Like every other appliance in your home, your computer monitor and your television gather dusts over time. You’d think you could clean your monitor by using the good ol’ rag and Windex, but they actually require more care. Read on to learn how to make your monitor or HDTV screen look like new without potentially causing any damage.
What with all the delicate components found in modern displays, it’s best not to touch the screen when you clean your monitor for dusts and lint. As such, blasts the particles away with a gas duster (also known as a can of compressed air). Most of the dirt can be removed this way, but make sure you choose a gas duster that doesn’t leave chemical residue that’s damaging to electronics.
If you must touch the screen to eliminate those persistent dusts, avoid using paper towels, old shirts, and rags. Their abrasiveness may leave scratches and/or leave lint behind. Instead, use microfiber cloth to wipe any dirt, fingerprints, and dust. Also used for cleaning eyeglass lenses, this type of cloth is soft and specially structured at a microscopic scale to effectively clean sensitive surfaces. And unlike cotton, a microfiber cloth leaves no lint.
A dry microfiber cloth is good enough in most cases. But for the more stubborn kind of dirt, it’s best to moisten the cloth with distilled water. If that still fails to work, dampen your cloth with a 50/50 solution of distilled water and white vinegar instead. It’s recommended to turn off your devices (completely unplugged) to avoid electric shocks. Once you’re done cleaning, let the screen air-dry for at least five minutes before turning the device back on.
The last things you want to happen are to damage your displays, leave scratch marks, and void your warranty, so remember to wipe gently. Manufacturers also suggest different cleaning methods for their products; refer to the manuals for their recommended procedure to clean your monitor.
