How To Clean A Touch Screen Laptop

Touch Screen laptops are all the rage right now, but it is also important to know how to clean a touch screen laptop in order to keep your machine in optimal condition.

Generally, screens are not something that you want to take risks with, especially an LCD screen, whether it be a TV or computer screen. Therefore, it is wise to be cautious with the process of cleaning your touch screen laptop.

Fortunately, we have curated a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to properly clean your laptop’s screen without causing any permanent damage to it.

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How To Clean Touch Screen Laptop?

The best way to clean your touch screen laptop is to use a soft lint free cloth with a cleaning solution consisting of 80% alcohol and 20% water. Depending on the technology of your laptop screen (LCD vs. OLED) you may have to use different cleaning solutions. The main point to consider while cleaning a touch screen laptop is to completely shut it down before attempting any cleaning procedure, especially when using a liquid cleaning solution.

Steps to Clean a Touch Screen Laptop

While it may be a straightforward process on paper, there can be many complications that can arise while cleaning your laptop screen depending on the cleaning technique you are using. Therefore, it is beneficial to follow the steps mentioned below.

1. Wash your hands

Oils and residues are ever-present on the human hand, therefore it is ideal to wash your hands thoroughly before starting the cleaning process. It goes without saying that you should properly dry your hands as well, in order to avoid any contact of the display with unwanted moisture.

2. Turn off your laptop

Never forget this step. You should never clean your laptop screen when the laptop is powered on, as the screen can have a negative reaction to the cleaning solution. The same applies to other screens such as computer monitors as well.

3. Gently Wipe with Microfiber cloth

A microfiber cloth is a commonly available accessory that should be used for cleaning sensitive surfaces such as a laptop touch screen. Once the screen is completely powered off, use the microfiber cloth to gently remove dust from the screen.

Be sure to be gentle with the cloth and don’t press the cloth into the screen with too much force. Use a linear motion from side to side in order to cover the maximum screen area efficiently.

4. Use a Cleaning Solution

This is where it gets tricky. There are several cleaning solutions that can be used to clean laptop screens, but many of them can have negative effects on different types of computer screens. For example, LCD screens generally do not play well with rubbing alcohol at all.

The safest solutions to use are the cleaning solutions that are recommended by manufacturers for their laptops specifically. Most of the time, these are simple solutions of 80% alcohol and 20% water. Eyeglass cleaner is a regularly recommended solution as well.

As a rule of thumb, avoid using harsh chemicals such as Windex, disinfectant wipes, diluted bleach ammonia solutions, or kitchen utensil cleaners.

The best method of using a cleaning solution is to lightly dab it onto your cleaning cloth and then use the cloth to wipe the screen. It is important to AVOID spraying or touching the cleaning solution directly onto the screen.

You should also make sure that the cleaning solution does not get into the speakers, under the keys, or behind the screen. These are sensitive components that do not play well with these chemicals.

5. Dry the Screen

Before turning on the screen again, make sure that it is completely dry. Use a dry microfiber cloth microfiber cloth for this purpose.

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Advantages of Microfiber Cloths

When cleaning your laptop screen, a microfiber cloth is your best friend. Other cleaning materials such as paper towels, household rags, or cloth pieces can leave minor scratches on the surface of your laptop’s touch screen.

Microfiber cloths, on the other hand, are specifically made for sensitive surfaces such as screens, and eyeglasses. The tiny fibers (hence the name) on the surface of the cloth are extremely efficient in cleaning dust and small debris that is not caught by rough cloths.

Moreover, microfiber cleaning cloths also attract oils in addition to dust. Touchscreens are very prone to accumulating oils and nasty fingerprints, which can be efficiently cleaned by microfiber cloths.

These are extremely common and affordable, and you might even have a few lying around if you happen to wear eyeglasses.

Alternative Methods of Cleaning a Touch Screen

Well, let’s assume that you do not have any suitable cleaning solution lying around the house to clean your laptop. There are some other methods of cleaning a touch screen laptop as well.

A sponge can be a great way to clean your laptop’s screen, but with a few precautions. First of all, you have to make sure that the sponge is brand-new and has not been used before.

Since sponges are very good at catching (and keeping) dirt and grime, you do not want any previous residue to be transferred to your laptop’s touch screen. You may have to dampen the sponge very lightly for this to work.

If you do not have a microfiber cloth either, then a soft brush will do the job nicely. A duster brush is the preferred tool of choice here, but you can also use UNUSED paint or makeup brushes. Just make sure that there is no previous residue on the brushes, and be gentle with your approach.

Remember, if you ever think your cleaning method is a bit outrageous, then it probably is. It is best to be cautious with this procedure and wait for a few days for Amazon shipping.

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Precautions for Cleaning a Touch Screen Laptop

While cleaning your laptop’s touch screen, there are several precautions that you have to keep in mind. Following are some of the key ones:

• DO NOT spray or pour a liquid cleaner directly onto the screen surface.
• Use a small amount of liquid cleaner sprayed onto the cloth. Make sure to wring the cloth in case of excess cleaner.
• Avoid concentrated Isopropyl Alcohol, Non-diluted bleach, and Ammonia solutions.
• Avoid solvents that are labeled as corrosive or abrasive to glass or plastic.
• Avoid using abrasive materials for wiping the screen surface.
• DO NOT use a lot of water. You do not want any excess water to drip into crevices or bezels of the screen.
• DO NOT apply excess pressure while cleaning the screen with the cloth.

Recommended Laptop Screen Cleaners

As mentioned before, there are some laptop cleaners out there that work well with every laptop screen regardless of its type and manufacturer. These are generally milder in their approach and can be easily accessible as well.

One of the best laptop screen cleaners is a can of compressed gas, which can be obtained at any local computer stores. You can simply use a can of compressed gas to blow off any dust or major debris that may be present on your screen. However, this will not clean any smudges, fingerprints, or major debris.

Laptop manufacturers (as well as some third parties) produce some laptop screen cleaning kits that come with a microfiber cloth and a spray that is deemed safe for this purpose.

Some renowned screen cleaning kits include the Bryson Screen and Laptop Cleaner, the GreatShield cleaner, and the i-ScreenClean Ball 3-Pack tool. These may be a bit harder to obtain, but online retailers are your best bet.

FAQs:

How often should I clean my touch screen laptop?

You should clean your touchscreen laptop as regularly as possible. It is ideal to perform a thorough frequent cleaning of touch screens at least once every week. If you have especially oily fingers or a lot of residue buildup on the screen, a daily clean is not off the charts.

Which chemicals should be avoided while cleaning a touch screen laptop?

The chemical cleaners that should be avoided while cleaning a touch screen laptop include Windex, disinfectant wipes, diluted bleach, ammonia solutions, or concentrated alcohol cleaners. You should also avoid using excess water while cleaning your screens with a cloth.

Can I use a household window cleaner to clean a touch screen laptop?

You should not use a household window cleaner to clean a touch screen laptop. These cleaners have harsh chemicals that are designed to be used on glass, and they do not play well with sensitive surfaces such as touch screens. The window cleaner can damage the upper layer of the screen and cause it to malfunction.

What is the advantage of cleaning a laptop screen?

There are several advantages of cleaning a laptop screen that primarily include maintenance and hygienic factors. In addition to keeping your laptop screen functioning properly, cleaning your laptop screen regularly also decreases the germ transfer that happens by using your laptop. Overbuilt residue and oils on a touch screen can also decrease its sensitivity to touch input.