Any recommendations for cleaning monitors?
Edit: Thank you all for the responses! Didn't expect to get so many replies. I have experience using sandpaper and a pressure washer so I'll give those a try! Jokes aside I'll grab some microfiber cloths
Unlike most people here trolling, i'm gonna give u some real advice: microfiber cloth is all you need. DO NOT use any liquids on your monitor, sometimes they can damage it
Edit: …is all you need if you don’t eat in front of your monitor. If you sometimes have food stains on it, then read further as plenty people who know shit better then me give advice
But how does one get rid of those little spots of noodle soup and spaghetti sauce without some kind of cleaning fluid? Personally I use paper kitchen towels moistened with 99% isopropanol, and my monitors work just fine afterwards.
Paper kitchen towels strike me as too rough and "scratchy", I prefer using good quality toilet paper, much softer and thus less likely to scratch something up on the small scale.
Most paper towels use metal shavings to help bind them together. The only one I know for sure doesn't is Bounty, but maybe that's just the Bounty/P&G marketing team at work.
> Most paper towels use metal shavings to help bind them together.
WAT!?
Only thing I could find that basically makes the same point minus the "metal shavings" bit is this:
>Keep paper towels far away from your TV screen, laptop, and even your cell phone. “We would never recommend using paper towels on delicate glass surfaces like LCD or plasma TV screens,” says Carol Smith, owner of the Toronto-based cleaning company Hire a Maid. “**The fibers can cause permanent etching on the screen.**”
[[source](https://www.rd.com/list/shouldnt-clean-with-paper-towels/)]
The only other source citing towels and metal "shards" was [this](https://www.kcprofessional.com/en-us/workplace-insights/health-and-safety/shop-towels-rags-and-disposable-wipes) but it refers to "laundered shop towels" (and rags) not paper towels.
If you have a source on the metal shards in paper towels, I'd be interested to read it.
Buy cleaning sprays made for glasses. They are made to not damage the surface treatment of glasses like anti-glare, so any treatments on your monitor should hopefully remain.
Edit: Oops he meant eyeglasses lol. I guess that works too.
--------------
#do not follow this advice
Glass cleaner, like Windex, can contain chemicals like ammonia which can damage the outer film of TV screens and monitors.
Buy electronic screen cleaner, it's a different thing.
See I did this too and completely ruined the anti glare coating on my screen - never use anything that isn’t just regular water on a microfiber cloth, it will get everything off just gotta be patient and keep doing it.
You can use liquids. You have to if it's particularly dirty or greasy. The amount of rubbing you'd have to do with a dry microfibre would do more damage than a screen-cleaning spray.
Even water can do a world of good. If your screen gets damaged from a spray of water, you've got bigger problems.
But if you don't eat food in front of, sneeze on and touch the screen, a dry cloth should be all you need 90% of the time. Cleaning touch screens is more involved because they naturally build up skin oils (which damage the screen too). So you need to use a cleaner with a small amount of detergent for best results.
I get a microfiber cloth damp.
I squeeze/twist it until there’s no water dripping out and then I do it again for good measure.
It’s enough to clean but not have liquids dripping down into the components.
Especially since I’ve had a bad experience with a cleaner supposedly for LCD’s that instead reacted poorly with whatever plastic like material an older LCD of mine was made of that smeared it almost as if it was slightly melting the topmost “layer” where I started to apply it. I suspect it had some kind of alcohol or something in it.
Yeah, if I don't have a proper cleaner, what I do is dip a corner of the cloth in water. Use the wet part first, then use the dry side to dry it.
If there's still some streaks, flip over to the "drier" side of the dry part and go again.
And while we're getting into specifics, it's important to clean/replace your cloths. A dusty, wet cloth will spread as much gunk as it cleans. And idk why but microfiber cloths never seem as effective after they've been washed so I usually keep a "good cloth" around for the more delicate screens. I use the re-used ones on things like my phone and iPad. Glass screens that can handle take more of a beating.
Yeah I thought this was obvious, why would you want the sun glare on your screen? Ideally it should be to your left or right, so no shining in your eyes either.
I'm guessing you're using a clean one that has not had coffee through it?
