Caring and Cleaning your Apple Devices
As cold and flu (plus the ever-looming new strains of COVID-19) cycles through the year and a typical school environment puts everyone really close to one another, the CA Tech Office recommends all faculty, staff and students be vigilant on keeping their devices clean and sanitized. These simple steps can be taken during downtime throughout the school week or during the weekend to help keep your devices in good shape.
(NOTE: The following guidance is based off of Apple's online support article as well as other manufacturers' recommendations.)
Apple products are made with a variety of materials, and each material might have specific cleaning requirements. To get started, here are some tips that apply to all products when you are cleaning your Apple device:
Use only a soft, lint-free cloth (e.g. microfiber material). Avoid abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items.
Avoid excessive wiping, which might cause damage.
Unplug all external power sources, devices, and cables.
Keep liquids away from the product, unless otherwise noted for specific products.
Don't get moisture into any openings.
Don't use aerosol sprays, bleaches, or abrasives.
Don't spray cleaners directly onto a device.
When dampening your cleaning cloth, make sure you squeeze out all excess water. There should not be any water dripping.
BEST PRACTICES to disinfect Apple products
Using a 70-percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, or a 75-percent ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox's Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces.
Don't use products containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
Avoid getting moisture in any opening.
Don't submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents.
Don't use these sanitizing cleaners/wipes on fabric or leather surfaces.
Below you will find device-specific guides on how to properly clean different Apple products issued in Columbus Academy:
MacBooks laptop computers
Before attempting any cleaning of your laptop, ALWAYS first shut down your computer and unplug the power adapter.
When cleaning the outside of your MacBook computer, use a damp, soft, lint-free cloth to clean the computer's exterior. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. Don't spray liquid directly on the computer. Don't use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide that might damage the finish.
To clean the screen on your MacBook computer, dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water only, then use it to clean the computer's screen.
To clean hard-to-remove smudges or fingerprints on the display or exterior of your Mac, you can use a cloth moistened with a 70-percent isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution to gently wipe the display or enclosure of your Mac laptop.
MacBook Touch Bar or Touch ID button: Clean the Touch Bar and Touch ID (power button) on these computers the same way you would clean the display - i.e. shut down your Mac and unplug the power adapter. Dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water only, then use it to clean the Touch Bar and Touch ID.
iPad with OtterBox Defender or Logitech Combo case
To prevent scratching or abrasion to the surface of our CA iPads, the CA Tech Office issues all our iPads enclosed in either an OtterBox Defender or Logitech Rugged Combo 3 case.
OtterBox states that it is perfectly safe for you to take a disinfectant wipe to gently clean your case and cover/lid. To clean more stubborn messes, you can use a warm, dampened, soapy cloth to clean your case while it is on your device; Avoid getting any water near the ports.
Logitech advises to always use the magnetic latch to keep the keyboard cover in place when not in use, and to avoid placing any items between the iPad screen and keyboard to avoid damaging them. The Logitech combo case keyboard and trackpad can be cleaned by gently wiping with a lint-free cloth dampened in water, or lightly-dampened disinfectant wipe. Don't squeeze out or apply liquids directly to the keyboard. If the internal smart connector of the keyboard gets dirty or stained, apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to a soft, lint-free cloth to clean it.
The Logitech combo case does not have a screen protector so when cleaning the iPad's screen, don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide, as it may damage the oleophobic coating on the screen; simply wipe iPad's screen with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth to remove oil left by your hands. The ability of this coating to repel oil will diminish over time with normal usage, and rubbing the screen with an abrasive material will further diminish its effect and might scratch your screen.
The CA Tech Office does not recommend removing or disassembling any of our iPad cases without prior approval. If there is any visible damage on the provided iPad case or cover, please bring it over to the Tech Office at Morris Hall, room B101 for review.
Apple Pencil
To clean your Apple Pencil, use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. With the damp cloth, wipe your Apple Pencil from the tip end—but not the tip itself—toward the other end of your Apple Pencil. Don’t allow moisture to get inside the seam between the tip and the body of your Apple Pencil.
Apple charging cables, or other peripherals
To clean your Apple cable, unplug each end of the cable from your device and power adapter. Then use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to wipe along the length of the cable. If the cable is still not clean, use a soft lint-free cloth wet with soapy water to wipe along the length of the cable. Use a dry cloth to wipe the cable and remove any excess moisture. Avoid getting any moisture near either connector on the cable. Allow the cable to dry overnight before using it again with your device.
To clean your Apple charger, unplug the charger from the wall outlet and unplug the cable from the charger (if possible). First, wipe with a dry lint-free cloth, and if there are stains that remain on the surface of the charger, dampen the cloth with water (make sure to squeeze out excess water from the cloth) and gently wipe at the stain until it is clear. Avoid getting any moisture near the charging cable connector or the power plug/pins. Allow the charger to dry overnight before using it again with your device.