Do you buy a solution? Make your own? Do you spray the wiping cloth or the LCD itself? Use no solution? What type of material do you use? Cloth? Synthetic? Few questions I thought I'd ask you guys since you're all pretty creative. I have this close to 3 y/o gateway laptop with a glossy "Widescreen - More DVD, More Web, more everything" (yea right) that has NOT been wiped cleaned since I got it. Google and Bing offer so many mixed opinions I wanted to see the general consensus on here. I really hate this laptop since it overheats 100% of the time after 40 minutes of use on a flat surface (unless you prop up the back of it) but even though I completely have lost respect for it, I still have feelings for it. It did get me through the last few years of school after all... so I'm looking to at least clean the screen since 3 years of fingerprints, odd stains and streaks fill the screen. It isnt noticeable in a darkly lit environment, but once you go to a well lit room all you see is a mixed pattern of crap on it.
I've tried using the expensive blue screen-cleaner stuff with microfiber cloths and it works the first time but not after that. Stuff works awesome on matte screens but not glossy (I have 2 24" Apple LED displays). I finally went back to Windex and a paper towel. To me that works the best as long as the screen has cooled down (my screen surfaces get pretty warm). First you wipe wet and clean, then use a dry paper tolel to buff it out. My screen is fine. I know what everyone says about windex (its bad and its not good for plastic) but IMO, it doesn't hold water. Maybe the plastic is better now-days...
Lol, that sounds like my laptop (except I haven't had it as long). I would use either this tv screen cleaner stuff that came in a kit when I bought an hdmi cable. I would also use a microfiber cloth, I love those. If I didn't use that solution I had, I'd probably just use windex. It's supposed to be streak free after all lol. (I don't like towels or paper towels because they like to leave lint and crap behind) For quick cleans I just use a microfiber cloth when my keys look a lil gross
Thanks for the tips guys. For some unknown reason windex never even popped into my head when thinking of this little problem. That was like 12 month project to find a solution to this... Gracias dudes
I have had issues with screens getting scratched in the past so when I got my MBP I got one of these: http://www.radtech.us/Products/NotebookScreensavRz.aspx I haven't seen allot of microfibers cloths of this style/fabric(?), but it is amazing for screen cleaning. I slightly dampen part of it to remove any oils or such and then use a dry part to buff the streaks (only takes a couple seconds) and its shining like new. Its also really handy because since I always have it with me (as its always with my laptop) I have something on hand besides my tshirt to clean my glasses.
Window cleaners are generally fine as long as they don't contain ammonia, most are alcohol based and are fine.
microfiber wipe down regularly. if you let the dust and dirt sit it'll cake up and require a liquid to wash off. if its real bad, rubbing alcohol + microfiber
Warm water + microfiber or t-shit material. On rare occasion I'll dilute window cleaner, but generally warm water on a lightly damp microfiber cloth gets the job done.
quick update: To all whom have doubted Windex's power and its dustruction of your glossy LCD, think differently. I took a good non worn out shirt rag and folded it up so it could pad itself, applied some windex on the rag, and after it was pretty damp, ran a few sprinkles of drinking water w/ my finger and wiped. EVERYTHING CAME OFF! W00t. And now the screen is so clean and glossy like it was in day 1. Windex works! Along w/ shirt like material (didnt need to invest on a microcloth) Conclusion: Windex is 100% safe (try it slightly diluted) on glossy LCDs when combined w/ soft 'cotton shirt-like material'
speaking of microfiber towels, how long can i keep washing/reusing them? they must eventually lose its microfiber properties