How To Clean A Computer Screen – 2 Methods

Me again!

Lets jump into the best methods on how to clean a computer screen. This is something I’ve always been a bit wary of since it’s different for LCD and non-LCD screens. Compounding this, I could never remember which method I needed for which type of screen.

So I wanted to write this guide to clear it up once and for all for everyone… But mainly for myself.

Before we jump in, I also wrote this post on Medium in case you prefer reading over there.

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Introduction

So why is this important? Why do I need to clean my monitor? How do I clean my monitor???

Calm, those questions will all be answered and you are in the right place. First of all, you need to clean your computer screen for obvious reasons. It’ll get dirty and no one wants to create or consume content on that.

I used to work in an office and some of the machines we would get back from employees were just absolutely disgusting. I’m talking covered in skin flakes, dandruff and scratches everywhere. This is especially important on laptops since any dirt on the screen has the potential to scratch it once the lid has been closed.

The Dos and Don’ts

So, first of all. Make sure to remove any large debris before wiping your screen, the last you want is to drag dirt and potentially scratch your monitor.

Second, look at the manufacturers recommendations for cleaning your screen. Sometimes, they even sell specific cleaners for your make/model of display, but these are usually just overpriced generic cleaners with the label changed.

Some other items to complete BEFORE cleaning your screen:

• Power down your system
• Remove large debris
• Check manufacturer recommendations
• Spray cleaning fluid into the cloth, not directly onto the monitor
• No strong chemicals!
• Light pressure when wiping

Types Of Computer Screens

To make sure you’re cleaning your screen with the optimal method, it’s worth finding out if you have an LCD or non-LCD display. You can find this out either on the back of the monitor, or by Googling your make/model.

This is important as only non-LCD screens will have a protective glass layer. This means you need to be much more delicate with LCD screens. You’ll usually be able to find LCD specific cleaners on sites like Amazon and they are much more mild than regular cleaning sprays.

How To Clean A Computer Screen – LCD

What will you need? You will need a microfibre cloth and a dedicated LCD cleaning spray. You could also use distilled water but I’ve found that doesn’t provide good enough results on it’s own.

Follow the steps below for this process:

1) Shut down the system and unplug the monitor
2) Gently wipe the screen, using a circular motion with the dry microfibre cloth
3) Add the cleaning spray to the microfibre cloth
4) Wipe the screen with a horizontal or vertical motion only
5) Allow the screen to dry completely before you plug it back in and use

How To Clean A Computer Screen – Non-LCD

So now that we’ve covered off the more delicate brother, we can move onto cleaning your non-LCD monitor. Thankfully, this is safer since non-LCD monitors will have an extra layer of glass for protection. All this means is that you don’t need to buy any specific cleaners, you are safe to use mild cleaners and a microfibre cloth.

It’s a similar process, but ever so slightly different:

1) Shutdown the system and unplug the monitor
2) Gently wipe the screen, removing larger items of dirt
3) Apply a small amount of the cleaning fluid to your microfibre cloth
4) Gently wipe the screen, using the horizontal or vertical motion from before
5) Dry the screen with a clean microfibre cloth
6) Once dry, plug back in and use

Awesome! So now you know how to clean your computer screen.

So now we’ve covered both methods, lets move onto some frequently asked questions on this topic!

Conclusion

To conclude in case you didn’t actually read the post: LCD=LCD spray; non-LCD=mild cleaning spray.

It’s a subtle difference but something to definitely not forgot unless you want to potentially ruin your LCD monitor with a cleaning spray that is too strong. This monitor type is much more delicate when compared to non-LCD screens so extra care must be taken.

I hope you found this useful and thank you for reading!

Enjoy! 🎉