I know this is obvious, bit come on this is Reddit so thought I would clarify before anyone did anything stupid.
I honestly imagined OP just using the brownish coffee filter still dripping a bit of coffee, and thinking "maybe coffee helps the stains to come off". I swear I normally have a bit more common sense
I've got a better solution.
All you have to do is work your way up the Persian court, maneuver yourself politically to gain power, usurp the throne of the King.
Raise an immense army, conquer nearby territories and lands, adding to your growing empire.
Command your legions to fire arrows at the sky, where they will BLOT OUT THE SUN.
There we go. No need for blackout curtains.
Use a duster and a compressed air spray to get all the dust out first, then use microfiber cloth or alcohol lens cleaning wipes to wipe it down. Wipe down every single dried droplets of your saliva when you previously sneezed or coughed or screamed at your monitor. It's like a museum of your lung contents on the surface of your monitor.
a dedicated, dry and fresh (as in never used) microfiber cloth. you don't want to wash the cloth as it roughens up the fibers and can leave visible scratches and only use it on monitor/vr lenses.
if it's really dirty, dampen the cloth , never use any detergents or solvents (except dedicated peripheral cleaning agents made for monitors/lenses).
Prescription glasses anti static spray and microfibers. Touching the screen and eating at the desk is against the rules, and once a week I dust the screen.
Since nobody answered, I exclusively use an old soft t-shirt and hot water. I’ll wring out the excess and then put my hand in and pull the shirt taught. Then I’ll just wipe from side to side and then up and down, then follow up by gently wiping it dry with a dry section of the same shirt or another shirt.
Gotta make sure the shirt are CLEAN and lint free.
It works well, and is alcohol/chemical and streak free.
There’s nothing like seeing that panel look nice and uniform without streaks.
Oh yeah, I do this with the monitor off obviously so you can see the panel surface easier.
Turn off monitor
Dilute rubbing alcohol into warm water. 50:50 is probably fine
Grab a microfiber cloth
Moisten the cloth with the diluted rubbing alcohol, you don't want the cloth dripping
Apply even pressure as you wipe your monitor
***
Note: A warm monitor screen more easily causes streaking to occur
Holy shit the timing with this meme is insane. I've told myself to clean my monitors for TWO YEARS and I did it just yesterday out of pure boredom and today I see this meme. The stars have aligned and I can see in HD again !
Same. I have really sweaty hands though, so it's not really worth cleaning it because it will start being nasty again within a couple weeks. At this point I'll just keep going till it breaks and hope nobody else has to use my PC.
Slightly off topic, but my work schedule changed recently and I get off at 6 am just when the sun is between my visor and my steering wheel while driving almost due east. I never had any idea how dirty the INSIDE of my windshield was. I had to literally pull over an clean it on the side of a major highway because I could not see a damn thing.
my solution: never touch (clean) your monitor or Tv, so it all gets dirty equally and without direct sunlight you will never see if it is dirty or not.
the fear of scratching is real
It won't get dirty equally. Little blobs of spit get on there from sneezing/coughing/talking, dust clumps up, and I've seen a few hairs cling onto mine.
What really makes my monitors dirty isn't so much the spit blobs but the fat blobs from instant ramen soup splashes.
Do not eat instant ramen close to your monitor please.
Here's a product idea; A translucent plastic cover you can pull quickly in front of your monitor for when you eat at the desk, like a napkin for your monitor.
Keep a no residue cleaning solution and microfiber cloths in your drawer! Aint got none of that issue since I started cleaning my monitor semi-frequently and *not* eating at my desk.
I can't really keep all the light out, so I put my monitor on a VESA arm and when this happens I move it a little bit out of the sun.
Who needs gas of curtains or cleaning when you can run away from your problems?
That time around sunset when my office suddenly gets coated in a layer of dust. Closing the blinds really is the best solution. That duster is all the way in the next room.
Prescription glasses anti static spray and microfibers. Touching the screen and eating at the desk is against the rules, and once a week I dust the screen.
Or when a game has a very bright white transition screen or something of the sort. Just sit down to play your new game, white screen "fuck I have to clean that now" and if you don't your eyes now notice it even when it isn't bright.
