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    General Care and Maintenance of Handheld Systems

    The information in this article provides guidance that promotes basic cleanliness and helps protect your portable systems for long-term use.

    Important

    • Before cleaning or disinfecting, verify that the system is powered off and that all accessories are unplugged.
    • Do not pour liquids directly on the product or submerge the product in water or other liquids.
    • After cleaning or disinfecting, ensure the product is completely dry before use.

    While portable systems are designed for durability, they still remain complex electronic devices. As such, care needs to be taken with how they are handled.

    What would you like to do?

    If the screen or body of your portable system has visible smudges or fingerprints on it, you can clean it by using a soft, clean cloth such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth. Gently rub the smudge with the cloth until it is gone.

    • Cleaning dirt from a system:
      1. Slightly dampen a corner of a soft, clean cloth (such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth) with water and wipe the system to loosen any dirt or foreign material.
      2. Using a dry portion of the same cloth, wipe the system again to dry it and finish the cleaning process.
      3. Repeat as needed until the system is clean.
    • Cleaning foreign material from a Nintendo DS screen:
      • If you have noticed that your Nintendo DS screen has pieces of foreign material, such as crumbs, wedged between the housing and the Touch Screen, you may gently clean the system with a brand-new, soft-to-medium-bristled toothbrush.
        • Note that this does not apply to Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DSi XL systems.
    • Cleaning foreign material from a Game Boy Micro screen:
      • If the screen below the faceplate needs to be cleaned, you will need to remove the faceplate first before wiping with a soft, clean cloth, such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth.

    Lightly apply a consumer-grade disinfectant containing about 70% alcohol to a soft, clean cloth, such as a lens or eyeglass cleaning cloth, and gently wipe the product.

    • Minimise direct impact to the system.

      Your portable system should never be left anywhere where it could get hit, dropped, sat on, stepped on or banged around (e.g. in a backpack). While well protected, the sophisticated screens and internal components can be damaged by direct physical impact. An extra protective carrying case can often help prevent problems related to impact damage. Many times the initial damage is not noticeable to the naked eye, but over time (like a small chip in a windshield), a crack, line or more damage can appear.

    • Avoid exposing the battery to liquids.

      The rechargeable lithium ion batteries featured in most newer portable devices are very sensitive to moisture. If the battery is exposed to liquids, it will be permanently damaged.

      If your rechargeable Nintendo portable product has been exposed to liquids, use the links below for troubleshooting and repair information:

    • Only use licensed Nintendo accessories.
      • The use of unlicensed protective screen covers can lower the sensitivity of the Nintendo DS Touch Screen. They may also damage screens as they can leave behind a residue that may be difficult to clean.
    • Only insert or remove a game card when the system is turned off or when the HOME Menu is displayed.
    • Avoid exposing the system, game cards or accessories to extreme temperatures.
    • Please check more Tips on How to Keep the Nintendo Switch Console in Good Working Condition.

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