Apple's cleaning cloth is sold out through January -- get this instead

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2021
Apple's $19 polishing cloth sold out nearly immediately, with delivery dates of up to three months being suggested on Apple's retail website -- here are some alternatives you can pick up right now, and why you (probably) don't need Apple's version.




On October 18, Apple introduced a $19 cleaning cloth to its online store. While many found the price outrageous, it didn't take long for the cloth to sell out.

The cloth isn't new, either. Instead, it's the same one that ships with Apple's high-end Pro Display XDR monitor and was previously available through service channels.

Apple's official Polishing Cloth is made with "soft, nonabrasive material" designed to prevent damage to nano-texture displays.

Nano-texture displays feature a unique nanometer-level glass etching that provides a high-quality matte display option that reduces glare and maintains image quality. Because of this delicate etching, the glass must be cleaned with a specialized cleaning cloth.

It's highly unlikely that everyone purchasing the Apple polishing cloth owns a device with a nano-texture screen. Currently, only the Pro Display XDR and customized Intel iMacs feature nano-texture. It's far more likely most people simply bought it because it was new to the Apple Store.

For most Apple screens, a decent-quality microfiber cleaning cloth is all you'll need to clean your screen. Apple suggests that you lightly dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water and wipe off any offending grime.




As far as lint-free cloths go, MagicFiber Microfiber cloths are designed to trap dust and remove oil and grime without scratching your screen. They'll work with the iPhone, iPad, and with the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models -- pretty much anything that doesn't have nano-texture.

However, if you have a nano-texture display, you'll want to avoid using water or a standard cleaning cloth. Again, Apple states that you should only use the cleaning cloth that came with your device -- or that you purchased as a $19 standalone.

Apple's polishing cloth is a microfiber cloth with a suede texture, similar to if not exactly the same as the ones that have shipped with microscopes for years. Apple is far from the only company to produce this sort of microfiber cloth. It is often recommended for sensitive glass surfaces, such as jewelry, eyeglasses, camera lenses, and even microscope lenses.




Makuang sells an 8-pack of suede cleaning cloths for $15.69 on Amazon. Using an "ultra fine suede weave," the 12-inch by 12-inch cloths are lint, streak, and scratch-free, and can be washed and reused repeatedly.

They're also a light grey and can ship in a relatively short timeframe, at least compared to the three months of the Apple cleaning cloth.

There is a word of warning to offer about Amazon cleaning cloths, as there's no guarantee that the title of the cloth will remain the same. A previous version of this article included a reference to an AmazonBasics 24-pack of cloths listed as being "suede," but later Amazon changed the listing to state it was "microfiber" instead, while retaining the same images and other related text.

When using any cloth -- be it Apple's official polishing cloth or a third-party alternative -- on a display of any sort, you should thoroughly inspect it to ensure it is clean, dry, and free of any hard particles that could scratch your monitor. Apple recommends that you clean your polishing cloth with dish soap and water, rinse well, and allow to air-dry for at least 24 hours between uses.

Update, November 24: Due to changes in Amazon's naming of its own products, switching out "suede" for "microfiber, the article has been updated with a new "suede" option and clarification on the matter.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    petripetri Posts: 118member
    The only thing more ridiculous than the existence of Apple’s polishing cloth is the sheer amount of column inches that have been devoted to discussing it.
    applguysbdudetyler82viclauyyccuriousrun8
  • Reply 2 of 14
    omasouomasou Posts: 557member
    People are buying it b/c it's an Apple cleaning cloth! Not b/c they have something to clean.

    So why does this article exist? Oh, right associate links.
    edited October 2021 crazyexcaliburapplguysbdude
  • Reply 3 of 14
    It’s in stock in stores right now!
    doozydozen
  • Reply 4 of 14
    applguyapplguy Posts: 235member
    Likely not available online because they filled the retail channel with supply. Picked up two yesterday at my local Apple store. Plenty more still there. 
    doozydozenrussw
  • Reply 5 of 14
    sbdudesbdude Posts: 254member
    $18 for a logo, $1 cost of goods landed. Customer acquisition cost? Nil.
    russwcuriousrun8
  • Reply 6 of 14
    Hehe, now this product is funny. Like a real life SNL Skit.
    tyler82doozydozen
  • Reply 7 of 14
    My guess is that the vast majority of the first round of "Apple's official Polishing Cloth" were bought by tech bloggers to do a joke review.
  • Reply 8 of 14
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    Thanks for the suggestion and recommendation of alternate cleaning cloths. Ordered. 
    doozydozen
  • Reply 9 of 14
    Hey!!! It’s magical. 
    doozydozen
  • Reply 10 of 14
    omasou said:
    People are buying it b/c it's an Apple cleaning cloth! Not b/c they have something to clean.

    So why does this article exist? Oh, right associate links.
    Why does your comment exist? Oh right, no one asked. 

    P.S. I found it useful. 
    doozydozen
  • Reply 11 of 14
    I was lucky to get courier deliver on the new MBP today and the cleaning cloth was in stock, so I threw one in the cart thinking I'd see what all the fuss is about. I have so many cleaning cloths from sunglasses and random giveaways throughout the years - so do I need it? Certainly not. But, I gotta say it is by far the best cleaning cloth I own! (Full disclosure - it's the only one I've ever spent money on.)

    The size is nice (folded - as it comes packaged, it happens to fit in the little side drawer on my desk perfectly), and it's actually a lot thicker / sturdier than I expected. Cleaning my screens was easy and normal - nothing special on that part other than the sturdiness. I'll probably recycle my old cleaning cloths that have piled up over the years. 

    I wonder if it's machine washable? I guess I'll find out a long time from now once it gets really dirty. 
  • Reply 12 of 14
    Does it show up in “Find My” as an item or a device?
  • Reply 13 of 14
    No chargers included due to ecology but RESEARCH THE MICROPLASTICS DUMPED INTO WATER WITH MICROFIBER WASHING. 
  • Reply 14 of 14
    Dogperson said:
    No chargers included due to ecology but RESEARCH THE MICROPLASTICS DUMPED INTO WATER WITH MICROFIBER WASHING. 
    And you ASSUME that applies to EVERY cleaning cloth?  It does not.  "Microfiber" cloths can be made out of many different materials.
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