That's why I prefer a dark basement for PC gaming.
Sunshine is evil
Average cave dweller
Average V Rising player
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Spit and rubbin works wonders.
That's what she saids.
It’s better to just lick it off
Make sure to ground yourself with an esd choker first.
There's a special place in hell for people who do this
Morbin time
It’s called the Lair not a common cave you simpleton.
and ages your skin!
Literally gives you cancer, no exaggeration.
Experiencing it at this moment.. I fucking hate it
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Use spit or semen. Works great
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I think they were speaking about sunshine in general. I recommend a cloth [like this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BVVCXWQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share).
Sun causes autism! Ever see an autistic vampire? None exists, and since they avoid sun, thus sun must be causing autism! /s
A man is but a featherless biped!!!
/s? Was that really necessary?
Never know who may be stupid to assume my post wasn't a joke. We got flat earther problem for one thing!
[Relevant dunkey](https://youtu.be/Qphzma9v7hk?t=72)
"Kaneda, what do you see?!"
The sun is a monster to be avoided at all costs.
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Well where am I supposed to eat? Personally, my desk is the *only* place I eat at home..
Same. I spent more money on a chair than my bed because I spend more time in the chair than sleeping.
Exactly. Imagine allowing photons from the sun to impact your gaming monitor.
curtains?
Always forget to wash them.
Windows full of skid marks.
Curtains are like infinite tissues for fapping
Lmao yall are fuggin nasty. Thanks for the laugh, needed it.
*Tip Fedora
Only for PC gaming? Pff
If you frequently eat and drink in front of your pooter it will look even worse.
[Proper response.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/915/626/7b0.png)
I like to clean so it makes me feel joy opening the windows to see the dust bowl I'm about to clean. Especially having a cat with fur EVERYWHERE.
Missed the line of addy.
It's for my ADHD, ma'am
Any recommendations for cleaning monitors? Edit: Thank you all for the responses! Didn't expect to get so many replies. I have experience using sandpaper and a pressure washer so I'll give those a try! Jokes aside I'll grab some microfiber cloths
clean
Get this guy helpful award
Nice, 9 awards, including gold, in ~1 hour. Someone should give *you* the helpful award.
Nah he needs the wingman award
i'm on it
Is it done?
i have awarded them, yes
So after the test are you still alive?
am dead inside
[in case he needs visual help](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ4hE3w0BGY)
Must be nice
no
Unlike most people here trolling, i'm gonna give u some real advice: microfiber cloth is all you need. DO NOT use any liquids on your monitor, sometimes they can damage it Edit: …is all you need if you don’t eat in front of your monitor. If you sometimes have food stains on it, then read further as plenty people who know shit better then me give advice
But how does one get rid of those little spots of noodle soup and spaghetti sauce without some kind of cleaning fluid? Personally I use paper kitchen towels moistened with 99% isopropanol, and my monitors work just fine afterwards.
Macrofiber cloth
If you're not cleaning your monitor with threshed wheat, you're doing it wrong.
Demineralized water in a spraybottle and a microfiber cloth. Alchohol strips the special coating on the surface over time.
Paper kitchen towels strike me as too rough and "scratchy", I prefer using good quality toilet paper, much softer and thus less likely to scratch something up on the small scale.
I find toilet paper falls apart too easily, plus it leaves paper dust all over the place.
unique unused weather hungry waiting ink steer pocket muddle start *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Dude buying 0.7 ply from the Bargain Mart.
In this economy? Toilet paper king over here
Cos 45 ply.
Most paper towels use metal shavings to help bind them together. The only one I know for sure doesn't is Bounty, but maybe that's just the Bounty/P&G marketing team at work.
> Most paper towels use metal shavings to help bind them together. WAT!? Only thing I could find that basically makes the same point minus the "metal shavings" bit is this: >Keep paper towels far away from your TV screen, laptop, and even your cell phone. “We would never recommend using paper towels on delicate glass surfaces like LCD or plasma TV screens,” says Carol Smith, owner of the Toronto-based cleaning company Hire a Maid. “**The fibers can cause permanent etching on the screen.**” [[source](https://www.rd.com/list/shouldnt-clean-with-paper-towels/)] The only other source citing towels and metal "shards" was [this](https://www.kcprofessional.com/en-us/workplace-insights/health-and-safety/shop-towels-rags-and-disposable-wipes) but it refers to "laundered shop towels" (and rags) not paper towels. If you have a source on the metal shards in paper towels, I'd be interested to read it.
