Screen cleaners?

[Etherton]

What do you use? Seems no matter what I use I can not get my screen completely streak/smudge free... Also, I have a few small, mostly unnoticeable, keyboard marks on the screen. How does one remove those? If possible...

Using a Lenovo X1 Carbon 20A70037US

Thanks for any advice!

 

[legcramp]

Cloth damped with rubbing alcohol?

 

[FnordMan]

Cloth damped with rubbing alcohol?

Pure rubbing alcohol is rather a bad idea from what i've heard. The mix i've heard is 50/50 distilled water and rubbing alcohol.

Personally, I just buy something commercial given I hardly need the stuff. I've got some monoprice brand stuff at home that was inexpensive and works well.

 

[cyclone3d]

I've been using Windex or generic glass cleaner and paper towels for years. Some screens that have not been cleaned in a long time take 3-4 times to get streak free.

Just make sure you use enough cleaner to actually get the screen wet.

I have never liked those crappy wipes that are made to clean screens. Doesn't matter the brand. They just don't work and will not get the majority of stuff off.

Some stuff that gets on LCD screens will not come off... such as food or drink etching marks into the screen or scratches, etc.

Good luck buffing keyboard marks out. You will most likely just kill some pixels.

 

[FnordMan]

I've been using Windex or generic glass cleaner and paper towels for years. Some screens that have not been cleaned in a long time take 3-4 times to get streak free.

ACK! That's the LAST thing you want to use on a screen. Utterly destroys any coatings the thing has. Doubly so on the paper towels. Screen cleaning fluid + microfiber only.

 

[FrgMstr]

Invisible Glass and a microfiber.

 

[mi7chy]

I try to get devices with Gorilla Glass which makes it easier to clean with moisture from breath and wiping with cotton boxers preferably a clean pair. As far as keyboard scratches on screen, if not Gorilla Glass put a cloth in-between screen and keyboard when closing.

 

[Climber]

I've been using Windex or generic glass cleaner and paper towels for years. Some screens that have not been cleaned in a long time take 3-4 times to get streak free.

Just make sure you use enough cleaner to actually get the screen wet.

I have never liked those crappy wipes that are made to clean screens. Doesn't matter the brand. They just don't work and will not get the majority of stuff off.

Some stuff that gets on LCD screens will not come off... such as food or drink etching marks into the screen or scratches, etc.

Good luck buffing keyboard marks out. You will most likely just kill some pixels.

This is literally the last advice you would ever want to use. Do not ever, I mean ever use windex on your screen.

Best thing is a micro fiber cloth with distilled water misted on it.

 

[cyclone3d]

ACK! That's the LAST thing you want to use on a screen. Utterly destroys any coatings the thing has. Doubly so on the paper towels. Screen cleaning fluid + microfiber only.

This is literally the last advice you would ever want to use. Do not ever, I mean ever use windex on your screen.

Best thing is a micro fiber cloth with distilled water misted on it.

Maybe when LCDs first came out. The coatings were pretty sad back then. But that hasn't been the case for oh.. about 10-12 years at least.

I remember when everybody used to warn against using any type of actual cleaner on LCD screens. For some reason that same thought has lingered since then even though it is no longer true.

I have literally cleaned hundreds if not thousands of screens like this and it has never caused a problem yet.

And yeah, if you use a dry paper towel it might mess it up... but that right there is user error.

I have tried the whole.. water + micro fiber cloth... just doesn't work for a lot of the crap that gets on screens.

Maybe you people are lucky and never have to clean a screen that has nothing but some dust on it.

 

[Climber]

Maybe when LCDs first came out. The coatings were pretty sad back then. But that hasn't been the case for oh.. about 10-12 years at least.

I remember when everybody used to warn against using any type of actual cleaner on LCD screens. For some reason that same thought has lingered since then even though it is no longer true.

I have literally cleaned hundreds if not thousands of screens like this and it has never caused a problem yet.

And yeah, if you use a dry paper towel it might mess it up... but that right there is user error.

I have tried the whole.. water + micro fiber cloth... just doesn't work for a lot of the crap that gets on screens.

Maybe you people are lucky and never have to clean a screen that has nothing but some dust on it.

Don't know what you're talking about but our county lost over 75 monitors because the cleaning crew decided to use Windex to "dust" the brand new 2013 Dell Monitors and I had several clients attempt to clean their monitors with Windex or other generic cleaners and they all had to be replaced.

So yea, perhaps that is the way you clean monitors but considering virtually every single LCD manufacturer I know of warns against using ammonia or alcohol based cleaners I think I'll stick to experience and the manufacturers warnings.

Distilled water and white vinegar in a 50/50 mixture sprayed onto a microfiber cloth should get the most stubborn smudges and fingerprints off a monitor.

 

[UnknownSouljer]

I use Oakley's Optical Cleaner.

It's for sunglasses/glasses. They sell it in kits with a microfiber cloth. The kicker is they will refill them for free forever. Been a good investment ($15 at the time, dunno if it's more expensive now). Works perfectly and of course guaranteed to not remove coatings. EDIT: added link, still $15 on Amazon. I actually bought mine in [the Oakley] store.

If you're even more paranoid than that, then you could use Pancro lens cleaning solution. Which is basically the best in the industry. The stuff is industry standard used to clean $100k film lenses, fairly certain it's perfectly safe on a $2k monitor.

Basically my rational if it isn't apparent is: if it's excellent at cleaning expensive optics, it will not only be safe, but will also be effective on monitors.

 

[FnordMan]

Maybe when LCDs first came out. The coatings were pretty sad back then. But that hasn't been the case for oh.. about 10-12 years at least.

I remember when everybody used to warn against using any type of actual cleaner on LCD screens. For some reason that same thought has lingered since then even though it is no longer true.

I have literally cleaned hundreds if not thousands of screens like this and it has never caused a problem yet.

You officially don't know what the heck you're talking about.. Windex or other ammonia or even fake ammonia stuff is BAD on screens, period.

 

[cyclone3d]

You officially don't know what the heck you're talking about.. Windex or other ammonia or even fake ammonia stuff is BAD on screens, period.

Ok, so I did some searching, and it does indeed look like all the "problems" people have with Windex or other similar products come from them putting way too much on the screen and then it getting under the bezel and seeping in between the glass and the anti-glare layer.

Which is exactly what I figured would be pretty much the only way to screw up a screen when using Windex or similar on it.

http://gizmodo.com/251527/this-is-why-you-shouldnt-clean-your-hdtv-with-windex

There are also people on there that say they have been using window cleaner for years without any problems. The people on there describing problems are describing letting it run down into the bezel.. which is of course bad, and what I said before.

Just because you think it is a very bad thing no matter what, it really is only a problem if you do it improperly (user error).

If I even had a single instance of it causing a problem I would not have suggested it in the first place.

 

[Climber]

Ammonia and alcohol based cleaners don't need to get behind the bezel it just has to come into contact with the coating on the monitor. Even sprayed onto a cloth then gently rubbed onto the monitor is enough to damage certain coatings.

It is best to never use an Ammonia or alcohol based cleaner on a monitor or TV screen. If you wish to use it them that it is on you but I'd never recommend it to anyone else because there is a greater than average chance you're going to cost someone their monitor.

 

[Mr. Miyagi]

Been using iKlear for the past couple of years with great results. Comes with two different sized bottles, four clothes, and a number of travel singles.