alcohol damage lcd screen made in china

It can be really frustrating to find several fingerprints on the display of your smartphone. Unfortunately, most smartphones today do not support fingerprint resistance. Thus, there is a continuous need to always wipe our smartphone screens to make them look cleaner. While many people are comfortable with a simple wipe using any clean cloth, some are not. Some users believe that they need some sort of disinfectant to make the smartphone screen clean. During the pandemic, various alcohol-containing disinfectants and cleaners have become common household items. We hold mobile phones in our hands every day and they can easily get contaminated with various pathogens. Since various alcohol-containing cleaners can not only clean oil stains but can also kill germs, wouldn’t it be appropriate to use them to wipe the smartphone screen? Well, don’t be too sure about how appropriate alcohol is for cleaning a smartphone screen.

While you may be tempted to use alcohol-based disinfectant to wipe your smartphone screen, please don’t. This is because if you do it incorrectly, it is likely to damage your phone or other electronic devices. Because using alcohol to wipe the smartphone screen is likely to cause irreversible serious damage to the screen. This is particularly true for LCD screens. So, why does alcohol have a strong erosive effect on LCD screens?

The liquid crystal screen is composed of multi-layer materials and its core is a sandwich structure with a layer of liquid crystal molecules sandwiched between two polarizers. Both the polarizer and the liquid crystal molecules themselves are very soluble in alcohol. Once corroded by alcohol, they will dissolve immediately and the screen will become mottled.

However, modern LCD screens, especially various touch screens, are not so fragile. Because we will also set a glass cover on the top layer of the screen, this cover mainly prevents scratches from damaging the screen. Furthermore, this later can naturally block various moisture and solvents from the outside from directly interacting with the structure below. But even so, wiping the screen with alcohol-based cleaners is a dangerous practice for two main reasons.

First, the surface of the glass cover is actually coated with a special organic film, such as an oleophobic film. This can reduce oil adsorption and ease fingerprints from dirtying the screen. Most of these coatings contain various organic compounds, and their resistance to alcohol is very weak. If they are wiped with alcohol from externally, the coatings are more likely to fall off. This will cause the display to become blurry. Of course, if the screen of the mobile phone is covered with film, then there is no need to worry too much about this problem.

Second, although the top layer of the LCD screen, that is, its surface is not so squeamish, its sides are still very fragile. Most of the LCD screens damaged by alcohol are actually because the alcohol penetrated into the gaps on the side of the screen. This means that as the user wipes with alcohol, the alcohol, finds its way into the sides of the display. It manoeuvres from the glass panel and drills directly into the lower structure. The surface tension of alcohol is weak and the capillary effect is strong. Once it finds its way into the side of the display, it will quickly penetrate into it. As we will all expect, the consequences are naturally very irritating.

If somehow, a small amount of alcohol enters the inside of the screen, you can immediately turn off the device to dry naturally. Alternatively, you can use a hairdryer to dry it carefully and this will not affect subsequent use.

From time to time, there is usually a need to clean the display of our smartphones. We also need to clean the screen of our tablet or computer. When we have such a need, all we have to do is spray some special LCD screen cleaner and wipe it with a soft cloth. This will make the screen clean and appear brand new. The LCD screen cleaner has a very good removal effect on fingerprints and oil films, and many wet wipes also have similar functions.

The active ingredients contained in these cleaning products are mainly surfactants. They have a good cleaning effect on oil stains and will not damage various organic coatings. If there is no similar cleaning agent, the LCD screen can also be cleaned with a damp cloth dipped in a very small amount of pure water. However, be very careful not to let water flow into the gaps around the screen.

To sum up, if it is just for cleaning, it is not safe to use alcohol. If there is a need for disinfection, then you should be cautious. Some mobile phone products will be sterilized with alcohol. It is recommended to read the instructions before disinfection. In addition, when disinfecting a mobile phone with alcohol, it is also recommended to first dip the alcohol on a soft cloth, and then gently wipe it with the soft cloth. Do not spray or pour alcohol directly on the screen, so as to prevent the alcohol from flowing everywhere and increase the risk of eroding the original screen and damaging the mobile phone.

There are multiple types of LCD screen cleaners that users can purchase off the shelf. If you feel that a simple cloth wipe is not enough, then try and purchase any of the LCD screen wipes on the market. As much as you can, try to avoid the use of alcohol or alcohol-based disinfectant to clean your smartphone. The adverse effect of this could be worth much more than the need to clean or disinfect the device.

LCD Displays are interfaces of human and machine. They expose to various environments, especially now that COVID-19 spreading around the world. So it"s impossible to keep a screen clean all the time. When you are going to clean an LCD display，do you have the right steps in mind？Maybe what you"ve been doing is not right！

LCD screens could have different top layers. For example, there are glass, plastic, coating, or protective bezels. Each one of them is different. Therefore, each type of screen should not be cleaned in only one way. In fact, the most appropriate way is written in product manual. Take Topway HMT070ETD-1D, a 7 inch Smart TFT LCD Display with capacitive touch screen, as an example. Cleaning precautions are as follow: Only clean LCD with a soft dry cloth. Isopropyl Alcohol or Ethyl Alcohol. Other solutions(e. g. water) may damage the LCD.

LCD screens are fragile. Before cleaning an LCD display, you should turn it off completely, disconnect it from power supply,  and let it cool down for a few minutes. This will eliminate danger of electrocution and make it easier to see dust on screen.

Don’t press down hard while cleaning, because that action may damage top layers or coating. Spray a little cleaning solution, such as isopropyl alcohol diluted with either pure or distilled water, onto a microfiber cloth and gently wipe the display in either an up and down or side to side motion. Too much pressure can compromise limited durability of even the most rugged LCD screens.

