Apple Updates Guidelines On How To Keep Your Devices Clean

The tech giant has given us the all-clear to use disinfectant wipes to clean our phones, computers and tablets amid growing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

The new advice, which was published on Monday, reads as follows: “You may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces.

“Don’t use bleach. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don’t submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents. Don’t use on fabric or leather surfaces.”

Prior to this update, Apple has advised against using disinfectant wipes, although ‘excessive wiping’ is still discouraged as this ‘might cause damage’ – so basically it’s no different to cleaning your backside.

You can read thorough guidance on how best to clean each kind of Apple device on the company’s support page.

Apple didn’t explicitly reference the spread of coronavirus in its guidelines update, though it seems more than likely this was the reason behind it. But there’s no point in cleaning your devices if you don’t then clean your hands, which is the key bit of advice being reiterated by health experts.

Now, you’d like to think that everybody always has been washing their hands thoroughly and frequently, but this sadly just isn’t the case, and now more than ever it is imperative that everyone does.

For soap and water to be effective, 40-60 seconds of hand-washing are required, for alcohol-based hand rub 20-40 seconds is sufficient as alcohol is more potent and works more rapidly, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

But there’s no point in cleaning your hands thoroughly if you then don’t dry them properly.

Coronavirus lives in water droplets and because wet hands can more readily acquire and spread microorganisms, the proper drying of hands is an integral part of routine handwashing.

It’s also important not to reuse or share towels because of the risk of cross-infection.