The Best Way To Keep Your Computer's Screen Clean

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Computer monitors and television screens have only grown in complexity and fidelity as the years have gone by. Liquid-crystal displays, better known as LCDs, have brought with them a much greater breadth of resolution and color complexity compared to Cathode Ray Tube monitors of the past. However, if there were one sector where CRT monitors had a point in their favor, it was ease of cleaning. Modern computer monitors and television screens need to be cleaned carefully, as both excessive force and harsh chemicals can damage them permanently.

While cleaning an LCD monitor is more of a chore than wiping down the solid pane of glass or plastic of a CRT monitor, it's not especially complicated either. Keeping your monitor clean of gathered-up dust and the occasional smudge is, more often than not, as simple as gently wiping it down with a soft, LCD-ready microfiber cloth. When the cloth alone is not enough, you can use monitor-safe products to boost your cleaning power without damaging your display's surface.

Whether you need to clean up a spontaneous mess on your monitor or are just engaging in some weekly upkeep, your first and foremost tool should always be a soft, clean microfiber cloth. A regular cleaning rag is abrasive and may have stray bits of lint stuck to it; trying to clean your monitor with it is more likely to cover it in scuffs and scratches than anything else. A lint-free microfiber cloth is designed specifically to clean and capture particulates without scuffing delicate surfaces, which makes it great for wiping computer screens and cleaning mobile devices like iPhones. You can get these special cloths in packs at your local electronics store, or you can opt for the MagicFiber's Microfiber Cleaning Cloth 6-Pack on Amazon.

Before you start cleaning, power off and unplug your monitor, both for safety and to put any errant particles in sharper contrast with the dark screen. With a dry microfiber cloth in hand, gently swipe along the surface of the screen in a light, circular motion. Don't put pressure on the cloth as you go, as pressing into the screen can damage it, much like pressing your bare finger against it. The cloth should pick up any loose bits of dust and wipe away smudges with just a few quick passes.

If your computer screen has a more stubborn mark stuck to it, such as a fingerprint from an overenthusiastic user, the microfiber cloth may not be enough to completely get rid of it. In such a case, you may need to add a cleaning solution to boost your removal power.

Before anything, you must avoid using any household cleaners for this process, such as Clorox, bleach, Windex, or hand sanitizer. These harsh chemicals are very likely to damage your monitor's sensitive screen. Rather than intense chemicals, your first choice should be simple, clean water. A single, quick spritz of water onto your microfiber cloth will usually be sufficient to remove annoying smudges. Don't completely soak the cloth; if you get too much water on your screen, it can seep into the edges of the monitor and damage the internal circuitry. For the same reason, never spray water directly onto the monitor.

If you absolutely have to use some kind of chemical cleaner, make sure it's specially formulated for use on electronic screens. Like with microfiber cloths, you can find options like EVEO's Screen Cleaner Spray Kit on Amazon and at your local electronics store. Again, a quick spritz onto the cloth should be all you need. Just swipe the cloth along the surface of the screen in that same gentle manner, and the smudges should come right off.