Cleaning Your Laptop Monitor

[Ro_Laren]

Last month my little 4 year old cousin sprayed some apple juice or something onto my laptop monitor. The monitor works just fine, but ther are smudges on the screen. How do I clean the smudges off?

Lol, I know I'm lazy and should have cleaned off my laptop a lot earlier.

 

[Amaris]

The best way is to use a damp, lint free cloth. If you don't have that, a white t-shirt with a smidge of window cleaner will do the trick. Just be gentle when wiping, and wipe in small circles until the smudges are clear, then wipe the outer edges of the monitor.

 

[Kelthaz]

I use spittle and my T-Shirt. Not the recommended way, but I'm happy with the results. J. Allen's way is the best.

 

[smiki]

Just let Rainbow Dash from J. Allen's avatar lick it! It will be good as new.

 

[Holdfast]

Little bit of Windolene (or Windex, or whatever these products are called in your part of world), same as you'd use on windows or mirrors or TVs or whatever.

 

[spooky spice]

I find baby wipes (the cheap shop's own brand type) are excellent for these sorts of things

YMMV

 

[ares93]

^ Neither of you are recommending professional monitor cleaning fluid, I see.

Don't do it either, your hand will smell like you've shoved it up your arse for a week. Trust me on that one, I tried cleaning it off with disinfectant scrub nicked from the hospital. You know, the stuff surgeons use, and for the death of me it wouldn't come off. I'm pretty sure a few layers of skin came off though...

 

[DimesDan]

A cloth, a bit of water and washing up liquid and most importantly, elbow grease!

 

[Kelthaz]

Little bit of Windolene (or Windex, or whatever these products are called in your part of world), same as you'd use on windows or mirrors or TVs or whatever.

Windex can damage the coating of an LCD screen. It's best to just use water.

 

[STR]

^You have to use a crap ton of windex before the alcohol/ammonia starts to break down the coatings on a modern panel. Like 10 times a day, every day, for years.

That's if your screen even has an exterior coating. Most LCD's don't. Everything is on the inside, unless it's anti-glare, but that's usually not a coating.

 

[farmkid]

Here's an electronic screen cleaner you can download.

I've always had good luck with isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) and a Kimwipe (basically a small lint-free paper towel) from my lab.

 

[Kelthaz]

^You have to use a crap ton of windex before the alcohol/ammonia starts to break down the coatings on a modern panel. Like 10 times a day, every day, for years.

That's if your screen even has an exterior coating. Most LCD's don't. Everything is on the inside, unless it's anti-glare, but that's usually not a coating.

It could just be an old wives tale, but I've read a lot of people saying that Windex is bad for your monitor. When water cleans just as well, in addition to being cheaper and easier to obtain, why take the risk?

 

[OmahaStar]

I've read in Heloise both the damp cloth, and using diluted vinegar both work ... use plain water first, and if it's stubborn, then add a bit of vinegar. YMMV

 

[Lindley]

Electronics wipes are available at computer stores.

 

[Amaris]

Electronics wipes are available at computer stores.

Those cost money! The key to being an expert is to not only excel at information technology, but also to be a tight ass.

 

[Trekker4747]

Likely not the best way, but I just use a shot of window cleaner (Windex) on my monitor or TV screen and then wipe it down with a paper towel.

 

[Holdfast]

Little bit of Windolene (or Windex, or whatever these products are called in your part of world), same as you'd use on windows or mirrors or TVs or whatever.

Windex can damage the coating of an LCD screen. It's best to just use water.

I bet you do need loads of it to cause a problem. I mean, have you - or anyone you know - ever had a monitor go bad because of it?

A little bit once every few months or so does them no harm in my experience and works a lot better than water.