Laptops For Less Blog

How to Clean Your Laptop Screen

Is your laptop screen a bit dirty? Do you miss the shiny new laptop look your screen had when you first purchased it? In this article we’ll discuss how you can create your very own laptop screen cleaning kit using simple household items. Make sure to read all of the tips and warnings in this article before attempting to clean any laptop screen! OK? Let’s get started…

Most manufacturers are seriously against using strong solvents like alcohol or ammonia on LCD screens.

However, if you make smart choices in your solution ingredients, the solution container you mix the cleaner in, and cleaning cloths you can clean your screen with household items. If you’re not certain about any of the items we just mentioned, then your best bet is purchasing a single use commercially available wipe. These wet/dry set-ups are perfect for cleaning LCD and plasma screens.

Gentle Cleaning Solution

Create a gentle cleaning solution of plain distilled water. If your screen needs heavy cleaning, mixing 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar may be effective too.

Atomizer Bottle

Put the cleaning solution in a small atomizer bottle. This atomizer bottle is the kind that you push from the top to get a fine mist. Caution: Don’t use this bottle to spray on the screen itself.

Apply to Soft Cloth

Apply a small amount of solution to a very soft cotton cloth like an old t-shirt, lint-free microfiber cloth, or soft non-woven compress without cleaning agents. Larger cloths are best since they reduce the risk of streaking across the screen from finger pressure. Never make the cloth wet just moisten it. Wet cloths drip or run when you clean the screen. This sometimes allows solution to seep behind the bezel and damage your screen.

Use Circular Motion

Make sure to wipe your soft cloth against the screen in a circular motion. If you use rapid circular motions you generally eliminate streaks. Apply gentle and even pressure as you wipe. Use just enough pressure to keep the cloth in contact with the screen. If you apply too much force you can damage the LCD matrix permanently and make the screen unusable.

Warning Tips

• Never use paper towels. Wood fiber scratches LCD Screens.
• Never use products like Windex. They degrade the LCD Panel.
• Shut down your laptop, unplug it, and remove the battery before you start to avoid pixel damage.
• Never press hard on the screen.
• Use lint-free microfiber cloth instead of cotton cloth if you can.

General Tips

• Never spray solution directly on the screen. LCD and Plasma screen edges contain electrical connections. Drips or run downs can short out or damage your screen. Apply the solution to a cleaning cloth first.
• If the cloth is too wet, wipe with another soft cloth or apply less.
• Avoid mineral spots on your screen by using distilled water instead of tap water.
• Use lint-free lens wipes instead of soft cotton cloth if you have them.
• If you use lens cleaner for your eyeglasses make sure it doesn’t contain “Isopropanol”. If it does, forget about using it on your LCD monitor.

If you’ve had your laptop for a while, you may need to replace components such as the laptop’s battery. LaptopsForLess.com can help! We have a huge selection of laptop batteries in stock, at very reasonable prices [often a fraction of the cost of manufacturers’ own brand replacements]. We stock replacement laptop batteries from the following manufacturers; Acer, Apple, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba and many more. We also stock a huge selection of AC Adapters and a wide range of other laptop peripherals from all the major manufacturers too!