In the era of CRTs, cleaning a computer display was somewhat easier than it is today. While CRT coatings also required special cleaning agents, glass was tougher, easier to clean and more durable than the plastic coatings of TFTs.
Things are not the same anymore. TFT computer screens have coatings that are reactive to many cleaning agents — including most used for crystal and glass. They are considerably more sensitive to pressure and chemical agents than glass. Typical problems are the colouring of the screen (yellow tint) that occurs after ammonia comes into contact with the coating, other damage, due to methanol, acetone, etc. and scratches due to abrasive cleaning materials.
So how should you clean a TFT screen?
- First of all, try not to touch the screen, in the first place. Fingerprints are usually the most common ‘hard-to-remove’ stain.
- Use a lint-free, 100% cotton cloth. You can use microfibre cloths in some cases, but check with the manufacturer. Whatever type of cloth you decide to use, make sure it is lint-free as this will make cleaning much easier, and as soft as possible. This is important.
- Use distilled water (if possible slightly warm, at 35°C). Water should suffice for regular, routine cleaning of the screen. In some cases water won’t do the job. Don’t despair and don’t use excessive pressure.
- Use a 30-35% isopropyl alcohol solution. Pay attention to the purity of the isopropyl alcohol you buy from your pharmacy/chemist. I usually get the 99% variety, but that might be difficult to get in some areas. Anything more than 90% should do. I would recommend against getting the 70% variety. Mix 30-35% isopropyl alcohol by volume (i.e. for 1 litre solution, 300-350ml isopropyl alcohol, 650-700ml water). I use distilled, deionised water for medical use/injections to create the solution. Do not, under any circumstances, use more than 35% isopropyl alcohol.
- Moisten a lint-free cloth and clean the display firmly, but gently until fingerprints/stains are removed. Do not apply too much pressure. After cleaning, wipe with another damp and clean cloth.
That’s it. Isopropyl alcohol will remove fingerprints or other stains on your displays without damaging them. Making your own solution is about 10 times cheaper than buying some of the products on the market that are essentially the same thing. Do not make a habit of using isopropyl alcohol solutions on your screen regularly. Use it only when water alone is not enough.
Disclaimer
Several screen manufacturers recommend isopropyl alcohol (or products consisting of isopropyl alcohol solutions), but not all. In fact, there is a tendency for manufacturers to recommend the use of only water even though, in some cases, Isopropyl Alcohol-based solutions do not harm the coating of the screen. Note that some coatings may require other cleaning agents. If you are uncertain, check with your manufacturer, before using any chemicals on your screen. You assume all responsibility for your actions resulting from information posted above; don’t blame me if you screw your display, get killed, hurt etc.
I’ve used this method for years on several TFT screens by manufacturers including: Apple, Hitachi, Samsung and Sony without any problems. If you have used this method successfully on your screen for more than 6 months, drop me a comment below.