If any marks remain, wipe with a lightly moistened cloth. If necessary, apply gentle pressure to remove surface-level smudges. Use a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth to gently wipe away any visible dust and dirt. Dust, fingerprints, and smudges are also easier to spot on a black screen. For safety reasons, begin by letting the device cool down completely.

What you needħ0% isopropyl alcohol (optional, for non-LCD/LED screens only)ĭisinfecting wipes (optional, for non-LCD/LED screens only)Ī microfiber cloth is made up of special fibers that won't damage your screen. If you know that your display is glass-coated, you can also use an equal parts mixture of water and 70% rubbing alcohol.

If you'd like some extra sanitation power, an equal parts mixture of water and vinegar is safe no matter your screen type. That's to say you don't need a special store-bought cleaning solution. To clean a computer screen, you really just need two things: A microfiber cloth and filtered or distilled water.

Since there are so many computers, laptops, and monitors out there, each with their own set of variables and specificities, it's smart to just simply err on the side of caution. Extra care should be taken with these screens so not to damage the pixels that make up the display.

LCD or LED screens: Windows computers and most touchscreens and matte displays are typically not coated in glass.

Glass displays are a little less delicate than LCD or LED screens, and mild cleaning solutions, like rubbing alcohol, are generally safe to use on them.

Glass-coated screens: The screens on newer iMac displays and MacBooks have a glass overlay.

You'll want to be careful no matter your screen type, but it's helpful to know that displays come in two categories: What to know before cleaning a computer screenĬomputer screens are not all made the same, and thus can't all be cleaned the same way.

Clean lap top screen