This article was published on August 22, 2019

[Best of 2019] Apple: Don’t keep your precious Apple Card near denim or leather

What a delicate piece of tech the Apple Card is...


[Best of 2019] Apple: Don’t keep your precious Apple Card near denim or leather

The Apple Card is such a delicate piece of technological wonder it apparently needs its own cleaning instructions. Just kidding: it’s a fucking titanium credit card with fancy coating, which also happens to require a laborious cleaning process. It also turns out it shouldn’t come into contact with denim or leather – or so says Apple.

In new guidelines posted on its website, the Cupertino giant says that “[s]ome fabrics, like leather and denim, might cause permanent discoloration that will not wash off.”

This basically means that your elegant leather wallet and cool denim jeans’ pockets might not be the best place to keep the Apple Card.

Instead, the iPhone-maker advises carrying it “in a wallet, pocket, or bag made of soft materials.” You also shouldn’t place it directly next to other cards. “If two credit cards are placed in the same slot your card could become scratched,” the instructions read.

A couple more things to watch out for when storing your Apple Card:

  • Avoid magnets. “If your card is placed close to a magnetic latch on a purse or bag, the magnetic strip can become demagnetized,” Apple warns. I know at least one person who’s not happy about that.
  • Don’t you even think about putting your Apple Card in pockets or bags that contain “loose change, keys, or other potentially abrasive objects.” That’ll definitely mess it up.

Anyways, back to that laborious cleaning process. Here’s how Apple says you should clean your card:

  • “Gently wipe with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free microfiber cloth.”
  • “Moisten a soft, microfiber cloth with isopropyl alcohol and gently wipe the card.”
  • And don’t you even dare using “window or household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, or abrasives.”

How convenient, eh?

Hyperboles aside, most leather wallets’ card slots tend to be laced with soft fabrics, so chances are you won’t have any issues keeping the Apple Card there.

In reality, these are pretty much the same precautions you should take with any other card. Apple is merely worried you might scratch that deluxe white coating – and, oh God, what a tragedy that would be!

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