Keeping your hardware up to scratch and avoiding repair centers can be an unfortunate necessity of being a console gamer. No matter what platform you choose, your console will always have a cell-by-date whether through new technology releases or functional issues with the console.

But, if you work to maintain your console, you can help to guarantee the maximum lifespan possible. If you're a Nintendo Switch owner, for instance, there are tons of ways you can easily support and maintain your Switch. But what are these methods? Let's take a look.

1. Correctly Clean Your Nintendo Switch Hardware

One of the most common and effective ways to maintain your Nintendo Switch is to give it a good clean every once in a while. However, this may not be as simple as you may think, and there are precautions you need to take before cleaning your console.

Ensuring your Nintendo Switch is powered off, for instance, is an essential first step to cleaning your Switch, but there are numerous things to be aware of when attempting to clean your Nintendo Switch safely. But if done correctly, cleaning your Switch has many benefits.

Of most note, removing dust, dirt, and grime from your Switch lowers the chance of your console experiencing ventilation problems, with your console's fan being unimpaired by any potential blockages.

Fan issues can be perilous regarding hardware faults, causing overheating, console crashes, and even more severe issues that may require repair. Cleaning your Switch properly, even just to maintain clear ventilation, is a great way to avoid some of the most common and potentially experience-ruining console faults.

2. Use Officially Licensed Nintendo Switch Accessories

Another maintenance method that doesn't involve the physical condition of your Switch, is ensuring that your console only utilizes official Nintendo accessories.

While this may sound like a ploy to guarantee your money stays with Nintendo, there are actually a few good reasons to ensure that protective covers, docks, Joy-Con, and other add-ons you buy for your Switch are official Nintendo products.

For instance, some unofficially licensed protective screen covers for your Switch can interfere with or even damage the touchscreen features of your console. Moreover, some unofficial docks have been known to cause consoles to overheat or even break entirely.

Regardless of whether it is worth using an unofficial Nintendo Switch dock, if you want to focus on the lifespan of your console and its maintenance, avoiding any potentially damaging unofficial accessories becomes a must.

3. Protect Your Nintendo Switch’s Lithium Battery

A key way to maintain your Nintendo Switch is to know how to protect the console's lithium batteries. Unfortunately, while effective, the batteries can be quite delicate and easily broken or worsened by exposure to water or moisture.

And while it is uncommon for you to have a liquid-related mishap with your Switch, it can still happen. Luckily, even if you do allow liquid to come into contact with your console, there are still steps you can take to protect your hardware and the lithium batteries. These steps are as follows:

• If liquid has spilled onto your console, immediately unplug it and power it down. This will prevent further electrical damage or reduce the chances of electrical shock.
• Allow your Nintendo Switch to dry over a few days. Do not do anything to speed up the drying process, like using a hairdryer, as this may further damage your Switch or the batteries.
• If you are certain no liquid entered the housing of your Switch, you can clean the surface of your console with a dry cloth.

Beyond these steps, however, if your Switch seems affected by liquid damage, there is little you can do beyond booking a repair via the official Nintendo site. For these reasons, avoiding moisture or liquid is an imperative way of maintaining your Switch, though this also relates to how you store your console.

4. Store Your Nintendo Switch Correctly

Similarly to minimizing or acting on any potential liquid, or moisture damage, the way you store your Nintendo Switch, or how you manage your Switch when on the go, is also essential to maintenance.

Unlike most consoles, the Nintendo Switch can be utilized as a portable handheld console, as well as a home console. For this reason, the best ways to store your console are more related to conditions than your TV and hardware setup or orientation.

However, much like any console, it is important that when you have your Switch docked, it has enough space for sufficient ventilation. Specifically, ensure your Switch has a few inches of clearance on all sides to guarantee ventilation isn't impaired.

But aside from a home setup, if you utilize your Switch in handheld mode, there are some general environmental factors you should try your best to avoid. These factors can be defined by the following:

• Ensure that your Nintendo Switch isn't near any sources of moisture or liquid.
• Take care of your Switch in hot weather and avoid storing your Switch at high temperatures.

By taking particular note of what to ensure and avoid when storing your Switch, you should reduce any chances of external circumstances damaging your console.

5. Avoid Custom Nintendo Switch Firmware Like Homebrew

Finally, a more specific but important way of maintaining your Switch is to avoid installing and utilizing custom firmware, like Homebrew.

While utilizing Homebrew on your Switch unlocks unique features like emulation and custom themes, there are many reasons you shouldn't use Homebrew on your Nintendo Switch. And when focusing on maintaining your console, the dangers Homebrew presents far outweigh the benefits.

Homebrew, for instance, comes with two main dangers that can ruin your Switch. The first is the potential that Nintendo will ban your Nintendo account or blacklist your console if they see it utilizing custom firmware. This would render your Switch unable to go online.

The second danger is that installing Homebrew can completely brick your Nintendo Switch if something goes wrong. This would completely break your Switch and void its warranty, leaving you no choice but to replace your hardware.

For the maintenance of your Nintendo Switch, avoiding custom firmware is an easy but worthwhile precaution to take, especially if you want to protect your Nintendo account and console.

Maintain Your Nintendo Switch Far Into Future Console Generations

By working to maintain your Nintendo Switch with any of the above methods, you work towards guaranteeing the lifecycle of your console.

And with new console generations ever increasingly around the corner, by maintaining your Switch, you could have a healthy console far beyond the end of the Nintendo Switch's generation of gaming.