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Your laptop screen is like a magnet for oily smudges, dust, and food particles. Over time, the screen can get really dirty and ruin your viewing experience. Thus, it is imperative to clean the laptop screen from time to time. However, you should avoid using harsh cleaning materials or liquids on a laptop screen as they can damage the LCD. There are simple and damage-free ways to clean the laptop screen. In this guide, you will learn about these methods.

how to clean laptop screen

How to Clean Laptop Screen with a Cloth?

The easiest way to clean a laptop screen is to use a microfiber cloth. Microfiber cloth does not harm the screen and is quite efficient in gathering dust from the screen.

First of all, turn off the laptop and unplug the battery charger if it is plugged. You should clean the screen when the laptop is turned on, as it can lead to permanent damage. Shut off the laptop completely before doing the following steps.

  • Take a microfiber cloth. The benefit of using this cloth is that it won’t leave any lint on your screen. On the other hand, if you use a washcloth, it would leave debris on the screen.
  • Do not use paper towels or napkins as they tend to scratch the screen.
  • Use the microfiber cloth to gently wipe the screen. If there are any tougher stains, go on them in a circular motion. This would remove the tougher stains.
  • Do not scrub your laptop screen as it could lead to pixel burnout.
  • To clean the frame, spray a light cleaning solution on to the cloth. Wipe the frame with this cloth and be gentle in this.
  • Do not spray directly onto the frame as the liquid would get on the screen too. The liquid should not touch the screen as it may damage it permanently.

How to use a Cleaning Solution to clean a Laptop Screen?

Sometimes, the screen might be too dirty, and wiping with a dry cloth might not do the trick. In such cases, you would have to use a cleaning solution. Before you start this, turn off the laptop. If it is connected to the battery charger, unplug the switch. You can make a light and gently cleaning solution at home.

  • Fill a bottle up to half with distilled water.
  • Add white vinegar to fill the rest of the half.
  • Mix the two to create a homemade cleaning solution for cleaning the laptop screen.
  • Put this solution in an atomizer bottle or a spray bottle.

You should not only use white vinegar. Do not use apple cider vinegar for making this solution. Distilled water is an ideal choice, as compared to tap water because it does not have any chemicals. You might have heard or seen people cleaning the laptop with alcohol-based solutions, but nowadays, manufacturers are recommending against using such cleaning solutions.

Take a microfiber cloth and spray the mixture on to the cloth. Do not use a washcloth or paper as they are not the best for laptop screens. Do not wet the cloth completely. Your aim is to simply get the cleaning solution on it.

Wipe the screen with this damp cloth in a circular motion. Be very gentle so that you do not end up damaging the screen. Do not apply too much mixture as the liquid can get into the screen and might destroy the inner components. Start from one side to another so that you do not smudge the screen again while cleaning.

Tips for Cleaning a Laptop

There are a few things you should keep in mind when you are cleaning your laptop. One mistake can cost you the whole laptop.

What is Recommended

Use Lens Cleaning Cloth

If you do not have microfiber cloth, you can use the lens-cleaning cloth as it is also soft. Other than that, you can use a soft T-shirt for cleaning too. You should only use a TV-cleaning solution for the laptop if it is made for the LCD screen. Do not use a cleaning solution that has been made for older TVs.

Use a Homemade Cleaner

It is very easy to make a cleaner at home using vinegar and distilled water. Make enough solution to fill a bottle and use this every time you need to clean the laptop screen.

What is not Recommended

Do Not Spray Directly

First of all, you should never spray directly onto the screen. Whether you are using a gentle cleaner, homemade cleaning solution, or a laptop cleaner, do not spray a liquid directly onto your laptop screen. This increases the risk of the liquid getting inside the machine and damaging it.

Spray the liquid onto a cloth and then wipe the laptop with this cloth. If you think you have wet the cloth too much, wring out the excess liquid.

Do not use Domestic Cleaners

A lot of people make the mistake of using domestic cleaners on their laptops and end up harming the screen. Do not use dish soap, glass cleaner, window cleaner, car cleaner, or any other solution of this sort on your laptop screen. These solutions have harsh chemicals in them that are detrimental to the LCD.

Do not use Paper

It is convenient to use paper or tissues since they are always available, but you should not use them on the laptop screen. These materials scratch the screen as they are abrasive. Instead, use cotton-based materials to clean as they are gentle.

Conclusion

If the laptop screen is dirty, you would have trouble seeing everything clearly. Also, it is not good for your hygiene to work on a dirty laptop. In this guide, we have mentioned a few ways in which you can clean the laptop screen. Clean the laptop screen from time to time so that too much dirt and dust do not build up. Use softer materials and avoid using abrasive materials to keep the screen safe. If you follow the instructions correctly, you would be able to clean the laptop screen without damaging it.