The screen of our computer is a fundamental part and precisely one of those that we should take care of the most. And it is that otherwise we may have a bad user experience. However, keeping the screen clean may not be as easy as you might have imagined.
There are many types of computer screens and when cleaning it is important that we take into account every detail. We show you how and with what you should clean your computer screen to keep it pristine. Do not miss our recommendations because they will help you with the maintenance of your device.
Identify what type of screen we have
The first thing we must do, inevitably, is to see what type of screen we have to identify how we should clean it, and that is that not all screens can be cleaned in the same way, and if we do not take into account what has been built this could have a very bad experience with cleaning.
That is why we are going to identify some basic types of screens so that you can know how to carry out this maintenance and cleaning with the least possible risks. However, if you have any doubts about what type of screen you have, the ideal is that you always take precautions without further ado.
Most common screen types:
- Classic glass screens: Plasma displays and classic "tube" displays are larger. They have a large section at the back that indicates that they are indeed of this type. These displays generally have a front made of glass.
- LCD or TFT screens: these screens are the most common. Classic screens quite thin, with few frames and that are "matte" color when they are turned off. These are the most common in today's monitors and laptops.
- OLED screens: These next-generation screens are the least common. It is difficult to differentiate them at first glance from an LCD panel when they are off, so from a cleaning point of view we are going to pretend that both screens require the same care and thus we will not take unnecessary risks.
Special treatments on screens
We must be extremely careful and identify if our screen has any special treatment. These treatments contribute among other things to not having indirect reflections of the lights, to offer a «matte finish» to maintain our privacy and see better outdoors.
This is going to be harder to guess. For example, all laptops in the MacBook range and some Apple iMac They have this special coating that makes simple cleaning of the screen much more complex. That is why the ideal is that you go to the manufacturer's information website to make sure of this important detail. Cleaning your computer screen can end in tragedy if you don't take the necessary precautions.
I recommend that before we continue with the tutorial and proceed with cleaning your computer screen, take this much-needed information.
Materials to clean your computer screen
Microfiber cloth
These cloths are an essential element if we want to do a good cleaning of our monitor or screen. In addition, they will be used for all types of screens, not only that of the computer, but also that of television and mobile phones, so they are a very good option. You can find it at a good price on websites like Amazon, so don't hesitate.
When using these cloths it is very important that we take into account the following tips:
- Identify the microfiber cloth and use it solely and exclusively to clean the screens. If you give it other uses, it is possible that "crumbs" or dirt remains that can end up scratching your screen or monitor.
- Wash or replace it regularly, once it collects too much dust, it loses its effectiveness and it is impossible to leave your computer screen completely clean.
Screen cleaning fluids
Personally, we must be very careful with this type of product, as acquiring the wrong one can have fatal consequences on our screens. In theory they are compatible with all types of screens, but we must forget their use if our computer monitor has any type of oleophobic, anti-glare or matte coating, as we can cause an unwanted chemical reaction. Blum Manufaktur Screen Cleaner 250 ml - screen cleaner - PC cleaner - incl. cloth...
Clean glass screens
Glass screens they are the most graceful when it comes to being cleaned. We will simply be able to use any liquid cleaning product and a microfiber cloth to leave it totally impeccable.
They are hardly objectionable and are very easy to maintain. They are the ones that receive the least "stripes", but this type of screens or monitors are practically in disuse, and it is difficult to find them. Feel free to clean it with any glass cleaner quickly and easily. You will be able to finish in a jiffy if you have one of these.
Clean LCD or TFT screen
In the first place, once we have identified that our screen is of this type, and despite the recommendations, it is preferable that we always carry out dry cleaning, without using chemical cleaning products. At most, use a little distilled water, making sure that it does not have impurities, in very small quantities.
Ideally, we should place ourselves in a position where with the reflections we can see the dirt on the screen to directly attack the dust or stains. Of course, we must bear in mind that we will pass the cloth superficially, this type of screens cannot suffer pressure as they will break.
As we have said before, if we have a harder stain we can slightly moisten the cloth or cause "mist" by exhaling. What's more, If this screen has any of the coatings we have talked about previously, we are going to rule out using chemicals.
Finally, it is advisable to always clean in one direction, from top to bottom or from left to right, but never in circles. In this way we are going to drag all the dust and dirt to one end and we are going to minimize the risk of causing scratches on the screen.
Clean OLED screens
If we are going to clean a screen or monitor with OLED technology or similar, we are going to take exactly the same precautions as if we were cleaning an LCD or TFT screen, since from this point of view, and although the technology is different, they require the same care.
When it comes to cleaning the screen frames, we will be able to use a little more aggressive chemicals in order to eliminate the typical traces of interacting with the buttons or to open and close our laptop. In principle there will be no problem.
How to keep your computer screen clean
There is a saying that goes: the cleanest is not the cleanest, but the least dirty, and these sayings are usually totally true. The best thing so that our screen does not suffer is precisely to avoid dirtying it as much as possible, since cleaning it is exposing it to unnecessary wear and tear. We leave you some tips so that you can carry out these tasks:
Never touch the screen
Unless your computer has a touch panel, as is the case with some laptops, touching the screen is strictly prohibited. ANDn firstly because computer screens are not prepared to be touched, and secondly because it is not necessary. Touching the screen is not going to have effects of any kind, since the peripherals to interact with the computer are different and pointing to some content on the screen can be done exactly the same without physically touching it.
Avoid fluids and unnecessary interactions
Liquids often leave marks on screens. The most common example is sneezing, talking too closely, or smearing the food display. This is something that we must fervently inhabit, especially since the drops from sneezing usually produce spots that are difficult to remove from the screen and this can cause it to malfunction.
Put the screen in a safe place
Many times we do not take into account the importance of the location of the screen, especially if we are talking about a computer monitor. For this reason, it is especially important that before placing the screen we take into account how many external agents may end up affecting this screen. and therefore causing those unwanted effects that we have been talking about previously.
Don't you use it? Cover it
As we have mentioned before, it is external agents that cause dirt. If we plan not to use the monitor for a long period of time, the ideal is to cover it with a cloth or cover for this purpose. In this way we are going to avoid moisture damage and especially it will be much more protected from dust, in this way the screen will require less cleaning, because cleaning a device that is not being used constantly because it is a simple housing for dust. it is a misuse of the device. Y Do not forget that the back and the connections are also part of the monitor or the computer screen, so it does not hurt to give it a cleaning from time to time.