What is the best way to clean my dusty monitor screen?
First, do not spray any liquid on the screen or monitor case. Turn off and unplug the monitor. Gently dust the screen with a clean lint-free cloth to remove dust particles that may scratch the screen if rubbed. Use as little pressure as possible, especially on an LCD screen. Avoid touching the screen with fingers or a pen, since both leave marks on the surface, and enough pressure on an LCD screen may damage the crystals.
Acceptable cleansers (CRT monitors)
- Water
- Water with a small amount of mild dish detergent (10 parts water to 1 part detergent)
Acceptable cleansers (LCD/flat-panel monitors)
- Water
- Vinegar, mixed with water (no more than 10% vinegar)
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Petroleum Benzene
Do not use the following cleansers!
Using these cleansers may damage the screen or the non-reflective coating on the screen:
- Acetone
- Ethyl achohol
- Ethyl acid
- Ammonia
- Methyl Chloride
If the outside of the monitor case is dusty, turn the monitor off for a time and then dust or vacuum. Dust acts as an insulator, trapping heat inside the unit, and heat is an enemy of all electronic devices.
If your CRT (picture tube) screen is still blurry or hard to read after a good cleaning, it may be time to replace it. A new monitor should have a sharp, well-defined image that does not cause eyestrain over time. As a bonus, LCD monitors consume less power, while larger size monitors allow more information to appear onscreen.
October 2006
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