Cleaning Your Laptop Screen Using Household Products

There are tons of laptop cleaning tools and products available in the market, and most of them work really well in maintaining the good look of your laptop. However, regular cleaning means the need to buy these cleaning products over and over again, which can be costly in the long run.

However, there are lots of ways and alternatives for you to clean your laptop screen, and they don't need to be expensive, as you can find them right in the corners of your own household.


Today, laptop manufacturers no longer recommend using cleaning products that contain alcohol, ammonia or other strong solvents on LCD screens.



Also, you can't just simply use ordinary cleaning cloths to wipe your laptop screens. Some cloth can damage the screen and leave permanent scratches. You can use soft cotton cloth (an old shirt), disposable cloth, disposable wipes from drugstores (with no cleaning agent of course) or a similar large cloth (soft and non-woven). If you're not sure of the cloth to use, your best bet is to purchase single use wet/dry cloths especially made for wiping LCD and plasma screens.



Making Gentle Cleaning Solution



The ideal solution is just plain distilled water. If you think your screen needs heavier cleaning, then a 50/50 mix of distilled water and white vinegar is also a good option.



Putting Solution in a Small Atomizer Bottle



An atomizer bottle is a bottle that you push from the top to get a fine mist. Spray it on the cloth before wiping the screen, and never use it to spray directly on the screen.



Use Minimal Amount of Solution



Always use a small amount of solution to moisten the cloth and never make the cloth wet. An overly wet cloth can cause the solution to drip on the screen, and may cause it to weep behind the bezel to permanently damage your laptop screen.



Wipe in Circular Motion



Using a fast circular motion to wipe the screen can eliminate streaks. Use gentle and even pressure to the cloth while wiping and don't press your fingers on the cloth or screen. Too much pressure can damage the LCD matrix rendering of your screen.



Tips and Warnings



Never spray any solutions directly on the screen. The electrical connections of your LCD or plasma screen are along the edges. Any solution that drips and gets into these connection wires can permanently damage your screen.



Never use tissue, table napkins and other paper products to wipe your laptop screen, as these things can leave flakes of paper. They also include wood fibers which can easily scratch your screen.