How to Clean Laptop / Notebook LCD Screens

Keeping your laptop display clean is very essential. If you are working on graphics or watching photos or videos, dirt and fingerprints left on the screen can alter the appearance of the image making it difficult to judge the quality. Display of the laptop is sensitive therefore certain care should be taken while cleaning your laptop or any other LCD screen.

Photo by daveblog (under CC license)

Things you may require to clean your LCD

• A soft lint-free cotton cloth (100% cotton t-shirt, terry towel, etc.,)
• Distilled water
• Isopropyl alcohol (or white vinegar)
• Spray bottle

You may clean the screen depending on the smears and smudges present on the screen. If only little dust is present on the screen try dry dusting the screen by wiping the screen with a cotton cloth along one direction, top to bottom or left to right. If this does not give desired results, then you can try cleaning the screen with some of the cleaning solutions.

Dirt and other organic stains left on the screen can be effectively removed by using alcohol and water solution. Alcohol cleans any organic marks like fingerprints or oily marks left on the screen, while water removes any dirt or mineral strains present on the screen.

Process to clean your LCD / Laptop screen

1. Try dry dusting the screen first with a dry cotton cloth. In most of the cases, this gives better results if only little dust is present on the screen. If you can still find any smudges on the screen then try below step.
2. In a clean spray bottle mix distilled water and alcohol in 1:1 ratio and spray the solution on to the cotton cloth and wipe the screen with the cloth along one direction or in circular motion. Avoid putting pressure on the screen, which may damage the screen.

How Not to Clean Screens

1. Never use tissue or paper towels to clean the laptop screen as they are made up of wood and contain fibers, which can scratch the screen surface.
2. Do not use any cleaning products available in the market to clean the display as they contain some harsh chemicals like ammonia, which can peal out the protective layer of the screen.
3. Never apply excess pressure to hold the cloth close to the screen as excess pressure can damage pixels in the screen.
4. Never spray the water and alcohol solution directly on to the screen as this can short circuit electronic components present in laptop.
5. Do not excessively wet the cloth with the solution use only required amount of solution to clean the screen.
6. Do not use tap water for making the cleaning solution as the tap water contains minerals that may leave strains on the screen.
7. Make sure that the screen is completely dry before you close the screen, if there is any excess liquid present on the screen wipe it with the dry area of the cloth.

All the above tips and measures can be taken for effective and safe cleaning of your LCD or laptop screen. It is always recommended to shield your laptop screen with protective scratch guards that are readily available in the market.