MacBook disinfection

According to details within the sourced Apple Support article, the wider range

of instructions tends to be less stringent, than the misquoted information cited.

• How to clean your Apple products - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204172

Is it OK to use a disinfectant on my Apple product? 

"Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75 percent ethyl 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 products containing bleach or

hydrogen peroxide. 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."

Please read through the article and see where direction applies to details.

Generally the top section applies to most/all products. Additional detail

with more cautions, about portable Macs; does appear more focused:

"To clean the Screen on your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, first

shut down the computer and unplug the power adapter. Dampen a soft,

lint-free cloth with water only, ~ then use it to clean the Computer's Screen."

Article is OK, within the entirety; where it shows wider view & narrower ones.

..A fuller recommendation would be to start at the top..

Alexander3781 Said:

"MacBook disinfection: Is it safe to wipe the aluminum casing of my macbook with 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes?"

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No.

You should not use wipes and liquids. Just use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items. 

1. Go Here: How to Clean your Apple Products - Apple Support
2. As it Reads: "avoid excessive wiping, which might cause damage."

See quotes (one, two, & blue link) from article?

"To clean the Screen on your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, first

shut down the computer and unplug the power adapter. Dampen a soft,

lint-free cloth with water only, ~ then use it to clean the Computer's Screen."

Use wipes on the metal body as indicated.

If there may issues with article, tell Apple.

Read all the instructions in their context?😑

Wipes with only Benzalkonium chloride (and similar compounds) will disinfect while acting as water with surfactant (super-soap) for these purposes. That is, there will be no solvent effects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzalkonium_chloride

Wipes with ethanol risk damaging some plastics, and WILL remove screen coatings!

K Schaffer--

So sorry. I did not mean to fault your excellent advice in any way.

I was in a hurry, and responded to the last post in haste rather than the original poster.

I was not being properly thoughtful, and will try to do better.

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I only wanted to add that sanitizing wipes with ONLY Benzalkonium chloride were like water, and could be used where water was obviously OK, like on the metal body or on plastic parts (other than the screen).

Wipes with alcohol should stay away from plastics of all descriptions, and WILL remove the coating from the screen.

One other bit of ephemera to add on this subject:

Early in this pandemic, no one knew how COVID-19 was transmitted, and tests of mitigation methods against various transmission methods provided wildly unreliable results.

It turns out that this virus is transmitted by particles FAR SMALLER than any disease we have ever faced on a large scale, and new branches of science had to be invented to effectively study the transmission of such small particles.

The corollary is that we now know that much of the physical cleaning we have been doing is not necessary to prevent the spread of this virus, and has been re-classified as "disinfection theatre" -- flashy, but not effective against what we mean to defeat.