Apple finally admits it's safe to clean your iPhone with alcohol wipes

Numerous studies have shown our phones are probably the dirtiest items we carry around with us every day, largely because people are advised not to use harsh cleaners to disinfect them.

It took until the Coronavirus crisis for Apple to admit that it is OK to use the occasional alcohol wipe on your phone without destroying it, with their current advice (from their support page) noting:

Is it OK to use a disinfectant on my Apple product?
Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox 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 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.

Previously Apple warned:

• Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth—for example, a lens cloth.
• If material is still present, use a soft, lint-free cloth with warm soapy water.
• Don’t use cleaning products or compressed air.

Your iPhone has a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic—oil repellent—coating. Cleaning products and abrasive materials will diminish the coating and might scratch your iPhone.

The changed advice will presumably apply to any modern smartphone.  Suitable alcohol wipes can be found on Amazon here.

Via CNBC