| * Easily Scratched! | | | | ingredients of alcohol and water! Some even |
| | | | contain other harmful chemicals such as |
| First we have to understand a little bit of | | | | ethylene glycol, which may be ok on older |
| background about LCD screens to know why we | | | | glass CRT monitors, but should NOT be used on |
| should be careful when cleaning. LCD stands | | | | LCD screens! Some of the extra chemicals can |
| for Liquid Crystal Display; which has crystal | | | | also be harmful to the environment and to |
| molecules sandwiched under layers of | | | | your health. |
| polarized panels. These panels are usually | | | | |
| made of "plastic-like" polymer materials, and | | | | - Be sure to use Mineral water! Not tap |
| like any plastics they can be easily | | | | water; you don't want hard mineral spots on |
| scratched or gouged, even by just your | | | | your screen. |
| fingernails! That's why cleaning LCDs | | | | |
| requires special care while cleaning compared | | | | - Don't use tissue paper; they will leave |
| to the old glass CRT monitors! | | | | lint and spots of paper stuck to your |
| | | | monitor. Also they're too thin, risking |
| * What You'll Need | | | | damage from your fingernails poking through. |
| | | | |
| - rubbing alcohol (aka isopropyl alcohol) | | | | - Don't apply too much solution. If you do, |
| | | | just wipe it off with the cloth and use less. |
| - distilled water (not tap water!) | | | | |
| | | | - You can also use lint-free lens wipes from |
| - A soft cloth (lint-free) | | | | photography stores, but they're thinner so be |
| | | | careful about your fingernails poking |
| * Steps | | | | through. |
| | | | |
| 1. Dilute the rubbing alcohol into a mix with | | | | - For a cheap ready-made solution from the |
| about 50% alcohol and the rest distilled | | | | store, you can also use CD/DVD cleaner, It's |
| water. | | | | already designed to be plastic-safe, and is a |
| | | | simple solution of about 50% isopropyl |
| 2. Pour this solution into a spray bottle. | | | | alcohol. |
| Old Windex bottles are good as they spray in | | | | |
| a mist pattern with just the right amount to | | | | * Some Precautions |
| get good coverage on your screen. The spray | | | | |
| bottles that squirt a single stream tend to | | | | - Don't use Windex or other glass cleaners! |
| drip solution all over the place. | | | | These contain ammonia, which is ok for glass, |
| | | | but WILL hurt your LCD screen! |
| 3. Spray the mix onto a soft lint-free cloth. | | | | |
| Old t-shirts and microfiber car wash cloths | | | | - Try not to use the really cheap paper |
| are both good choices. Large cloths are | | | | towels, like the tough brown ones in public |
| better since it helps to reduce the risk of | | | | washrooms. They can scratch your screen. |
| leaving streaks on the screen from too much | | | | |
| pressure. | | | | - Be sure to shut down your computer and your |
| | | | monitor, then unplug from the wall. This |
| 4. Gently wipe the cloth on the screen in a | | | | reduces the risk of electric damage in case |
| circular consistent motion. Apply even | | | | you spill some of the solution on components. |
| pressure to the cloth and be careful not to | | | | |
| push too hard, or scrape the screen with your | | | | - Don't drink isopropyl alcohol! It's toxic! |
| fingernails! | | | | |
| | | | - If you aren't sure, you can test a small |
| * Suggestions | | | | corner of the screen first. |
| | | | |
| - Costly products that you buy at the | | | | Follow the steps and suggestions above, and |
| "computer screen cleaning" aisle of your | | | | your trusty LCD monitor should give you years |
| local computer store contain the same basic | | | | of clean, clear, trouble-free service. |