[Sode no Shirayuki]

How should I clean a matte display screen? I have an HP x20LED monitor that has a lot of dust accumulated and a fair amount of smudges. How should I clean the dust off and buff out the smudges? The instruction booklet says to wipe the chassis with a clean cloth dampened with water and to clean the screen with an antistatic screen cleaner that doesn't contain benzene, thinner, ammonia, or any other volatile substances. 

 

But the instructions are quite lacking because it doesn't specify which kind of cloth to use and how to clean the screen other than to use an antistatic screen cleaner. I tried the nice'n clean electronic cleaning wipes once before, but I think they're the source of some of the smudges. So, I don't want to use them again, and I'm not sure which other cleaners are safe to use. 

 

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Glass cleaner and a paper towel are probably the worst thing you can use. The glass cleaner can remove anti-glare coatings, and the paper towel can scratch.

 

Recommended:

• Use a microfiber cloth with a light touch to clean dust off
• For more difficult smudges, mix 10% white vinegar and 90% water, or 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water. Distilled water is best to use. Use each sparingly.
• If you want a commercial product, iKlear gets good reviews

[admin]

Glass cleaner and a paper towel are probably the worst thing you can use. The glass cleaner can remove anti-glare coatings, and the paper towel can scratch.

 

Recommended:

• Use a microfiber cloth with a light touch to clean dust off
• For more difficult smudges, mix 10% white vinegar and 90% water, or 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water. Distilled water is best to use. Use each sparingly.
• If you want a commercial product, iKlear gets good reviews

[Sode no Shirayuki]

Thanks. I think I'll try iKlear. Staples has it listed for sale on their website. I'll have to check to see if my local store has it available. If not, they can probably order it. I do have a question. Does it matter which brand of microfiber cloth I use or will any brand do? I imagine different cloths are made with more or less softness, and some brands claim their cloths are antistatic, won't cause sratches, and are chemical-free while others mention no such information. Would something like this or this or this work? Also, besides iKlear, would this be another good commericial product to use on matte displays?

Edited by Sode no Shirayuki, 08 April 2014 - 07:00 PM.

[admin]

I've found microfiber cloths pretty much all the same. I actually buy them in bulk at Sam's Club because they are so nice for cleaning around the house and vehicles. When you wash them, just be sure not to use any fabric softener.

[Sode no Shirayuki]

Alright, no fabric softener. Is it okay to throw them in the washer with detergent and afterwards the dryer without the dryer sheets, or is it better to hand-wash and air-dry them?

[admin]

Dryer softener / dryer sheets makes them less absorbent and can leave behind a residue that'll transfer to whatever you're trying to clean.

[Sode no Shirayuki]

But I can throw them in the washer with detergent and the dryer afterwards, right? I just shouldn't use any fabric softeners.

 

I had Staples order the iKlear kit you linked to. When it arrives, I'll use it and post whether it helps.

[Sode no Shirayuki]

The iKlear arrived. The instructions say to wipe from left to right, which I did, but I had to use a circular motion to buff out the difficult smudges. It seems to have gotten rid of the smudges but left some behind. It's difficult to tell with the lighting. I'll clean it the monitor again in a few days and report back.

 

There is something I wonder about that. iKlear makes it clear that the product contains no alcohol. I assume this is because alcohol can damage the screen. But, in an earlier post, you suggested that I could use a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water for the more difficult smudges. Is isopropyl alcohol somehow different? 

Edited by Sode no Shirayuki, 16 April 2014 - 06:50 PM.