16 replies to this topic

[fivealive]

so iv had my laptop now for a few months(since December) and iv yet to once clean the screen im afraid to ruin it im not sure what to use to safely clean it. Any and all tips would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advanced.

[CWB]

i use "windex" and a soft cotton cloth (old diapers work great , but try to find a cotton diaper these days) .
have the cloth at the ready and the screen tilted back ...
lightly spritz across the top of the screen and gently clean using a circular motion .
you can catch any runs before they make it to the bottom .

common mistakes are :
using cheap-arsed paper towels (abrasive)
"flooding" with too much windex (you can always clean it twice)

after you do this a couple of times , it becomes a snap .
you can also dampen a cloth with windex and follow with a dry cloth .

man , you would not believe the crudded up screens i have seen/cleaned over the years ...
televisions (direct view and projection + optics) / monitors (crt and lcd) / laptop screens .
some are/were absolutely plumb nasty !
i would bet that some others here have "horror stories" to tell as well .

[fivealive]

Well I don't smoke thankfully but others in the house do so even tho my room is "smoke free" I know it is probly got smoke guck on it. Oh and would a cloth that's ment to clean dust work its super soft also reminds me I don't think I have windex

[CWB]

a "dusting cloth" is a no-no .
these usually contain oils and waxes ... they smear and leave a coating/film behind that actually attracts/hangs onto dust and what-have-you .
there are plenty of other aerosols in the air besides ciggy smoke .
i can tell when a comp or laptop is used in a kitchen area ... the greasy film and aroma that is left behind .
(heh ... and so it goes with electronic gear used in different places)

[fivealive]

Thanks glad I asked one of the reasons I havt cleaned is I just don't know

[CWB]

you can use old washcloths and hand towels too .
make sure that they are clean and have not been washed with any "fabric softeners" or those damnable "softener sheets" that are used in the dryer .
a brand of paper towel that can be used is "brawny" ... i bought them by the case for use at the shop .

[fivealive]

Ah alright ill look for that paper towel in a few days when I get money again thank you for the advice

[exile360]

I'd recommend warm water, though VERY little, just enough to get the cloth damp, not wet, and I'd recomment a soft cloth, like the type used to clean eyeglasses to avoid scratches.

[exile360]

Seagull, on 28 April 2012 - 12:56 PM, said:

I would not use Windex as Windex is designed for glass and most LCD TV's now a days and laptop screens aren't glass, you will streak the heck out of it and possibly ruin it.

I personally recommend buying some LCD screen cleaner, I purchased the Monster ScreenClean which is designed for LCD screens and it comes with a microfiber towel.

A microfiber towel will not scratch your LCD screen. I bought myself this Monster Screen cleaner and have been using it since I own my laptop and my big screen TV and it does

a very good job, my LCD screen on my laptop and my LED/LCD TV screen are like a mirror with no streaks.


I hope this helps.

Yep, I think you nailed it .

Water works, but LCD screen cleaner is even better (it's saline as I recall, which is the same solution used for cleaning contact lenses and glasses) and a microfiber cloth is exactly what's used for cleaning glasses .

[fivealive]

aah alright ill keep that in mind when i get money in a few days. i know that i cant use anything with alcohol in it since it eats away at the screen (or so iv heard no clue if its actually true)


but thanks

[DarkSnakeKobra]

I normally wipe it down with a lightly damped rag and use a microfiber cloth to get all hair(me and my dog are shedders ) , dust and what not off.

[CWB]

"I would not use Windex as Windex is designed for glass and most LCD TV's now a days and laptop screens aren't glass, you will streak the heck out of it and possibly ruin it."

really ?

i have been using "windex" on all manner of screens for close to 40 years with no problems .
it also works great on plexiglas windows .
a major problem is abrasive "towels" of any type . these will leave fine scratches in the surface .
a "dirty" towel , one that contains small amounts of "dirt" that cannot be seen by eyeball is to be avoided .
(i keep all my screen cleaning cloths separated from the other towels after i wash them out)

do not use "rubbing alcohol" (or similar fluids) on screens ... this stuff does have the extreme possibility of damaging the coatings on some screens .
do not use "household cleaners" (ie : 409 / tub and tile cleaners / bleaching-disinfecting solutions , etc .) .

some of you here may recall the old "microfiche" projection readers ...
some of these had a "frosted" glass screen that was not a truly etched surface ; it was a coating .
we had such a machine in a shop i worked for . one of the techs decided to clean it ...
he used rubbing alcohol on it ... the "frosting" dissolved and a piece of clear plexiglas was left behind .
man , he was surprised !
(i suspect that it was a "cheap" screen and used a salt of some type .)

the screen surfaces on modern equipment are much more durable .
they are designed with the idea in mind that "joe consumer" is going to clean them with (a) commonly available product(s) .
the users manual often outlines a safe cleaning procedure .

[Firefox]

Never had issues with Windex myself either, the key is using a soft cloth not to scratch the surface, and I spray the rag not the screen.

[noknojon]

I use ROGGE TFT / LCD Cleaner and the small 125ml bottle has lasted for years -

It is good for the computer screens and also the Television screens - Comes with an anti-static cleaner cloth -

[Arnold72]

its a wonder laptop manufacturers have not devised a way to take the screen outer cover off.it would make life so much easier and there is nothing more annoying than seeing marks on your laptop screen.Im a bit of a perfectionist and i want things to glean brightly lol.
Regards.