How should I clean a laptop screen?

December 28, 2003 8:57 AM

I know how to clean CRTs, but what's the best way to clean a laptop's (very dusty) screen, or any LCD for that matter?
posted by thebabelfish to Computers & Internet (13 answers total)

I have an LCD tv, and all it says to clean it with is a clean dry cloth. No solutions or chemicals. But I'm sure you've tried that. So I'm awaiting answers to this question also.
posted by ALongDecember at 9:03 AM on December 28, 2003

I use a 3M microfiber cleaning cloth. It's amazing how much better it works than some other regular cloth. I originally purchased it to clean the lenses in my glasses, but I use it regularly on my laptop screen.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 9:21 AM on December 28, 2003

Call me disobedient, but I've always cleaned my laptop and flat panel monitor screens with a paper towel sprayed with a glass cleaner (Windex, etc.). It hasn't hurt either of them as far as I can tell. I don't spray it directly on the screens because the drips could get into the electronics, which, needless to say, would be a Bad Thing.
posted by pheideaux at 9:21 AM on December 28, 2003

Response by poster: Yeah, a regular cloth just moves the dust around, making it worse. I'll have to try the 3M microfiber cloth, and maybe the windex; I was thinking about it before, but wasn't sure what it would do.
posted by thebabelfish at 9:29 AM on December 28, 2003

has Klear Screen done a little google hijacking here?
posted by specialk420 at 9:39 AM on December 28, 2003

pheideaux, you might want to rethink that whole Windex thing: the chemicals in regular cleaning solutions can "melt" the plastic layers of the screen.

Google-jacking or not, Klear Screen really is a great product for keeping a LCD clean.
posted by JollyWanker at 9:51 AM on December 28, 2003

don't use windex on an LCD screen, unless you know for sure it's made of that really thin glass - most of them aren't and windex can disintegrate the anti glare coating. it ain't pretty when that coating gets rubbed off. i just use a very slightly damp paper towel with excellent results, it gets rid of dust, fingerprints, rogue sneezes, and pawprints.

if you buy one of those special cleaners like iklear, klearscreen, or endust for electronics make sure you never spray the monitor directly, only spray the cloth you're using.
posted by t r a c y at 9:56 AM on December 28, 2003

Response by poster: I'll have to check out Klear Screen, depending on my results with just water on a paper towel. Thanks! (And I'll be sure not to use Windex.)
posted by thebabelfish at 10:06 AM on December 28, 2003

After giving a screen a good going over with something like KlearScreen, I do regular (every day/every other day) passes over my screens (monitors, LCDs, televisions) with a Swiffer duster, the one with little fingers, not the mitten type. Yes, they're disposable products adding to landfills, yada yada, but one will last for that purpose for weeks (a month at least) and it's better, IMO, than using a bunch of paper towels.
posted by Dreama at 10:19 AM on December 28, 2003

ive been using an old zeiss lens cleaning cloth for my screen ...damp - which has been working great. you can probably pick one of these up for a buck or two at any eye glasses shop.

im not sure if paper or cotton is all that great for a plastic coated screen - i know they dont recommend using paper or cotton for plastic eye glass lenses.
posted by specialk420 at 10:19 AM on December 28, 2003

I just use one of those dusters or a can of compressed "air", that seems to work for me.
posted by rhyax at 11:03 AM on December 28, 2003

3M is marketing that cloth for laptops now though, maybe a bigger size or something, who knows. that might work out better.
posted by rhyax at 12:29 PM on December 28, 2003

Picked up a scotch-brite lcd cloth and the house brand lcd screen cleaner at office depot. The double-pack was about half the price of a single bottle of Kleer Screen. Works fine on my iBook.
posted by Tacodog at 8:10 PM on December 28, 2003