How To Clean Your Laptop Screen Properly

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.

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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