Laptop screens are a breeding ground for dust formation, food particles, and other debris collection and germs. These result in a smudged laptop screen from a bright and clean one -this is a fact of life no one can deny. The annoying distraction of debris blocking the view makes it really hard for one to work on a laptop. To prolong your machine’s life from looking unattractive with mystery dots and fingerprints, it is very important to clean your laptop screen on a routine basis. But how to do that with a tool that’s already in your house and that will not create any damage. Let’s find out some surefire ways:
Supplies That You Will Need
A laptop screen is a fragile surface, so it needs supplies that are gentle. The necessary components are:
- A clean soft cotton cloth (a terry towel)
- Isopropyl rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer
- 1 cup of warm distilled water
- Compressed air can blower
- Disposable gloves (optional)
- 1 bottle sprayer
These will not damage the LCD surface of your laptop, don’t worry. After collecting all these supplies, you can proceed with the steps of cleaning the screen. Try to avoid using paper towels or components like ammonia as it could harm your device’s screen with scratches and internal issues.
Step 1: Prepare your Laptop for Cleaning
The first thing you need to do before starting to clean the screen is to switch off the power. Remove the plug if it’s plugged in and disconnect the laptop from all sorts of outlets. If the battery is removable take it out as well. This is a very important step to maintain properly or else there will be a lot of damage to your device and electrical problems.
Step 2: Make Your Laptop Cleaning Solution
Dilute isopropyl alcohol (not rubbing alcohol, as it may contain oil) with water to get the best cleaning solution for your laptop. The portion of water and alcohol should be 50% distilled water and 50% alcohol. Distilled water is plain with no chemical substance in it so it will be best for your laptop screen. Purified bottled water can also be used. Using mineral water is highly prohibited as it will leave mineral markings on your screen. On the other hand, alcohol will kill all the bacteria and germs of the LCD screen besides cleaning it. White vinegar can be a substitute for alcohol. Now mix the whole solution.
Now you can do two things, you can dampen a clean soft cotton cloth into the mixture, or you can take the solution in a small automized spraying bottle and pour some solution into it. Then you have to spray the solution on the soft cotton cloth to dampen it. Be cautious and do not spray the solution directly, however. If you think the water will get evaporated so, it won’t cause much damage you are damn wrong.
Do not use old cloths to clean the screens as that will create dirt which will be detrimental for the screen. Also, make sure that the cloth gets dampen and not wet.
Step 3: Clean Your Laptop Screen
After dampening the lint-free microfiber cloth or cotton cloth with a minimal amount of solution, start gently wiping the laptop screen. Wipe the screen properly across your laptop’s lid, corners, sides, and body. The best way to formulate the wiping procedure is to wipe it in one direction from the top of the bezel to the bottom. You can also rub the surface in small circles. If you give too much pressure that might be harmful and permanently damage the display, so be very gentle while rubbing. Keep repeating until the spots and dust disappear.
If you are concerned about solution drips falling on your keyboard, then put a cloth or towel over your keyboard before cleaning it. The best would be to use a cloth that doesn’t absorb water easily.
Once you are done with cleaning the screen, keep it to dry. After the whole screen is air-dried, you can slip off some remaining streaks with a microfiber cloth. You can power it on after all these steps are done with.
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Some Extra Cautions
One of the most important things that you should keep in mind is that you should never use normal cleaning supplies on your laptop screen. Dish wash cleaner, window cleaner or all sorts of soaps are strictly prohibited to use. You can use CD/DISC cleaners as those are usually 55% Isopropyl alcohol which is not harmful for LCD surfaces. Also, some components need to be avoided strictly and these are:
Acetone, Ammonia, Ethyl alcohol, Ethyl acid, Methyl chloride, Methyl alcohol, Surface cleaners, Toluene, Window cleaners and other corrosive substances.
It’s not unusual for laptops to face a lot of trouble from its own users. As they are our constant work buddies, we should avoid bad habits like spilling coffee or spreading crumbs from sandwiches on our laptops.
Laptops are now one of the most used devices. From studying to working, from playing games to listening to music, from watching movies to doing research, everything is done by laptops. It’s an essential part of our life, so it needs to be kept with care. By considering the aforementioned simple steps, we can avoid irritation and create a better ambience to work with our laptops.
