Cleaning a laptop screen.

The last piece of equipment I need to order for my new laptop is a screen cleaning solution and cloth, which would you recommend? I'd probably purchase off eBay.

 

For my Asus G73Jh, I'm using the screen cleaning cloth which comes with it. As for my previous Dell Inspiron 1420, I used a normal spectacles cleaning cloth (micro fibre) to wipe out the dust. It did a great job!

 

I just use normal cleaning wipes which are suited for laptop screens

 

I usually grab the ones in the tub at best buy or office max. They do the job well.

 

The following link may prove to be valuable:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/accessories/491736-what-should-i-buy-clean-my-laptop-screen.html

 

Search around there are several threads like the one garetjax posted...

 

dust spray > isopropyl alcohol or distilled water /w microfiber towel > gently wipe in one direction.

 

a simple hairy paint roller for rough surfaces
The best cleaning stuff I have ever tried for laptop

It's long enough to clean the screen fast
It shape make it is goes really fine in the corner under the screen of any laptop, the screen border, the keyboard etc

no screen damage because it's soft even softer than any microfiber clothes I have tried before and because the pressure on the screen is applied on a long surface rather than a finger spot when using some clothes

 

Doesn't really matter.

A kitchen towel will work, so will any microfibre cloth - microfibre cloths are useful as they can take off fat without any form of "cleaning solution".

 

A kitchen towel would certainly scratch your screen. Use a microfiber towel or a cotton make up remover.

 

Don't use Isopropyl rubbing alcohol anywhere on your laptop. It will ruin anything that's made out of rubber or plastic, paint, finish. Isopropyl alcohol cannot make friends with your laptop. It will strip off the paint letters from your keys, mangle any plastic surface and put a crack in any rubber surface it's applied to. Keep alcohol away from your laptop.

 

I just used 92% alcohol by itself, no distilled water mixed, to clean my keyboard and inner parts on one of my laptops. Only thing it erased(smeared is the right term since the letterings are still there) was the letterings on the part number stickers. It's perfectly safe, but you could still mix some distilled water to be extra safe.

 

NO! NO! NO! Never use alcohol on a laptop and especially not 92%. And never give anyone that bad advice. Alcohol is way to caustic.

To safely and effectively clear dirt and grime off your laptop, I continue to recommend Pledge Multi-purpose cleaner along with the aforementioned microfiber cloth. After a year of this regiment, my laptop still shines like new.

 

92% isopropyl alcohol mixed with distilled water in 50/50 does not harm your laptop screen. I said I even used alcohol by itself and I still had no problem at all. I've been using the same solution for years on countless screens and laptops with 0 problem to this date.

 

Just because you don't notice any problems, doesn't mean there aren't any. Alcohol, bleach, and ammonia are all solvents, which if you took chemistry, means something that dissolves something else. Since most screens have a plastic cover over them, any of these solvents can wear the plastic down over time - especially if placed directly on it (you should always dampen the cloth and wipe, not the screen). There is a reason why manufacturers now are selling solvent-free products to clean screens...

 

Have been using 3M stuff for years.
Amazon.com: 3M Screen Cleaner, 3 Inches x 2-3/4-inch x 1 Inch (CL681): Office Products

 

Yes, I am aware. Alcohol is a solvent and could "potentially" damage the anti reflective coating on your screen, but nothing is proven yet, and I have self experimented to confirm it doesn't really do so. May be it is possible with frequent use with just alcohol and no distilled water. If you do a quick search on the web you will find 99% of people using the same solution(isopropyl alcohol mixed with distilled water in 50:50 or lesser) as I and have no problem at all. While I can understand you'd like to be cautious and extra safe, but it's okay to use alcohol mixed with distilled water to clean your screen.

There's definitely some kind of hype over this issue. Most manufacturers want to make money. What happens if you make your own solution? They'd go out of business. So their way of advertising their product is to inform people that alcohol(who in their right mind would use just alcohol anyway?) can damage your screen.

 

Alcohol caustic??

Isopropanol definitely isn't - that's also used to clean other elctronics and camera sensors.

Got any sources?

 

I second the 3M recommendation.

 

If you wipe off the solvent quickly enough, you can minimize the risk of any long-term damage. That said, a clean cloth, preferably microfiber, should be enough to wipe fingerprints off the screen without any solvent whatsoever. If there's something tougher than finger oils on the screen, perhaps it's time to start washing your hands more often and/or stop eating in front of the computer?

 

I failed to mention I only use alcohol when a screen is too dusty or needs heavy cleaning. For everyday cleaning, a microfiber towel soaked lightly with distilled water is plenty good. May be some dust spray before wiping.

 

But not the lens!

I don't need one. And when it's used to clean electronic it's done so in a controlled environment by professionals. It is not something that's recommended you do at home. And speaking of recommendations, that's should be the direction of your question.

 

Anyone know an effective way to clean the palm rest ( which is plastic) of the alienware m17x?

 

water + microfiber cloth = effective, cheapest, long lasting cleaner.

 

Without a doubt the safest. Although typically not the most effective.

 

Dry toilet paper to get it off. Cheap and effective. Palmrests aren't as sensitive as screens. MF just rubs the muck around.

 

Might I mention, that there's a very wide variety of difference in toilet paper my friend.