Toddy Smart Cloth: A stylish way to keep a smudge-free life

In the day to day usage of your iPad, iPhone, or Mac, the screen and case tend to pick up a lot of crud. Whether it's streaks on the screen from food-covered fingers or spray marks from that unexpected sneeze, you need something good to clean your Apple devices from everyday grime. For me, the solution has been a Toddy Smart Cloth (US$9.99 to $14.99).

Yeah, I know I'm not much of a fashionista, but sometimes it's just nice to have something that is functional and looks good -- that's why I love Apple products. Designer Todd Gabel felt the same way and apparently has the same aversion to screen smudges that I do. The result was the Toddy Smart Cloth, which comes in a variety of smart-looking styles.

Unlike many cleaning cloths that come in sizes that are almost impossible to fold into a reasonable size for carrying, my Toddy Smart Cloth is small. Measuring 5" x 7" (others are 9" x 9"), the cloth consists of a soft, silk microfiber on one side and the standard microfiber cloth on the other. I've found the smooth side to be perfect for lightly removing specks of dirt from the lens of my camera. Getting the schmutz off of my iPad screen, however, is a job for the microfiber material. Surprisingly enough, it doesn't seem to require any moisture or spray to do most of the cleaning, although I occasionally spritz on a little iClean for tough cleaning jobs.

Rather than the typical drab blue or gray cleaning cloths, Toddy Smart Cloth has chosen to add a little style. Mine is orange on the microfiber side, and has a pattern on the other side that would not be out of place on a high-end men's tie. The style is called "The Duke," and has been a companion to my iOS devices for about six months now. When I've dirtied it up quite a bit, I just drop it in a load of wash on the cold cycle to get it spotless again.

One other cool thing about the Toddy Smart Cloth: it is treated with an anti-microbial coating, so if you're in the habit of letting others fondle your devices, at least you can keep their germs at bay. By the way, if you buy two of these cloths, the third is free -- a great way to mix styles to match your mood. It's also a great gift idea, and it's not too early to start thinking about the upcoming holidays.