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How to Clean a Laptop Screen With Household Products

Do you miss that shiny new laptop look? Here's how to brew your own laptop screen cleaning kit with household ingredients.

1. Dilute isopropyl alcohol into a mix with no more than 50% alcohol as well as the rest distilled water.
2. Apply the mix to a cotton cloth, like an old T-shirt, lint-free microfiber cloth, or other very soft cloth. A large cloth is best, since it will help reduce the risk that finger pressure leaves streaks in the screen.
3. Wipe the cloth against the screen, in a counter-clockwise or other consistent motion. Take care not to press your fingers into the cloth ( as well as screen) but apply an even pressure to the cloth.

• Expensive store-bought products such as Kensington Screen Guardian contain the same mixture of alcohol as well as water. 3M's Antistatic Cleaning Solution contains this same mix plus Ethylene Glycol.
• If you apply too much (drippy/overly damp), wipe it off with a soft cloth as well as apply less.
• Tissues will likely leave flakes of paper on your monitor. It's better to not even try it.
• You don't want mineral spots on your screen, so don't use tap water.
• Using a 100% cotton cloth or shirt alone, without the alcohol mix, can sometimes produce the same smudge-free results without going to the trouble of mixing your own solution.
• If you're a photographer, you can use your lint-free lens wipes instead of a soft cotton cloth.

• Do not drink Isopropyl Alcohol. It is NOT grain alcohol. It is toxic.
• Do not use cheap paper towels. You will scratch the LCD screen.
• Avoid using products like Windex which contain ammonia that can degrade the LCD panel.
• Shut down your laptop, unplug it from the power adapter, as well as remove the battery before cleaning it.

• Isopropyl Alcohol
• Distilled water
• A soft cotton cloth

Submitted by: admin
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Added: Thu Feb 02 2006

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