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Safely Cleaning LCD Displays?
An anonymous reader asks: "I own several laptops and one flat-panel LCD display, and I am trying to find a good way to keep them clean without damaging them. Using the alcohol-based cleaning wipes that I normally use for my CRT displays doesn't seem right, and I had an (idiot) friend who shorted out a great many of the transistors on his laptop's LCD by spraying Windex on it. What's the best way to clean these things without damaging them or creating buildup that I'll just have to clean off again separately?"
...just don't be a moron like your friend. Spray it on the cloth.
When cleaning LCD panels, including laptop displays, be very careful. The plastic coating on the front of the display is semi porous, so fluid can run down the front of the display and short out some of the edge transistors, blowing out some of the display elements. Pre-moistened towelettes are the best way to go, but if you prefer a spray on cleaner, use it very sparingly. LCD Cleaning Tips
I think best results are achieved by wiping the screen with an absorbent cotton/flannel cloth dipped into a very dilute soap solution and squeezed until it is moist. Also instead of trying to scrub any dirt build up try rubbing gently in a circular motion. Once done you should wipe any droplets of water off the panel or risk messing it up.
You should get 'Scotch Brite High Performance Cloth'.. this stuff is fantastic.. it's fiber is woven in such a way that it cleans glass with no liquid and dosen't scratch. I use in on my glasses and all of my computer moitors, tv's and any LCD panels I have.. a Newton, PowewBook. You can use it in conjunction with a little bit of cleaner like Windex or even water. They are washable, they cost about $4 a piece - check out your grocery store buy the sponges and stuff or Wal-Mart, etc....
*** I Know Everything, But Can't Remember It All At Once ***
A quick search on google groups turned up many hits, including a link to this pdf. Read your manual. Also: "Probably more important is the cloth you use. I like to use a soft cotton cloth, even an old t-shirt. With the right cloth, you can even use spit for a small spot. With the wrong cloth you'll screw up the screen no matter what you use." here
You quitting proves that the karma kap worked. The most annoying of the whores shut up. --CmdrTaco
We get a lab of new iMacs into the school.
A week later, we ship them all back.
First it was a rash of cracked screens.
The kids were poking their fingers into them.
Then it was a broken arm.
They both wanted to look at it.
But the children could not match what came next:
They all got washed with whiteboard cleaner.
By the principal.
An hour before open house.
The PHB said "they ARE white."
It turned them blue.
The parents got to see their tax dollars at work.
We traded them for eMacs.
The PHB kept his job.
If voting were effective, it would be illegal by now.
It's sad to see such a well written post destroyed by one bad link.
Excellent post, but I won't be surprised when you're modded down to -1.
Formula 409 for everything external. That stuff is great when used with moderation. The particular flavor I currently have is "Glass and Surface with Citris Scent", comes in purple and looks like Grape Kool-aid. (hmmmm kool-aid.) Seriously, I have used this stuff on everything, keyboard, optical mouse , case, monitor, laptop lcd, laptop case, ipaq.
There isn't anything harmful to your hardware if used with care. (ie. don't be a dumbass and spray the shit all over the place to fill every nook and cranny so the stuff gets inside what it is your cleaning.) I just spray a little (emphasis on the word little) on a clean rag (Clean is important)and wipe. No big deal.
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Just imagine if he called Tech Support for this one.
Idiot Friend "Dude, like man, like you got to help me. Dude like my new monitor dosen't, like you know work."
Tech Support "So what's wrong with it. Please describe in more detail."
IF "Well dude, there was a puff of smoke like it was smokin' a little doobie, and it hasn't worked since then."
TS "Really? Ok we'll send you a new one right away when did this happen?"IF "Like a few minutes ago man, right after I sprayed half a bottle of windex on the screen it was gettin real dirty from my fingerprints. I like to smoke big fattys and poke the screen to see that cool thing it does."
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Cleaner made for this purpose.
http://www.iKlear.com/
I use a suction vac with a soft brush to remove dust from the screen, keyboard and any openings first. Then wipe the screen and any dirty areas (palm rest, mouse buttons, heavily used keys) with alcohol wipes (I use ReliOn Alchol Swabs available at local pharmacies for about $2/100).
The vacuuming first is important; it prevents the dust caking when wiping with the alcohol (makes the screen look smeared).
The laptop fan also tends to suck in dust; laptops are "heat challenged" as it is. Use the suction vac on the air inlets and exhaust for the fan to remove as much as possible.
I've been using this technique on both laptops and desktops with no problems for about 5 years now.
Can You Say Linux? I Knew That You Could.
Screen Cleaning Gel
"Champagne for my real friends - and real pain for my sham friends!" http://ericblade.postalboard.com/
I reccomend the dishwasher. Open the laptop and place in face down on the top rack. Add some Cascade and clean away. I will also get all those crumbs and Mountain Dew spots off the keyboard.
SD
âoeWho knew something as harmless as willful ignorance could end up having real consequences?â
the users manual. They don't expect people to be intelligent or anything...that's why they pack the little manual they send you with information. One of the sections should be called something like Care and maintenance. All laptop manuals I have had tell how to properly clean the screen (lite detergent on a rag). Also, the screen should be covered with a protective coating (they all have a polarized piece of plastic film) that should keep the transistors from being exposed to the outside, so your friend probably dripped water inside or something...unless it ate through the plastic.
Just turn it off and pull the battery when you clean it...if you get water in it, don't worry about it, just wait until you think the water inside is dry before you turn it back on.
AIIEEEE!! Do NOT use Windex. Ammonia-based solutions will YELLOW the surface of the LCD over a period of time.
I do as IBM suggests for my ThinkPad: a 50/50 solution of water and isopropyl alcohol on a soft, lint-free cloth (I use a clean, old T-shirt). Works great.
I found Endust for Electronics works fine on laptops and flat panel monitors. Just spray some onto a soft cloth and whipe away. You can pick it up at any CompUSA, Best Buy, or Office Depot for around 4 bucks..
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
Having a two year old can be rough on a LCD screen. In fact, just last night, my son used a colored pencil on my 18" desktop screen. No physical harm, just markings. I also setup an old laptop for him to bang on when I'm working (he just wants to be like me) and he used a crayon on the laptop LCD. Since I didn't care about the laptop screen, I decided to try one of the various "Orange" cleaning agents (the foaming kind) on the screen. Much to my suprise, the crayon and the colored pencil markings were removed with barely any pressure on the screens.
Both LCDs probably look better now than they did when they were brand new. No streaks, no damage, just clean.
years ago, in college, i was sitting in my (nasty) car with a bottle of windex, cleaning the inside mirrors and windows. while i was there, i figured i'd try it out on the other plastic parts, too. worked great. so then i spilled some (don't lay those bottles on their side when full... they leak) on the nasty greasy (i worked in restaurants) disgusting formerly-blue floor. know what? it CAME CLEAN! i then proceeded to clean the entire floor of the car with windex. amazing. worked like a champ. so yeah, i think it can handle a little LCD screen...
Unfortunately, my household doesn't stock them any more, and my screen is dirty
hawk