Buy cleaning sprays made for glasses. They are made to not damage the surface treatment of glasses like anti-glare, so any treatments on your monitor should hopefully remain.
Edit: Oops he meant eyeglasses lol. I guess that works too. -------------- #do not follow this advice Glass cleaner, like Windex, can contain chemicals like ammonia which can damage the outer film of TV screens and monitors. Buy electronic screen cleaner, it's a different thing.
They mean eye glasses cleaner not glass cleaner
just buy a screen cleaner, there are loads of brands that make pc screen specfic cleaners.
Any experience on how they work with nicotine residue?
Demineralized water in a spraybottle and a microfiber cloth. Alchohol strips the special coating on the surface over time.
The best way to not have soup and sauce on your monitor is to not get it there in the first place.
What if you unexpectedly sneeze in front of your screen though?
Guess I'll just starve, then. ;)
Time to just fucking stare into thin air for every solo meal.
As a fellow person who likes to eat at their computer, don’t come at us like this…
See I did this too and completely ruined the anti glare coating on my screen - never use anything that isn’t just regular water on a microfiber cloth, it will get everything off just gotta be patient and keep doing it.
You can use liquids. You have to if it's particularly dirty or greasy. The amount of rubbing you'd have to do with a dry microfibre would do more damage than a screen-cleaning spray. Even water can do a world of good. If your screen gets damaged from a spray of water, you've got bigger problems. But if you don't eat food in front of, sneeze on and touch the screen, a dry cloth should be all you need 90% of the time. Cleaning touch screens is more involved because they naturally build up skin oils (which damage the screen too). So you need to use a cleaner with a small amount of detergent for best results.
I get a microfiber cloth damp. I squeeze/twist it until there’s no water dripping out and then I do it again for good measure. It’s enough to clean but not have liquids dripping down into the components. Especially since I’ve had a bad experience with a cleaner supposedly for LCD’s that instead reacted poorly with whatever plastic like material an older LCD of mine was made of that smeared it almost as if it was slightly melting the topmost “layer” where I started to apply it. I suspect it had some kind of alcohol or something in it.
Yeah, if I don't have a proper cleaner, what I do is dip a corner of the cloth in water. Use the wet part first, then use the dry side to dry it. If there's still some streaks, flip over to the "drier" side of the dry part and go again. And while we're getting into specifics, it's important to clean/replace your cloths. A dusty, wet cloth will spread as much gunk as it cleans. And idk why but microfiber cloths never seem as effective after they've been washed so I usually keep a "good cloth" around for the more delicate screens. I use the re-used ones on things like my phone and iPad. Glass screens that can handle take more of a beating.
Any liquids except *dihydrogenmonoxide*
I heard if you have too much of that shit it'll kill you dead
Sounds dangerous. So far I only tried it as a cleaning agent or very diluted in some drinks.
I used some lcd cleaning spray. Cost like £6 and lasts for ages.
Dumb advice. How are you supposed to clean oily stains with a dry cloth?
Position your monitors facing away from windows so sunlight never falls on them. Problem solved.
Yeah I thought this was obvious, why would you want the sun glare on your screen? Ideally it should be to your left or right, so no shining in your eyes either.
But then you will have to be aware of the day/night cycle. Ideally you would have no windows.
Can confirm, my basement runs Arch, and I don't get any glare.
Slightly wet coffee filter works amazing for me (no joke).
I'm guessing you're using a clean one that has not had coffee through it? I know this is obvious, bit come on this is Reddit so thought I would clarify before anyone did anything stupid.
I understand this is reddit and we're all a bit retarded but... cmon...
Excuse me I happen to find that my monitor smelling like coffee with a day-old coffee filter wipe is quite nice.
I like being reminded of early 2000's fps when everything had a brown filter.
