How to Clean a Laptop Screen
Remove dust and fingerprints from your laptop's display—without doing any damage
I can never seem to keep my laptop screen clean.
It’s not for lack of trying, either.
I generally don’t eat near it. Nor drink near it. It’s not in the kitchen while I’m cooking. I keep my hands reasonably clean—at least I think so.
And yet, the screen of my MacBook Air is frequently covered in distracting fingerprints and other gunk.
CR shows you how to clean your TVs and sanitize your remote controls.
Gathering the Required Supplies
The supplies you’ll need to clean your laptop screen can easily be purchased at a local drugstore, grocery store, or via a quick trip to Amazon.
These are, according to Pietruch and Asedillo:
• Alcohol wipes (either 70 percent or 75 percent alcohol for best results)
• Microfiber cloths (at least two)
Asedillo says that if you don’t have (or don’t want to buy) alcohol wipes, you can instead use a dilute mixture of white vinegar and distilled water as long as you don’t apply the mixture directly to the screen, in part to avoid damaging any antireflective coating the screen may have.
Read about the 9 things you should never clean with vinegar.
How to Clean Your Laptop Screen
Before you attempt to clean your computer, make sure to unplug it and power it down. You should also take a moment to refer to the owner’s manual for do’s and don’ts about cleaning solutions and techniques that might be specific to your device.
If you’re using alcohol wipes, you’ll want to wipe the screen in small circular patterns, starting from the center and moving outward. Imagine the motion you’d make attempting to buff out a small scratch on a car or glasses and you’ve got the idea.
Pietruch then recommends using a microfiber cloth to dry your laptop screen as well as remove any residual grime. You’ll want to use the same circular motion here, too.
If you’re using the white vinegar and distilled water mixture, you’ll want to dampen a microfiber cloth with the mixture and then ring it out so that it’s not dripping wet. “You don’t want too much liquid,” says Asedillo. “It should not be enough to have droplets forming on the screen.”
Then do the same circular motion starting from the center of the screen. As before, a second microfiber cloth can then be used to dry the screen and remove any leftover grime.
Pietruch says he generally uses the same technique to clean other parts of the laptop, including the keyboard and body. A can of compressed air, available at stores like Best Buy and the electronics section of stores like Walmart and Target (as well as online from Amazon) can also help clear out any debris from the keyboard.
What to Avoid When Cleaning a Laptop Screen
Beyond attempting to be mindful about eating near your computer, there are a handful of things you should avoid doing to help your computer look its best.
You may be tempted to grab the nearest bottle of Windex (or its generic equivalent), but laptop manufacturers advise against doing so because it may damage the screen. Your laptop screen is not a window!
Second, try not to use tap water if at all possible. There’s a reason why our testers recommend distilled water, and it’s because water from the tap may contain impurities that can damage the screen.
Third, make sure not to use an abrasive surface like paper towels, bath tissue, or an old rag to clean the screen. The last thing you want to do is accidentally scratch your screen by using the wrong material. (I actually scratched my glasses about two years ago using a paper towel. Lesson learned!)
Lastly, make sure not to place too much pressure on the screen as you clean it, because doing so can cause damage. You’re merely trying to wipe the surface, so don’t get carried away.
Check out the best paper-towel alternatives.
