Nintendo warns you against using alcohol to clean your Switch Joy-Cons

Photo courtesy of Nintendo

In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a necessity to clean devices you use frequently. And we know a lot of Nintendo Switch users are making the most out of their game consoles. Naturally, the first instinct is to disinfect the Switch with alcohol or disinfecting wipes. But Nintendo warns against doing so. 

Kotaku translated a tweet from Nintendo Customer Service that alcohol shouldn't be used with Joy-Cons. "Recently, customers have been asking whether they can disinfect their Nintendo Switch consoles and Joy-Cons with alcohol," the tweet said. "We're very sorry to say please avoid using alcohol as it may cause the plastic parts to fade in colour or deform."

Nintendo warns against non-alcoholic wipes, too. "We also cannot recommend using non-alcoholic disinfecting sheets, as depending on the ingredients, they may damage the plastic parts," wrote Nintendo.

The only solution Nintendo can give is using a "soft dry cloth." Not exactly a way to disinfect the gadget. But, if you want to use it these days, it might be necessary to clean it at the risk of losing the quality of the finish. Or you can store it away in the foreseeable future.