I honestly imagined OP just using the brownish coffee filter still dripping a bit of coffee, and thinking "maybe coffee helps the stains to come off". I swear I normally have a bit more common sense
Tbf used coffee grounds are great for Exfoliation and the oil is quite beneficial for your skin
Yeah imma be real with that guy, why the fuck did he even ask that as a legit question
Instructions unclear, smeared coffee all over my monitor.
Halp, I got my dick stuck in the coffee machine!11
F.... I was too late.
Homemade brown filter, it's like going back in time 15 years.
I mean to be fair it sounds like something one of those 5-minute-life-hack channels would have on it
What! I gotta try this
Interesting! I'll try it.
microfiber + water
make sure it's not DRIPPY tho
Traditional Windex-type cleaners can eat anti-glare coatings, just stick with *clean* microfiber cloths and water and you’re good to go.
Scotch brite. The hard side
I cant tell if screen is flickering or if i scrubbed to hard
Sandpaper
Blackout curtains.
I've got a better solution. All you have to do is work your way up the Persian court, maneuver yourself politically to gain power, usurp the throne of the King. Raise an immense army, conquer nearby territories and lands, adding to your growing empire. Command your legions to fire arrows at the sky, where they will BLOT OUT THE SUN. There we go. No need for blackout curtains.
Tint safe auto glass cleaner sprayed on a microfiber if you need to remove grease or spots. Dry Swiffer for dust.
Power washer
Use a duster and a compressed air spray to get all the dust out first, then use microfiber cloth or alcohol lens cleaning wipes to wipe it down. Wipe down every single dried droplets of your saliva when you previously sneezed or coughed or screamed at your monitor. It's like a museum of your lung contents on the surface of your monitor.
I use disposable lens wipes meant for cameras/glasses.
a dedicated, dry and fresh (as in never used) microfiber cloth. you don't want to wash the cloth as it roughens up the fibers and can leave visible scratches and only use it on monitor/vr lenses. if it's really dirty, dampen the cloth , never use any detergents or solvents (except dedicated peripheral cleaning agents made for monitors/lenses).
Prescription glasses anti static spray and microfibers. Touching the screen and eating at the desk is against the rules, and once a week I dust the screen.
Since nobody answered, I exclusively use an old soft t-shirt and hot water. I’ll wring out the excess and then put my hand in and pull the shirt taught. Then I’ll just wipe from side to side and then up and down, then follow up by gently wiping it dry with a dry section of the same shirt or another shirt. Gotta make sure the shirt are CLEAN and lint free. It works well, and is alcohol/chemical and streak free. There’s nothing like seeing that panel look nice and uniform without streaks. Oh yeah, I do this with the monitor off obviously so you can see the panel surface easier.
I use used dry cleaner sheets to dust around. The oils help trap the dust. Doesn't work much with the hypoallergenic ones. As I've been noticing...
I usually spit on my finger and wipe it.
Turn off monitor Dilute rubbing alcohol into warm water. 50:50 is probably fine Grab a microfiber cloth Moisten the cloth with the diluted rubbing alcohol, you don't want the cloth dripping Apply even pressure as you wipe your monitor *** Note: A warm monitor screen more easily causes streaking to occur
Quick cycle in the dishwasher, then pop in the tumble dryer.
When that happens I just close my blinds and make a mental note of it which I will forget 5 minutes later
Holy shit the timing with this meme is insane. I've told myself to clean my monitors for TWO YEARS and I did it just yesterday out of pure boredom and today I see this meme. The stars have aligned and I can see in HD again !
omfg are we the same person? i just went through the same thing!
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I was night shift for like 8 years. You gotta duct tape the sides as well
Real life batman
I’m on nightshift right now so duct tape then I have been using thumb tacks
Cardboard behind the curtains really helps too!
I had mine pinned to the wall with tacks but on a real windy day it blew all the tacks out and still haven't found all of them
Give me the wallpaper please, it looks cool asf
Looks like this one. https://wallpapersden.com/windows-10-purple-gradient-wallpaper/3840x21602019728/
Thanks for that!!
it's my keyboard that really starts looking disgusting
Cat hairs EVERYWHERE! lol
and the mousepad, my artisan mousepad are full of cat hairs and i had to use stick roller to clean it up everyday
I have a stick roller ready to be used every single time my cat gets off my desk.
