Cleaning laptop screens

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by cmj2k2, Oct 4, 2006.

  1. cmj2k2

    cmj2k2 Private E-2

    Whats everyone reccomend.. for a streak free clean shine?
     
  2. Bladesofhalo

    Bladesofhalo MajorGeek

  3. The Prisoner

    The Prisoner Private E-2

    SCREEN GUARDIAN is good, no doubt about it, but 4 bucks plus shipping?!

    Your LCD screen is "plastic" and has an antiglare coating on it. So do modern Eyeglasses. Go into a local optical store and buy a pint or quart bottle of eyeglass cleaner for coated plastic lenses. I'm not kidding. Should cost you around ten or twelve bucks, and will last for a year easy. USE ONLY CLOTH TOWELS FOR WIPING IT!!! Do NOT use paper towels, napkins, or "Kleenex". Anything made of paper WILL scratch the coating and the plastic screen. Cotton or even better is wool felt. It's worth a trip to the local frabric store to buy a few square feet. If you launder your cloth on occasion, don't use fabric softener. It does not rinse out completely and will then leave a "smear" on your screen.

    NEVER USE ANYTHING WITH ALCOHOL, AMMONIA, OR SOLVENTS! A good rule of thumb is that if it "smells" like cleaner, it's no good for your screen....
     
  4. viper_boy403

    viper_boy403 MajorGeek

    whatever you do, dont spray it directly on your screen. Ive actually read up on this and i believe you CAN use windex; spray some onto a cloth(microfiber if youve got it) and THEN wipe the screen with it. Ive done it on my computers (both CRT, LCD, and laptop LCDs) without any problems
     
  5. The Prisoner

    The Prisoner Private E-2

    Forgive me for being contrary, but the various antiglare coatings that are applied to LCD screens will react chemically with ammonia (and many chlorinated solvents and compounds-essentially any OTC cleaner), and because most of them are based on organic chemical compostitions, alcohol is a solvent for them. That's also why skin oils (repeatedly touching the screen with you fingers) will ultimately damage the coating.

    I am involved with these chemicals & coatings in my day job-trust me, don't use them. They WILL damage the screen.

    One thing is correct, though- don't spray them onto the panel, so that the liquid won't run into the frame surrounding the screen. Bad juju....
     
  6. mulletgut

    mulletgut Private First Class

    So that's telling us what not to use.

    Any chance you can tell us what we CAN use, other than over-priced little bottles of who knows what?
     
  7. The Prisoner

    The Prisoner Private E-2

    MULLETGUT: please read the entire posting-I already answered your question in post #3. Brand doesn't matter-type does...
     
  8. mulletgut

    mulletgut Private First Class

    I apologise, I did see that, but was expecting someone to advise of a home made concoction/remedy. eg metho & water, not a commercially manufactured product.
     
  9. The Prisoner

    The Prisoner Private E-2

    No need to apologize, friend...

    I would say that distilled water is the best and only no-cost cleaner. Actually, it works very well for normal airborne dirt. However, it requires patience and several applications with gentle "polishing" to effectively clean without streaks or smears. However, tobacco smokers and those whose monitor location allow greases (think "kitchen cooking" for instance) to accumulate on the screen will not be successful with water only.

    For many years, JOY brand dishwashing liquid and DOVE handsoap used only a basic detergent/surfactant that would likely be acceptable if dissolved in water, and then rinsed carefully from the screen. There are probably other brands, but considering the low cost (in comparison to the cost of the monitor, not the cost of water-that's the trick, eh?) of the cleaner I recommended and its superior performance, I really can't recommend anything else...
     

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