by Tina Gasperson
The old-fashioned cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitors were easy to take care of. A damp cloth or even a squirt or two of window cleaner and you were back in business. If there was something really stubborn on the screen, you could take the scratchy side of a sponge and scrub it off. Now, you probably have an LCD monitor. If you’ve ever touched the screen, you know it’s a bit like a layer of jelly under a flexible plastic cover. Not something that lends itself well to window cleaner and fingernails. It still gets dirty, though, so what’s the best way to clean your monitor without damaging it?
The answer is simple: very carefully. Get yourself a clean, soft microfiber cloth and gently wipe the screen. Most of the dirt will come off this way, but you may still have a few stubborn spots. Go ahead and dampen the cloth slightly with plain water or a very weak solution of distilled vinegar and water. Wring the cloth tightly, and gently wipe the screen again. This should take care of any remaining spots. Gently dry the screen with another microfiber cloth.
Don’t forget about the back and bottom of your LCD monitor. Be sure to keep these parts dusted well. Since they are made from molded plastic, it’s easy to clean them – but don’t spray the monitor itself with cleaner, since the chemicals can damage the LCD part, and the moisture can get inside the monitor from the back. If you feel the need to use a commercially prepared cleaner, spray it directly onto a cloth first and then wipe with the cloth. I recommend you use plain water or the vinegar solution mentioned earlier.
A couple more tips: don’t touch the screen with your fingers. When you press on the LCD monitor, it can damage it very easily. Hands off! Also, don’t stick things on your monitor as you may have been accustomed to doing with your old CRT screen. No post-it notes, glitter stickers, or photos, please. It’s a delicate piece of equipment!
If you take good care of your LCD monitor, it will last a long time and you’ll save money.
Tina Gasperson (tinahdee@gmail.com), affectionately known as Computer Lady by her family, has been writing about IT, home computing, and the Internet for more than a decade.