using gentler disinfectants like isopropyl or ethyl alcohol.
The officialsupport pagefor How To Clean Your Apple Products has seen several updates since early 2020, with its most recent addition being a warning against using hydrogen peroxide.
According to Apple, the commonly used antiseptic has a good chance of damaging the finish and/or display of just about every kind of Apple gear and accessory.
d3sign / Getty Images
d3sign / Getty Images
Notebooks, desktops, displays, peripherals, AirPods, HomePods, iPhones, iPhone cases and accessories, iPads and iPad accessories, iPods, and Apple Watches are all susceptible.
Repeated use of hydrogen peroxide or cleaners that contain it could cause irreparable damage, even if you avoid getting any into your gadget’s openings.
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Apple does say it’s okay to use more gentle types of cleaning chemicals, however.
Kseniya Ovchinnikova / Getty Images
Clorox disinfecting wipes, 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes, and 75% ethyl alcohol wipes are approved for use.
But despite these products getting a thumbs-up, you’ll still want to be careful when cleaning your gadget with them.
