How do you clean a laptop screen?

Question

Ive sneezed on mine and its getting a bit manky. How'd you clean them? Is there any precautions I should take or special cleaning methods? I know nothing about computers!

Answer 1

Steps
Dilute isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) into a mix with no more than 50% alcohol and the rest distilled water.

Put the solution in a small spritzer bottle, the type that you push from the top to get a fine mist. It works really well at getting just the right amount on your screen with a spray on each quadrant.

Apply the mix to a cotton cloth, such as an old T-shirt, lint-free microfiber cloth, or other very soft cloth. A large cloth is best, since it will help to reduce the risk of leaving streaks across the screen from finger pressure.

Wipe the cloth against the screen in a counter-clockwise, or other consistent motion. Apply an even pressure to the cloth but take care not to press your fingers into the cloth or screen.

Tips
Expensive store-bought products such as Kensington Screen Guardian contain the same mixture of alcohol and water. 3M's Antistatic Cleaning Solution contains this same mix, plus Ethylene Glycol.

If you apply too much of the solution and it is drippy or too damp, wipe it off with a soft cloth and apply less.

Tissues will likely leave flakes of paper on your monitor. It's better to not even try using them.

You don't want mineral spots on your screen, so don't use tap water.

Using a 100% cotton cloth or shirt alone, without the alcohol mix, can sometimes produce the same smudge-free results without going to the trouble of mixing your own solution.

If you're a photographer, you can use your lint-free lens wipes instead of a soft cotton cloth.

If you are looking for a cheap way to get your hands on ready-made cleaning solution, try CD/DVD cleaner, which is often 55% Isopropyl alcohol and is not harmful to most plastic surfaces.

Warnings
Do not drink Isopropyl alcohol. It is not grain alcohol. It is toxic.
Do not use cheap paper towels. You will scratch the LCD screen.

Avoid using products such as Windex because these contain ammonia and it can degrade the LCD panel.

Shut down your laptop, unplug it from the power adapter, and remove the battery before cleaning it or you risk exposing yourself to an electrical shock.

Answer 2

Don't use anything made of paper, the woodpulp in it can eventually scratch the screen (ask any optician).

Find a clean, lint-free cloth, I use a bit of an old t-shirt. You can buy "readymade" cleaning solutions for the job, failing that a tiny splash of vinegar in luke-warm water is just as good!

Turn off the machine & unplug.
If you're using a spray, spray it onto your cloth, not the screen.
If you're using the water trick, JUST moisten the cloth - the point is that you don't want any liquid to run into the machine.
Be gentle as you wipe the screen, don't rub. Then buff up gently with a soft dry cloth. Job done.

While you're at it, give the keyboard a gentle wipe too.

And if you use a mouse, that too. If your mouse has a ball, drop that out (it's usually a sort of slip-ring on the bottom, turn it and the ball'll drop out. Then carefully pick the crud off the little rollers inside the mouse - a fingernail does the trick nicely. Tap out the crud, wipe the ball off and put it back, it'll run much more smoothly.

Special tip - from time to time, carefully turn the machine over and tap it lightly on the bottom to dislodge the fluff, dust, crumbs, ***-ash etc from between the keys.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

Follow the instruction that come with the laptop is the standard answer. However, what I do is firstly only clean it when it is switched off and cold. I use an airduster ( it comes in a can) to blast clean all the debris from the keyboard, I then wipe the keys with a soft glass cleaning cloth (i.e. lint free cloth) that has been lightly wetted with clear glass cleaning liquid. For the screen I usually only dust with a clean lint free cloth but if there are grease marks on the screen I again spray a little glass cleaner onto the cloth and lightly wipe it. Never spray any liquid directly onto the screen or keyboard.

Answer 4

As another user has already suggested 9 years ago (okay, so I'm a little late to the game lol), I also use the same stuff that I use to clean my glasses. I've done so for years and have never had any problems. I obviously use it on my glasses as well as monitors, laptop screens, phone screens, etc.

I paid $1.97 for a 2 oz spray bottle of the cleaner at Walmart, and it comes with free refills as long as you have the spray bottle. Super cheap and effective!

Answer 5

Lint free alcahol wipes work best, you can find them at most computer supply stores. Barring that you can just take some windex, spray a small amount on a paper towel and rub it on the screen, Just take it easy on the screen and try to stay away from the edges. Plus make sure you shut the thing off, unplug it and pull out the battery (if possible) as you really don't want to get electrocuted.

Answer 6

It's going to sound silly - and I have tried all the proper stuff that I'm supposed to - but what works best for me is the cloth that I use to clean my glasses. I also have a special non-reflective glasses cleaning spray that works like a charm - I got it free when I bought some shades from the Sunglasses Hut and it's the best thing I've used.

Answer 7

Most shops sell sprays for 'modern surfaces'
However, in Poundland, yes Poundland, you can get a small hand held sponge and towel cleaner that incorporates a small spray bottle of cleaner in the handle.
Spray the screen.
Then wipe gently one way only and turn the handle so that a dry side of the towel finishes off.

Honest guvnor its the troof

Answer 8

what i do, is i take some kitchen roll (bounty or some other waterproof one) and make it damp. Gently rub the screen while the machine is off, rub in one direction. then quickly dry the portion that you applied the water on, rubbing with a dry one on the same direction. keep doing this until you have covered the entire screen.

it always works for me, and get into the habit of doing this once a week along with maybe wiping your keyboard

hope ive helped!!

Answer 9

Use special screen wipes available from PC retailers. Don't use water, though, as it will drip down the screen and enter the keyboard!!

Answer 10

Laptop screens r sensitive n easily stained...cleaning with cloth leaves d cotton strands on d screen.......try cleaning with tissue paper.....dont spray cleaning liquid directly on d screen, instead spray it on the tissue paper n wipe of with d tissue n then a dry tissue for d glaze