Summary
The well-lovedNintendo Switchmay be close to the end of its life cycle, but until theSwitch 2 is finally revealed, fans of the video game company are holding on tight to their consoles. Throughout the Switch’s long lifespan, there have been a couple of variations (like the Switch Lite and theOLED model), as well as plenty ofspecial editions that still go for a considerable price on resale sites.But for those using their special edition console, be careful when cleaning it.
Reddit useralexandria3142found out the hard way thatcertain rubbing alcohols aren’t made to clean electronics.While cleaning theirTears of the Kingdomedition of the OLED Switch, they noticed that the swirling design on the back of the console rubbed off with the rubbing alcohol they were using. The photo they included shows the pattern half gone, leaving behind a regular, boring back to the once-exclusive console.
“We use 91% rubbing alcohol to clean all of our electronics, and have never had an issue before. Didn’t expect it to completely take off the design,” they commented. “We’re currently in mourning and debating on buying another totk switch just for the backplate, unless someone knows where to buy a replacement one with this design.” While cleaning consoles is necessary for upkeep, the comments provided some much-needed clarification on what’sactually safe to use on the Switch.
Nintendo Switch 2 Specs Leak Teases Just How Powerful New Console Will Be
A recent report seemingly confirms the kind of hardware consumers can expect to find inside the Nintendo Switch 2 and it’s a major upgrade.
Using Rubbing Alcohol Can Harm A Console When Cleaning With It
Users Shouldn’t Use More than 70 Percent Alcohol To Clean Electronics
As pointed out in the post’s comments,using 91 percent alcohol can actually do some serious damage to a Nintendo Switch, beyond just rubbing off any special-edition designs. According to theNintendowebsite,users shouldn’t use more than 70 percent alcohol, and only when disinfecting is necessary. Otherwise, the company recommends using a “soft clean cloth with water” to do general cleaning on the console. Wring as much of the water in the cloth out as possible before beginning to avoid potential water damage.
Certain rubbing alcohols will actually erode the casing on plastics, which can result in some more severe side effects than just a ruined special edition design. “My favorite blue joycon is slimy and the blue comes off when I even wipe it with watered paper towel now,” Reddit user DinosaurAlive commented on the post. “Listen to this guy. I ruined my PS2 controller with alcohol,” user getittogethersirius piped in.
Switch owners also should never take rubbing alcohol to their console’s screen, as that can also do some significant damage to its protective coating. Most glass cleaners can also do damage, so once again, a damp cloth is really all that’s necessary for most cleaning needs.
Though there’s nothing that can be done for alexandria3142’sTears of the KingdomSwitchnow, learn from their mistakes and be careful when cleaning electronics. It never hurts todouble-check the company’s website before taking a specific cleaning product to a console, especially as the price of video games and consoles like theNintendo Switchcontinues to rise.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is the successor to 2012’s Wii U console. The Nintendo Switch allows gamers to easily switch between playing on a TV to a handheld console. The first model was released in 2017, followed by the Nintendo Switch Lite, which is strictly a handheld console. In October 2021, Nintendo released an upgraded Switch console with an OLED screen.
