When your to-do list says “Clean Laptop Screen,” you need to know how to get the job done without harming your monitor’s LCD. Several options, using either common products found around the home or specific electronic products, and a few cautionary tips are worth noting.
How To Clean Laptop Screen With Household Products
Cloth -- Only use a 100%-cotton cloth that is soft and absorbent, either an old T-shirt, sock, or Turkish towel. Make sure you’re not using a cotton/polyester blend that contains stiff filaments which can scratch an LCD’s surface.
Paper towel or facial tissue should never be used because they contain wood fibers, also hazardous to LCDs, and definitely are not how to clean a laptop screen.
Also remember to never use a dry cloth on your LCD monitor. Dust particles moved around with even the softest cloth could create scratches.
Liquid - The best way to get a really clean laptop screen is to use isopropyl alcohol, containing 91% pure alcohol, with 9% de-ionized water, readily available at any drugstore or supermarket. It’s perfectly safe for use on electronic equipment and LCD screens because it evaporates quickly and does not leave a residue. The lesser strength isopropyl alcohol 70% is used primarily for massage and muscle pain.
A 1:1 solution of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol 91% can be used to clean a laptop screen that is not heavily dusty or soiled with greasy fingerprints. Vinegar and distilled water in a 1:1 solution can also be used for light cleaning.
Certain household liquids should never be used on LCDs. These include ammonia and tap or mineral water, which leave permanent white spots and streaks. Household window cleaners should be avoided because they might contain ammonia, or other harmful chemicals which also can cause irreparable damage.
Another caution is to never spray a solution directly onto an LCD. Always spray the liquid on a cloth, only enough to moisten it slightly, and then apply to the screen in gentle, counter-clockwise motions.
How To Clean Laptop Screen With Special Cleaners
Kits -- Micro-fiber cloths and anti-static solutions are packaged together and sold at office supply or electronics stores. The special solution leaves a slight film that protects a clean laptop screen, repels dust and smudges, and keeps it clean longer. The liquid should be sprayed onto the cloth, which only needs to be slightly wet, not dripping, when applied to the screen. There’s a slight disadvantage to these kits. Certain solutions cause streaking, so it’s best to do a little research before investing in this method.
Micro-fibre cloths can be purchased separately and used with isopropyl alcohol 91%, and/or distilled water. Whether using the complete kit or the cloths alone, make sure the packaging designates the product is ‘’safe for laptops and LCD screens.”
Anti-Static Cloths -- Many computer manufacturers, when asked how to clean a laptop screen, recommend anti-static cloths made specifically for cleaning without liquid of any kind. These cloths are formulated for advanced optical technology and are considered the best way to clean, polish and protect a laptop screen. Even greasy fingerprints can be buffed off using these cloths, readily available at electronics or office supply stores.
Similar cloths are made for cleaning camera or eyeglass lenses, and these can be found at any drugstore, optometrist or camera shop. Anti-static cloths are the quickest and easiest solution when you want the most advanced and easiest method to both protect and clean a laptop screen.
The above options offer a variety of easy and safe ways to care for your LCD monitor. With simple maintenance on a regular basis, a laptop screen will last for many years.
And finally just make sure you dont do it like this
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Thanks for the informative post. I’ve got dust, I’ve got streaks, I’ve got bits of grapefruit juice and lipstick residue (don’t ask; not mine though) and I can’t wait to try out a bit of alcohol to get it back to new. That’s a very funny commercial too.
Try this as well:
Please follow this link
http://www.actrix.co.nz/special/cyberclean.html
as often as you feel you need to get this done.
thanks for thus useful info about cleaning laptop screens.
Wow. Now, I have heard that you should NOT use 91% isopropyl alcohol, because that solution probably contains acetone, which might be harmful to LCD screens. 70% isopropyl is recommended instead. You seem to be specifically recommending the 91%. So who’s right?
haha that video was the funniest.
Great post. Thanks for sharing!
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Good article, thanks a lot
THank you so much, my children have left finger prints all over my screen and I had no idea what would be safe to use.
Cute, Video. Thank You, the formula worked great. The screen is really clean.
Thank you for the good information, now I can get my 3 y/o granddaughter’s finger prints of sticky stuff off. Thank you for the humor at the end, also!
Thanks for the post. Finally, a guy who seems to know his stuff. I can now get rid of the grime on all my com screens
how do i get streaks off my computer? i tried to clean it with a damp cloth and it now has heavy streaks.
Ashley, you need to be more specific about where the streaks are. Are they on the screen, or on the case of the computer? Is the screen an LCD flat screen? If it’s an LCD screen, a damp cloth alone won’t work. Get some isopropyl alcohol (make sure it’s 91% isopropyl), which can be found at any grocery or drug store. Get also some distilled water (don’t use tap water; it can contain harmful minerals). mix equal parts of both the alcohol and the water and use a microfiber cloth (or an old, well-used t-shirt if available). Put this in a spray bottle if you have one, and spray it on the cloth. If you rub firmly, but not too hard, yo should be able to make the screen look like new.
If you have a CRT screen (the big, bulky type) or if it’s the computer case you’re cleaning, then you can just use Windex or something similar. However, DON’T use that kind of cleaner on an LCD screen; the ammonia will damage the screen permanently!
Can you use pledge? Or let me say, I’ve used pledge and had decent results — will I regret this? I also have luck using a dry erase board eraser to wipe it.
But I am constantly having streak and finger print issues! I didn’t have this with the old laptop but the LCD is ridiculous.
I’ve never heard of using Pledge, so I really don’t know. I would think that, over time at least, that would tend to yellow the screen. I guess if you’re having good results, one can’t argue with it, but I’d be worried about long-term effects. The alcohol and water solution is so simple, and less expensive than furniture polish anyway, so I’d still stick with, and recommend, that.
I recommend Klear Screen… I’ve used it for years.
http://www.klearscreen.com, or just buy it at Frys, Microcenter, etc.
KleerScreen is a very good product, but costly. You’re looking at at least $13 for 8 ounces of it. Do the math on that and you’re looking at over $200 a gallon. You can get the exact same results with 91% isopropyl alcohol and distilled water for about $12 a GALLON
I just got a new hp mini and about dropped it. while catching it from my lap my nail scraped screen and left nailpolish look scrape on the screen. It would happen on a wall if the same occurred…polish marks things. Anyone know how to remove it? no indent just a colored scrape mark…thanks Will try the alcohol too…just don’t have any at the moment.
I find that Caloclean (made by Calotherm) lens spray works very well on laptop screens.
I would definably say it’s better to use a microfibre cloth than a cotton cloth as it’s less likely to leave smears & streaks.
If you have ever cleaned a spectacle lens with a cotton cloth you will know what I mean!
Thanks so much for this clear and thorough information. Also, we wanted to know how to attach the lap top to the TV , so I am off to your next topic.