Even though 2020 is nearly over, COVID-19 is still upon us. That means continuous disinfecting, cleaning, and washing of hands. And since Nintendo Switch has the ability to do two-player games by sharing its detachable consoles, it released its own guidelines on how you can disinfect them with alcohol.
Just finished playing Mario Kart with a friend and want to clean and disinfect your unit? You can — safely, with these Nintendo Switch Guidelines in cleaning your unit with alcohol.
It would be best if you start by turning off your console first. You don’t want to tap anything while you’re wiping away. Don’t forget to remove any cords too. Make sure it’s off, and have a clean cloth on hand.
According to the Nintendo Switch Guideline, if your unit is dirty, you only need a soft clean cloth. Moisten it with water and wrung it out tightly. Do not use solvents such as thinner and benzine.
For disinfecting, lightly moisten your clean cloth with a commercially available disinfectant solution. Choose an alcohol with about 70% solution and wipe gently. Nintendo Switch Disinfecting Guideline reiterates that you do not use any disinfectant or solvent other than alcohol. Make sure that your unit is completely dry before you use it.
As a serious precaution, the guideline also pointed out the following points when disinfecting with alcohol:
- Do not use any other alcohol that is not intended for disinfection, such as for fuel. It may damage the equipment.
- Do not apply your disinfectant directly (i.e., spraying alcohol directly) or immersing the device in the disinfectant. The moisture contained from the alcohol disinfectant may get inside the unit and may break down.
- After disinfecting, make sure that the console is completely dry. The device may get damaged if it’s still not dry.
It also added that the device might break if these precautions are not observed, and you may get charged for the repair.
Nintendo Switch is a videogame console developed by Nintendo and was initially released in 2017. By September 2020, both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite have sold more than 68 million units worldwide. It is carrying Nintendo’s first-party titles such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, among the few.
How often do you clean and disinfect your Switch? Let me know in the comments!