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Computers and especially monitors require regular cleaning as they quickly accumulate dust. Not to mention blotches, fingerprints, and all kinds of smudges that collect on the screen over time. So don’t put extra strain on your eyes to discern what’s displayed on the screen over all the dust and dirt and clean it off.
You might think that cleaning a monitor screen is as simple as slapping it two-three times with a cloth, but you will be amazed to know that there’s more to just wiping the monitor with a cloth. Here’s how to clean a computer screen and a few pointers to avoid any accidental damage.
What Not to Do While Cleaning Your Monitor Screen?
Your monitor could have powerful specs and is versatile enough to run even competitive gaming titles with ease, but it’s a delicate assortment of hardware. Therefore, you must bear in mind some points before you start rubbing it with a cleaner to clean off dust and stains.
First of all, be gentle; you don’t want any accidental damage to your monitor as it might be a very costly mistake.
Next, a big no to any abrasive cleaning agent. It means no alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners or any other corrosive substance. The chemicals in these cleaning agents could strip off the anti-reflective coating on the monitor’s surface. Instead, check for cleaners specifically made for monitor cleaning. You can find plenty of such products in the market.
Moving further, never spray any cleaning liquid directly on the screen’s surface. Monitors may seem airtight and all, but they are not. There’s plenty of space around the corners and edges through which any excess liquid could find its way to the internals of the monitor. There it could wreak havoc, messing with delicate electrical connections, or even cause a short circuit.
Lastly, be very careful about what you are using to clean your monitor screen. The monitor is not just any other surface, so the same cleaning logic doesn’t apply here. The screen is very delicate, so it needs something equally delicate to wipe off all the dirt and smudges. So, no to the piece of cloth you use to wipe away dirt from the table and other surfaces.
The same goes for paper towels and tissue paper which might seem appropriate at first sight, but even these consist of rugged surfaces that could scratch the screen surface. A clean microfibre cloth free from any dust is the most suitable choice to wipe your monitor screen.
How to Clean up the monitor screen?
As you are now aware of the don’ts of monitor cleaning, let’s proceed with the actual business.
Turn off your monitor
To begin the cleaning process of your monitor screen, turn it off and unplug the power chord. It’s necessary, as you will better see all the accumulated dust on the black surface. Moreover, there’s also the risk of a serious electric jolt from the power supply. So it’s better and safe to do the cleaning while the monitor is disconnected from the power supply.
Start with a compressed air blast
For the starter, a blast of compressed air could wipe away the extra dust from the screen. The remaining you can clear off with a dry wipe-down. If your monitor screen is not particularly dirty, this could be all you have to do to clean it off. However, if your monitor is extra filthy, move on to the next step.
Wipe your monitor with a microfibre cloth
Make sure the cloth is clean as a single grain of dust can potentially scratch the screen surface. Now, dampen the microfibre cloth with a cleaning agent specially formulated for screen cleaning. Distilled water free from impurities could also do the trick. Anyway, make sure the cloth is just damp and not that you could wring out liquid from it. Now wipe the monitor screen with long sideways or up and down motion. We couldn’t emphasize enough to be gentle – any extra pressure could damage the screen.
For those stubborn blotches that won’t budge with a simple cleaning, add a few drops of vinegar to the water. The same precautions apply here, no direct spraying on the screen and no extra liquid on the cloth.
Leave the Monitor for Some Time
Do not plug your monitor into the power supply immediately after cleaning. Let the liquid on the surface of the monitor screen dry out. Moisture could lead to electrical damage; therefore, it’s vital that there is no trace of moisture when you plug it into the power supply. So, give your monitor a rest for a few minutes after cleaning before reconnecting it to the power supply.
Conclusion
Well, that’s all we have for you with cleaning and taking care of your monitor screen. We hope, after reading this you clean your monitor nicely and it stays just good as new for a longer time.
