Cleaning your computer to remove dust, dirt and debris is a part of regular maintenance that will greatly lengthen the life of your computer, especially if you keep the back cleaned of buildup where the fan blows to keep the inner workings cool. A keyboard that gets cleaned regularly so that keys aren’t tamping on dirt, dust and small debris particles lasts longer. A mouse that doesn’t get cleaned regularly tends to skip and become frustrating to use. And a monitor that’s dirty can become annoying every time you use the computer, not to mention how some monitors will tend to die before their time if they’re not cleaned properly.
How you clean your computer monitor depends on what type of monitor it is. CRT monitors require a different method of cleaning than LCD monitors. Regardless of which kind of monitor you have, though, regularly dusting the case is important to keep dust and debris away from the tiny holes that vent the device. Don’t use any kind of liquid for cleaning near those holes, but you can use a slightly dampened cloth to wipe off the solid casing occasionally.
If you have a CRT monitor with a glass screen, turn off the screen–you’ll better be able to see any dirt and smears while the screen is off. Don’t spray anything directly on the screen. Instead, use any kind of glass cleaner sprayed on a cloth, then wipe the screen clean.
If you have an LCD monitor (like a flat panel monitor or on a laptop computer) the screen is not made of glass and can be scratched and damaged much more easily than the screen on a CRT computer monitor. It’s best to keep your fingers off these screens to avoid fingerprinting, and the damage that can result. Turn the monitor or laptop off, and use a soft, dry cloth to wipe away any dirt or smudges. You can even use a slightly dampened paper towel.
If a dry cloth isn’t doing the trick, then barely dampen a cloth with either alcohol or vinegar and try rubbing it again, very gently. It’s best to swipe the screen in one direction, like top to bottom. Never use window or glass cleaner on an LCD screen. Those types of cleaners often contain ammonia or other substances that will make the soft surface of your LCD screen dry out, yellow and possibly crack. Also, never use paper towels to clean an LCD computer monitor screen. Paper towels are a wood product, and the coarseness can actually scratch the screen.
The best solution is to have a very soft cloth that you only use to clean the LCD computer monitor screen. IF you use the cloth for other things, it can pick up dirt or debris that can scratch your LCD screen when you go to clean it. You can purchase special LCD cleaning cloths. If you keep that cloth for just the screen and keep it clean, you shouldn’t have to worry about damaging your computer monitor.
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