PSA: If you’re buying one of the new fabric cases for Google’s Pixel, prepare for discolouration

While Google’s fabric cases for the Pixel 2 line certainly look great, they come with a major downside. Being covered in fabric means they’re a little more prone to discolouration than other materials, and sadly, it doesn’t take long for that discolouration to occur.

What you can see above is a Coral Red fabric case for the Pixel 2, which I bought mid last week. I’ve had it for less than a week. Already it’s showing signs of wear and tear; look around the power switch and the volume rocker in particular, and at the rear of the case itself. What should be a fairly uniform colour is now rather obviously not, and depending on the light, that view gets worse.

Dan has a gray fabric case on his Pixel 2, and he’s observed the same thing, though obviously on a gray case the discolouration is a little less prevalent.

To be clear, we didn’t expect that this wouldn’t happen; any material which can absorb dirt, grime and the oils from our hands will wind up the same way, but we didn’t expect it to happen with only a few days’ usage. It’s frankly a bit disappointing. Google of course notes that this is a possible outcome, with this on the product page:

Fabric may stain. Hand wash only. See g.co/pixel2casecare for more information.

Following that link, the following advice is offered for those wanting to clean the fabric case:

1. Remove your case from your phone.
2. Dampen a cloth or sponge with water.
3. Add a little mild soap.
4. With the damp cloth, rub your case’s fabric gently in circles.
5. Let your case air dry at room temperature.

Tip: If needed, first use a stain remover pen. Avoid harsh cleaners, rough scrubbing, or soaking for a long time.

I’ll be trying precisely that this afternoon to see if I can remove some of the stains, and it will be interesting to see how the case scrubs up. I’ll report back!