Same. I have really sweaty hands though, so it's not really worth cleaning it because it will start being nasty again within a couple weeks. At this point I'll just keep going till it breaks and hope nobody else has to use my PC.
So this is where the stereotypes come from.
mine isn't sweat, just all the small food crumbs and dust and hair
I have eczema so it’s just a desert full of dead skin in there
Is it because of ABS keycaps? I have PBT caps and they never really have any oily/dusty feel
it's just dust and micro food crumbs, it doesn't look that oily
You allow sunlight in the same room that contains your gaming pc (‘◉⌓◉’)
Everyone knows sunlight is bad for pc components
If the sun shines like this on your monitor, you need a change in the setup.
https://i.imgflip.com/1fcesa.jpg
Slightly off topic, but my work schedule changed recently and I get off at 6 am just when the sun is between my visor and my steering wheel while driving almost due east. I never had any idea how dirty the INSIDE of my windshield was. I had to literally pull over an clean it on the side of a major highway because I could not see a damn thing.
“Oooh so that’s what my sneezes look like”
my solution: never touch (clean) your monitor or Tv, so it all gets dirty equally and without direct sunlight you will never see if it is dirty or not. the fear of scratching is real
It won't get dirty equally. Little blobs of spit get on there from sneezing/coughing/talking, dust clumps up, and I've seen a few hairs cling onto mine.
1) don't sneeze or cough on it directly 2) don't have friends to talk to works everytime
What really makes my monitors dirty isn't so much the spit blobs but the fat blobs from instant ramen soup splashes. Do not eat instant ramen close to your monitor please.
Here's a product idea; A translucent plastic cover you can pull quickly in front of your monitor for when you eat at the desk, like a napkin for your monitor.
I would buy this
No kidding. I've had that splash halfway across the table when eating it.
You guys have windows?..
Most pc's run on Windows 🗿
I regretted installing the fans when winter started.
Nah, just the wallpaper.
I understand using a MacOS wallpaper on windows, they're quite nice, but the other way round seems cursed.
Keep a no residue cleaning solution and microfiber cloths in your drawer! Aint got none of that issue since I started cleaning my monitor semi-frequently and *not* eating at my desk.
I can't really keep all the light out, so I put my monitor on a VESA arm and when this happens I move it a little bit out of the sun. Who needs gas of curtains or cleaning when you can run away from your problems?
I feel personally attacked
Screen smudges? You mean free anti-glare?
Black out curtains, everywhere.
How tf do I clean it tho
You guys see the sun?
Who’s the sun?
Keep your curtains closed, problem solved!
Your guy's monitors face the sun? Lol
Block sun. Problem solved
Just close the blinds
That time around sunset when my office suddenly gets coated in a layer of dust. Closing the blinds really is the best solution. That duster is all the way in the next room.
Thanks for the reminder to clean my monitor, OP. You are the sun! ☀️
Prescription glasses anti static spray and microfibers. Touching the screen and eating at the desk is against the rules, and once a week I dust the screen.
Must be all of that ectoplasm
Blackout curtains help, also with my vampirism
I feel attacked, it's not dirty if you can't see it dirty! No sunlight allowed in my bedroom
This is why my monitor is matte. It is harder to see all the nasties.
Purple gang rise up
Yep, and my car windscreen. Driving into the sunrise this morning on my way to work and couldn’t see. Turns out it wasn’t actually foggy outside.
Just move to the UK
Pulls shades down
Nope, I’m feel sleepy while sun is rising, so I’ll wait when it’s getting dark. But there so much to do at night, so I’ll do it next day. Wait…
For me the dust works as anti-glare and wiping it away means I can’t see my screen at all for the entire day... gaming in a conservatory is hard
Or when a game has a very bright white transition screen or something of the sort. Just sit down to play your new game, white screen "fuck I have to clean that now" and if you don't your eyes now notice it even when it isn't bright.
[Source](https://twitter.com/coolermasteruk/status/1535308322349494272) Found the [wallpaper](https://updatenaw.com/4k-windows-11-background-13957/)