How to Clean Your Monitor or Laptop Screen Safely
Screens have delicate anti-glare and oleophobic coatings. Clean them wrong and you can haze or scratch them for good.
What you need
- A clean microfiber cloth (no paper towels, tissues, or old t-shirts).
- Distilled water, or a screen-safe cleaner. Avoid ammonia, alcohol (on coated panels), and household glass cleaner.
The method
- Power off — a dark screen makes dust and streaks visible (a Black Screen helps for spotting, then turn it off to wipe).
- Dry pass first to lift loose dust.
- Lightly dampen the cloth — never spray liquid directly on the screen; it can seep into edges.
- Wipe gently in one direction or small circles. Don't press — pressure can create pressure marks and dead pixels.
- Let it dry fully before powering on.
Don'ts
- Don't use paper products (they micro-scratch).
- Don't use ammonia/alcohol on matte or coated screens.
- Don't scrub stuck-on spots — re-dampen and let it soften.
After cleaning
Bring up a White Screen to check for streaks and a Black Screen for missed dust.