what should i use to clean my laptop?

to clean the lid, keyboard area, palmrests, and screen?

 

i use monitor wipes that i got from staples. a pack of 100 was like $8 or something like that. that usually leaves a tiny bit of residue so i follow up with a paper towel.

alternatively, you can use windex ON EVERYTHING BUT THE SCREEN and a paper towel. keep the down more dry than wet while cleaning it.

the one thing i realized though is that you can never EVER get your laptop 100% clean.... it sucks! I've tried and there are nooks and crannies that will never be clean!

 

They sell special brushes which you can use to clean out al the garbage which gets between your keys in your keyboard. Its also good for cleaning the dust of your screen.

Edit: It doesn't look like a brush to paint, its very wide.

 

NO. Windex, if used on the screen, can damage a LCD.

 

I use a microfiber clothe to clean my screen.

 

yeah, NO windex... i remember someone a few months ago did that at my job... and it messed up the screen.

Microfiber cloth is probably the best choice

Personally though, i usually just use a damp paper towel.

 

I don't know how to translate it, but its like a towel to watch dishes and stuff. It's called a 'vod' in dutch. With a bit 'dishwashing soap' (I use dreft). Use some of that soap on the wet dishwashing-towel (not one for drying but for the actual washing), and wash the soap out with some water. Then squeez the towel untill its practicly dry, but still moisty. This way, you will only have a lil bit of soap on your towel, just enough so the towel doesn't smell like your dishes and just start whiping.

 

You might call me persnickety, but I prefer to say "moist" lint free cloth. Paper towels will disintegrate and leave pieces behind. And although you can hardly go wrong with water, it may not always clean the really dirty areas. Therefore, the secret is to clean your notebook/computer regularly so that it never gets too dirty.

p.s. I gave my recommendation for clearer in a previous post like this one.

 

I use OMMICLEANZ wich contains no chem and leaves no residues(static control)
*spray the cleaner on a microfiber and clean screen etc etc.. >
*after I use a second microfiber to clean up (do details)

I would not recommend using papertowel as it it too harsh and may scratch screen.

** H2O + dish detergent (cut out grease) seems to work fine as well.

 

To clean my laptop, I use Windex and a paper towel for the casing and keyboard, and for the screen, a special screen cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth.

 

hmm... maybe some... not usually for me though maybe it depends on the paper towel

WINDEX is NOT good to use on your laptop screen! At least for most it can cause damage!

 

my mistake, i fixed it in my post. i meant using it on parts other than the screen

 

On the non screen parts, I use clorox wipes. No issues so far in almost a year of owning my laptop. For the screen I use microfiber cloths and this. Brand doesn't matter much, as long as it's an alcohol free formula designed for LCDs. I just got this at a good price. One bottle lasts years. With weekly cleanings on 2 laptops and my HDTV the bottle still looks full. Microfiber cloths are awesome. Great for dusting too. Never use paper towels on an LCD. They can scratch it.

If you're going to use water to clean the screen (which is fine) get a gallon ($1-2) of distilled water from wal-mart or wherever. Tap water can leave mineral deposits on the screen.

 

I use Monster screen cleaner (come with a very nice micro-fiber cloth) for cleaning my laptop and TV screens. I find it a little better than using just water and a microfiber cloth.

For keyboards, I use a 3M's keyboard cleaner. It works very well getting rid of grime and that oily texture on the keys.

 

Dude, seriously. Read before you post. I said I used Windex on the casing and the keyboard of my laptop, not my screen.

I use the same stuff for my laptop and flat screens as well. I also use it on my 19" CRT monitor. The Monster stuff works really well and doesn't leave any residue behind.

 

Microfiber cloth. My laptop's glossy enough that I don't need any special cleaner.

 

How do you guys clean underneath the keyboard without taking out the keys?

 

Most laptops are designed so that you can remove the entire keyboard. Once that is removed, just use a can of compressed air remove any dirt.

 

Only clean your computer with Windex if it's made out of glass. Otherwise, not!

 

Because? According to Windex, it's a glass and multi-surface cleaner:

Taken from HERE.

 

They're probably much the same as clorox or lysol disinfecting wipes. No harm as long as none of the cleaning solution gets inside. Usually not a problem though.

 

I posted before in this thread that you can buy a special brush so you can clean al the dust and other groace stuff between your keyboard keys.

 

Only issue I have with Windex is some users don't know that it can be harmful to your screens and wind up damaging their screens when they should have restricted Windex use to the chassis.

 

This has already been pointed out ad nauseum in this thread. My point was that it is okay to use Windex on the chassis or body of a laptop, while using Windex on the screen is not.

 

Seriously guys, we get the point. Windex on displays is a bad idea, but it's fine on the glossy plastic bits of your laptop chassis and palmrest. ^_^

I personally just use a very slightly moist hand towel for the laptop itself, and a lens cleaning cloth for my display.

 

And I agree totally. I hope you realize that.
The only issue I was having is that if you want to use Windex in cleaning your laptop, be specific as to which parts, as you were. Note, I did not say do not use Windex AT ALL.
On the other hand, you get users who insist that Windex should not be used at all.

Even after the repeated reminders, it's still cropping up.

Thrown up yet?

I was actually wondering about the efficacy of the keyboard cleaners such as the one mentioned by David.

 

^ They work well to loosen stuff up. A follow up with a vacuum takes care of removing it.

 

Typical Windex is an ammonia based window cleaner. You didn't specify!!

 

No. Don't ever let a vacuum cleaner near a computer. They generate static which can damage a computer.

 

What difference does it make if I didn't specify that typical Windex is an ammonia based window cleaner or not? It still can be safely used on a notebook's casing and keyboard.

 

You could also suck up components, keys ect and yes static can fry your parts. Canned air might help there are usb vacuums but they really aren't effective.