How Do You Clean Your LCD?

[Dave410]

<p>I've tried water and soft cloth, but it leaves streaks. Ditto for Windex and a soft cloth. Many thanks.</p>

[chuck -]

<p>Two swipes with a dry micro-fiber rag. Also great for lenses and eyeglasses. Don't leave home without one...</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Microfiber cloth - I prefer the softer, spongier finish over the slicker cloths. Sometimes with a bit of breath fog. Maybe with a droplet of lens cleaning fluid for stubborn schmumph smudges. Same thing I use for my eyeglasses. I'm not quite as comfortable using these on camera lenses, but will to remove stubborn schmumph, such as sticky droplets from tree sap, that sort of thing.</p>

<p>And I wash my microfiber cloths around once a month or so with isopropyl alcohol and Woolite or other gentle laundry cleanser. I'm not as worried about grit as about just smearing the same sweat salt, nose grease and gunk around. I worry about grit just as much with proper lens cleaning tissues.</p>

[chuck -]

<p>Yeah, I should have mentioned that I prefer the thicker, "terry cloth" versions that Lex also mentioned. I bought a huge multi-pack of these at Costco a few years back and haven't checked lately. I do have a couple of the slicker cloths that emulate a Kodak gray card in color, which are also handy. I think they were from Hakuba.<br>

Microfiber cloths are great - but keep them clean!</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>So any of the microfiber clothes work? I just picked up three for $1.00 at Home Depot for "cleaning"purposes. Are these good for lenses too?</p>

[MichaelChang]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"So any of the microfiber clothes work? I just picked up three for $1.00 at Home Depot for "cleaning"purposes. Are these good for lenses too?"</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Alan, I think the only way to really know is to examine the cloth's cross section under a microscope; you might find a coarser structure more appropriate for cleaning cars and countertops than lenses, so better to buy a known high quality cloth designed for the purpose.<br /><br>

<a href="http://solutions.3mae.ae/wps/portal/3M/en_AE/EUScotch-BriteBrand/Scotch-Brite/Products/Catalog/?PC_Z7_RJH9U5230ON980IQ32E22V0SI5000000_nid=7RGNZ1PBH4gsBD9GX0VTLMglPNCNSGM5N3bl&prodID=7RGNZ1PBH4gs&lang=en_US">http://solutions.3mae.ae/wps/portal/3M/en_AE/EUScotch-BriteBrand/Scotch-Brite/Products/Catalog/?PC_Z7_RJH9U5230ON980IQ32E22V0SI5000000_nid=7RGNZ1PBH4gsBD9GX0VTLMglPNCNSGM5N3bl&prodID=7RGNZ1PBH4gs&lang=en_US</a></p>

[Dave410]

<p>Oops, I guess I should have specified -- I mean the 24-inch monitor LCD. Cheers.</p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>Dave, I use a very diluted (Joy, Sunlight) lemon dish detergent solution to wipe my larger LCD screens followed by a wipedown with a (water only) damp cloth all using microfiber towels (purchased from Costco). It has worked satisfactorily without streak marks. </p>

<p>You mentioned trying Windex. There is a special Windex product said to be made specifically for electronics cleaning, presumably a different chemistry from their standard window and glass cleaners. <br>

<a href="http://www.windex.com/en-US/Products/Pages/electronic-cleaner-and-wipes.aspx">http://www.windex.com/en-US/Products/Pages/electronic-cleaner-and-wipes.aspx</a></p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>Ordinary window cleaner contains ammonia, which will eventually etch glass, and optical glass even sooner. Also, do not use anything containing silicone, which includes many things sold for cleaning eye glasses. Silicone will remove much of the effectiveness of anti-reflective coatings on lenses and many LCD screens.</p>

<p>Liquid cleaner sold by LensCrafters has only isopropyl alcohol and a little non-ionic detergent. It is very effective, harmless to glass and plastic, and nearly streak free. Don't spray it near the edges of the screen, because it may work its way under the glass. Better to spray a little on a microfiber cloth used for cleaning.</p>

<p>Alcohol swabs in sealed packets work well on LCD screens, eyepieces and lenses. They contain 70% isopropyl alcohol only, which cleans well and dries slowly enough to avoid leaving spots. On lenses, fold them and use them like brushes, rather than as a scrub pad.</p>

<p>Pure IPA has the consistency of mineral oil. It is too non-polar to work on glass, and dries too slowly. 91% IPA sold at drug stores isn't much better. 70% cleans better. Denatured alcohol contains ketones and other chemicals which tend to leave a white film. Drug store methanol is also contaminated with solids. Very pure methanol, sold as "Eclipse Fluid" is sold for use on sensors. It will work on glass too, but only nearly clean glass. Oil from your skin will contaminate a wet pad (and the entire bottle if misused) and leave streaks, so avoid contact using a plastic swab or wear surgical gloves.</p>

[kerry_grim]

A damp (spigot water!) diaper works great.

[keith_b1]

<p>"Pure IPA has the consistency of mineral oil"<br>

Assuming "IPA" means isopropyl alcohol and not India Pale Ale, I have found this not to be true. I buy 99.5% iso by the gallon and find it to be more or less physically indistinguishable from 70%.<br>

I have possessed an NEC 27" monitor(which has a plastic matte surface) for a few years, and I always cover it when not in use, because I'm putting off the day when I might have to clean it. A textured surface that large would be laborious to clean <em>cleanly</em>.<br>

I have cleaned my 17" matte MacbookPro screen several times with distilled water and a cotton cloth...seems to work fine.<br>

Glass fronted monitors are, by comparison, a piece of cake to clean.<br>

</p>