Apple's $19 polishing cloth may be the butt of countless jokes, but the company is doubling down on it and has even published a guide on how to clean it properly. Apple released its polishing cloth last year to much ridicule and jibes from customers and the media alike. However, it was apparently a bigger hit with buyers than even Apple could have envisaged. It was out-of-stock for a long time on Apple's online store before the company restocked it recently.
While buyers may be lapping up the polishing cloth, it has been a constant source of derision and mockery for others. While Samsung mocked Apple by giving away its own polishing cloth for free, Elon Musk mocked it by comparing it to the $50 Tesla Cyberwhistle and claiming that the latter offers better value for money. Apple, however, has remained unfazed and had earlier published a guide on how to clean its hardware with the polishing cloth. Now, the company is advising users on how to clean the cloth itself.
On its support page for the polishing cloth, Apple says that users should "hand wash the polishing cloth with dish soap and water" to remove all dirt. Then, it should be rinsed thoroughly and dried for at least 24 hours to get the best results. Apple did not say how many wash cycles the cloth can withstand, nor did it specify any particular type or brand of dish soap. However, online forums and media are joking about finding the most expensive dish soaps to wash the cloth and using premium canned air to dry the product. All things considered, everybody is seeing the humor in the absurdity of it all, but Apple is the one that's laughing all the way to the bank.
Glorified Microfiber Cloth
Apple's polishing cloth is a glorified piece of microfiber that the company says is made out of "soft, nonabrasive material," and can clean "any Apple display, including nano-texture glass." The product was launched last year alongside AirPods 3 and the new MacBook Pros, and has since become a meme magnet. One of the funniest things about it is a full 'compatibility list' that includes almost every imaginable Apple hardware, including iPhones, Macs, Apple Watches, and more.
Of course, it can also clean any other smartphone or laptop display, as can any other cheaper microfiber cloth that cost literally pennies. Still, everything with the Apple logo comes with a premium, and folks who are ready to pay that premium can get the cloth from Apple's online store right away. Do note that cleaning any 'incompatible' device with it won't break the hardware, but it might ruin the cloth, depending on how dirty the gadget is.
Source: Apple