How to Clean Laptop Screen with Household Products

Laptop screens often accumulate dirt, food debris, and other foreign matter after a while and start to look ugly. It is important that you use a mild detergent to clean the laptop screen, as the LCD surface is very easily damaged. If you don’t want to buy a special screen cleaner, you can use a microfiber cloth and a vinegar-water solution.

Table of Contents

Clean the screen with a synthetic microfiber cloth

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Turn off the computer and unplug the power cord and battery. Cleaning an active display can cause permanent damage, so it’s a good idea to be on the safe side and turn the device off instead of turning it on in sleep mode.

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Prepare synthetic microfiber towels. This towel is made of lint-free material and is very soft. If you use plain towels, t-shirts or other towels, they may leave debris on the screen or scratch the surface.

Avoid using paper products. Napkins, tissues, toilet paper or other paper should not be used as they may scratch and damage the screen.
The synthetic microfiber cloth is suitable for cleaning all types of screens and lenses.

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Use a soft cloth to wipe the screen. Wiping a line can remove dirt and debris on the screen. Wipe gently without force, because pressing down too hard can damage the screen. ^{[1] X Research Source}

When wiping in a circular motion, you may reach hard-to-reach spots.
Do not rub the screen, or you will damage the pixels by overheating.

Use cleaning solution

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Turn off the monitor and unplug the power cord and battery. Since this method uses liquid to clean the screen, it is important that you turn off the computer and remove the power cord. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Mix a mild cleaning solution. The ideal solution is chemical-free and gentle distilled water for monitors. If you need a stronger solution, you can mix 50/50 white vinegar and distilled water as well.

Use only pure white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar or other vinegar.
Distilled water is better than tap water because it doesn’t include chemicals.
The manufacturer no longer recommends the use of solutions containing alcohol, ammonia or other strong solvents for LCD displays.

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Pour the solution into a small spray bottle. This is a type of spray that pushes from the top to create a liquid vapor, similar to a perfume bottle. Pour the solution into the spray bottle and close the lid. However, do not spray directly onto the screen.

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Put a little solution on a synthetic microfiber towel. Towels without static electricity and fibers are best suited. Remember not to use a normal towel because it can scratch the screen. Do not wet the towel, just moisten it with a spray bottle.

Wet wipes can drip or slide when cleaning the screen, and the solution can rust the bezel and cause permanent screen damage.
Try spraying the solution on a corner of the washcloth each time so it doesn’t get too wet.

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Wipe the cloth over the screen in a circular motion. Fast circular motions can generally eliminate stripes. Press gently and evenly onto the towel. Use just enough force to bring the towel into contact with the screen. Be careful not to press your fingers on the cloth or the screen, as excessive force when cleaning the screen may permanently damage the LCD matrix and become unusable.

Hold the screen at the top or bottom to avoid soiling during cleaning.
You may have to wipe several times to remove the stain. In addition, you must also moisten the cloth during cleaning, depending on how many times the screen cleaning is required.

Know what not to do

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Never wet the screen directly. Under no circumstances should water be sprayed directly on the laptop screen. ^{[3] X Research Source} This makes it easy for water to enter the device, so it should be kept to a minimum. Use water only on soft fabrics.

Do not immerse the towel in water. A wet towel will drip water onto the device, causing damage to the device. If you accidentally use too much water, you should squeeze it out thoroughly until all the water is gone.

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Do not use ordinary cleaning solutions to clean the screen. The safest solution for screens is water and vinegar or a specialized cleaning solution for LCD screens. Do not use the following substances:

Window cleaning solution
Multi-purpose solution
Dishwashing liquid or any soap

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Never rub the screen. If you press too hard you can permanently damage the laptop. Rub gently in a circular motion when cleaning the screen. Do not use a brush or anything other than a soft cloth to clean the screen.

Advice

Paper towels, napkins, or other paper products will leave paper scraps on the screen. It’s best not to use them. This type may contain wood fibers and scratch shiny surfaces.
Do not use tap water on the screen.
If you are a photographer, you can use a lint-free lens cloth instead of a soft cotton cloth.
If you have an eyeglass cleaner, check it for “Isopropanp”. If so, it should not be used for LCD monitors.
Use a cotton swab soaked in the solution to clean the nooks and crannies.
If you accidentally spill too much solution and the cloth is leaking or wet, you can wipe it off with a soft cloth and reduce the amount of solution.
Sanitize and then dip the cotton swab and repeat. Persevere with hard-to-reach positions
If unsure, you can try a screen angle first.

Warning

Disposable LCD wet/dry cleaning wipes on the market can solve the above as well as not mentioned problems. Wet wipes moistened with the correct amount of cleaning solution do not leak or slide onto the screen. This towel is lint free and does not leave streaks when used as directed.
Turn off the laptop, unplug it, and remove the battery before cleaning or you will damage the pixels on the LCD screen.

Things you need

Distilled water
Soft cotton towels (synthetic microfiber towels are best)
White Vinegar
Aerosol

Steps