How to Clean an LCD Monitor

If you own a computer monitor, it's going to get dirty. In addition to collecting dust and other particles floating through the air, your monitor will get smudged by your fingerprints pointing things out to other people. If you own an lcd monitor and want to clean it, you should read this article first and not make certain common mistakes. This article will demonstrate how to clean an lcd monitor effectively without damaging the screen or other part of the hardware.

Lcd monitors are different from crt monitors because they don't have a thick glass or plastic covering over the electronic display area. In this sense your lcd monitor screen is more like a calculator screen than a crt monitor or a television screen. Because of this, you need to pay special attention to what cleaning agents you use on this particular type of screen. Using the wrong type of cleaning fluid can cause damage to the liquid crystal display, which is the last thing you want to do on an expensive lcd monitor.

To remove dust particles and other free-floating debris from your lcd monitor, you can either use a soft, moisture-free cloth or a Swiffer cloth. I prefer Swiffer dusting cloths because they not only sweep away dust and debris, but also catch it in special electrostatic grooves in the fabric. So potentially a Swiffer cloth can clean an lcd screen more effectively than a regular soft cloth, but how you choose to remove dust is really a matter of personal preference. Just be sure that neither cloth contains any hard piece of debris that could potentially scratch the surface of the lcd monitor.

How to clean off oil and grime from an lcd monitor is a bit more troublesome. With crt monitors, you have much more leeway in the kinds of cleaning agents you can use. The best cleaner you can use is one that is specifically designed to clean an lcd monitor, which you can find at certain computer or office supply stores. However, for the rest of you who want to know how to clean the monitor without investing much money, there are alternatives. In general, the only liquid you want to use on your screen is water. The first thing to remember is to turn off your lcd monitor before you attempt to clean it to allow excess heat to dissipate and remove the electrical current. Dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water and wipe the screen using straight movements, not circular. Do not spray liquid of any kind directly on the lcd monitor. If water is not doing the trick, you can use a commercial all-purpose cleaner, but you need to be aware of what's in the cleaner. Under no circumstances clean an lcd monitor with a cleaner that contains alcohol or ammonia, since both of these chemicals can permanently damage the screen's display. How do you know if a cleaner contains these chemicals? All cleaners are required to display ingredients on their labels, so be sure to check there before you use them. Remember that "isopropanol" refers to alcohol.

Here are a couple reminders on how to clean an lcd monitor. Do not use paper towels or anything more abrasive than a cotton undershirt to wipe down the screen! Paper towels are abrasive and can etch the screen. Also, remember to wipe the monitor with long, straight strokes instead of short, circular strokes. Finally, pay careful attention to what you're cleaning it with! If you follow these basic instructions on how to clean an lcd monitor, you should be looking at a clearer display that is undamaged. Good luck!