How to Clean a Laptop Screen

A Quick Fix Solution to a Dirty Screen Problem

Mar 4, 2008 Felicia A. Williams

You've booted up the laptop and are ready to get to work only to find that the screen is dirty with greasy fingerprints everywhere. What an annoyance.

Everyone who uses a laptop has on one occasion or another been the victim of greasy-fingered pointers. Greasy-fingered pointers are those individuals who inadvertently touch the laptop screen when explaining a computer concept. They don't mean to dirty the screen and it is not a malicious action, but the results are always the same: a dirty, greasy laptop screen.

The solution is quick, easy and inexpensive. Don't waste money on store bought expensive laptop screen cleaning solutions. More than likely, the ingredients are already in the house sitting on a shelf in the cleaning supply cabinet. Here's how to create a cleaning solution for a dirty laptop screen:

Ingredients

• Distilled water
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Small container
• 2 Soft cloths

The Laptop Screen Cleaning Process

Using a soft cloth, wipe the laptop screen to remove freestanding dust and dirt. It's amazing how the laptop screen seems to be a dust magnet.

Mix the distilled water with the isopropyl alcohol. The trick to creating the solution is to mix equal parts of water and alcohol. Too much of either ingredient will not produce the desired results. Do not substitute plain tap water for distilled water. Tap water contains mineral deposits. Those very same mineral deposits will leave streaks and unwanted spots on the laptop screen when it dries.

Dip one of the soft cloths into the alcohol and water solution. Wring out the excess liquid so that the cloth is damp. Avoid using a saturated cloth as the excess liquid can drip into unwanted areas of the laptop and may cause damage.

Using the damp soft cloth, wipe the laptop screen. Use a gentle motion, as LCD screens don't take too kindly to hard scrubbing pressure.

Once the screen is all wiped down with the solution, take the dry soft cloth to wipe off any excess liquid and dry the screen. Don't be tempted to use a paper towel or napkin as paper towels and napkins will leave remnants of paper particles on the laptop screen.

Store the remaining distilled water and alcohol solution in a container or spray bottle. Be sure to label it to avoid inadvertent mix-ups. A container holding a clear liquid can be mistaken for ammonia, water or bleach at first glance.

Tip

Using a spray bottle to apply the cleaning solution is not recommended. A soft cloth provides a controlled application whereas a spray bottle's nozzle is not as accurate. A computer is a sensitive piece of equipment, so use care and caution when applying the cleaning solution.

For additional tips for green cleaning solutions, check out House Cleaning the Green Way.

The copyright of the article How to Clean a Laptop Screen in Computer Hardware/Accessories is owned by Felicia A. Williams. Permission to republish How to Clean a Laptop Screen in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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