It is dangerous that an LCD display directly contacts with any liquids (especially when they’re still plugged in). A safer and smarter approach is to first wipe the screen with a dry cloth, then spray a small amount of cleaning solution onto another cloth and wipe gently. After that, wipe with another clean, dry cloth to remove the residual liquid.

Never use ammonia or rubbing alcohol based cleaners on LCD screens. They will damage the extremely delicate coating on top of screens, and negatively alter viewing experience, especially in strong sunlight.

Dust in gaps where bezels and top layers meet can cause internal damage to LCD displays. Regularly using a vacuum with a soft-bristled brush (to prevent scratching) can be helpful.

Now you know how to clean an LCD screen safely and correctly, if you find it helpful, please share this article with your friends. If there are more questions about LCD displays, please feel free to leave us a message.

• Perform highly diversified duties to install and maintain electrical apparatus on production machines and any other facility equipment (Screen Print, Punch Press, Steel Rule Die, Automated Machines, Turret, Laser Cutting Machines, etc.).

She is one of scores of young workers in the city of Suzhou who were poisoned by the chemical n-hexane, which they say was used to clean Apple components including iPhone touch screens.

Prolonged over-exposure to n-hexane can cause extensive damage to the peripheral nervous system and ultimately the spinal cord, leading to muscular weakness and atrophy and even paralysis, said Paul Whitehead, a toxicology consultant and member of the UK"s Royal Society of Chemistry. It can also affect male fertility. Recovery can take a year or more.

The chemical"s potential risks are well-known in industry, as are safe exposure limits. But the Wintek manager who decided to switch from alcohol to n-hexane for cleaning – apparently because it dried more quickly – did not assess the dangers. It was used without proper ventilation.

Asked if they knew what products they were working on, three of the affected Wintek employees said team leaders told them they were working for Apple. They instantly recognised pictures of an iPhone and said they were cleaning touch screens, adding that items for other brands were not affected because Apple had isolated its production line. A lawyer acting for 44 of the poisoning victims also said several had named Apple.

Bai Bing said she and her colleagues were cleaning components including Apple logos – the kind that appear at the bottom of desktop screens – when she fell ill.

A word of warning, though. Never use any other cleaners, especially those that contain ammonia, such as glass cleaners. Ammonia can damage an LCD screen and leave it looking cloudy. Also avoid paper towels, since they can easily scratch an LCD as they drag dirt and paper particles over the surface of the screen; that’s why it’s so important to use the softest cloth you can.

A variety of chemicals can be found throughout the electronic assembly and repair process, but no solvent appears more commonly than isopropyl alcohol. It is universally used for cleaning and as a main constituent of fluxes, but how much do you really know about isopropyl alcohol?

Isopropyl alcohol (CAS #67-63-0) is also referred to as IPA, isopropanol, 2-propanol, and even rubbing alcohol (more on that later). It dissolves a wide range of both polar and nonpolar soils, and is often used to dissolve and remove light oils, fingerprints, cutting fluids, flux residues, carbon deposits, and mold release. It is also readily miscible in water, which makes it an effective drying agent.

For electronic printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, you will find isopropyl alcohol being used either to clean flux residues from recently soldered circuit boards, or in PCB repair and rework. IPA is also used to remove solder paste or adhesive from SMT stencils. Maintenance cleaning with isopropyl alcohol is common for removing caked-on and burnt-on flux from SMT reflow ovens, wave soldering fingers, selective soldering nozzles, pallets, and anywhere else flux tends to collect in automated soldering processes.

Isopropyl alcohol is generally compatible with most materials used in electronics. As with any chemical product used, component compatibility must be determined on a non-critical area prior to use. The following are a list of common materials used in PCB assembly and their respective compatibility ratings:

Isopropyl alcohol is available in a large number of varieties and grades, which are generally differentiated by the amount of water in the solution and trace amounts of other chemicals or nonvolatile materials.

Isopropyl alcohol is hydrophilic, so it readily accepts water into an azeotropic solution. When you see on the label “70% isopropyl alcohol”, it refers to amount of alcohol in relation to the amount of dissolved water – i.e. 70% alcohol to 30% water. Water can be removed to form purer grades of isopropyl alcohol, resulting in what is called “anhydrous” isopropyl alcohol.

Whether an IPA has 0.2% or 50% water has little effect on the look and smell of the material, but greatly impacts surface tension (its ability to wet) and the dry time. The more water isopropyl alcohol contains, the greater the surface tension. This causes the solvent to bead up more as it dries rather than wet or sheet, which can lead to spotting. “Water spots” are particularly problematic when cleaning mirrors, lenses, and other optics.

The dry time is greatly increased as the percentage of water in the alcohol solution is increased. This can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the application. For example, isopropyl alcohol is often used as a flux remover to remove flux residues from around solder joints. Technicians tend to prefer a fast dry time so that they can clean the electronics and bring them back into service as quickly as possible. When breaking down and removing thick, gummy, or baked-on materials, more dwell or soak time is required. Slowing down the dry time often improves the cleaning effectiveness. That is one of the reasons 70% pure isopropyl alcohol is commonly used for degreasing and SMT stencil cleaning. In the case of electrical contact cleaning, the faster evaporation time helps ensure that the flammable solvent is gone before energizing the equipment.

The general term “rubbing alcohol” is often used for isopropyl alcohol, but users looking to buy a specific grade of alcohol should avoid products labeled that way. Rubbing alcohol does not refer to a specific grade, and may even be a different type of alcohol, like ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, CAS #67-17-5). Consumer rubbing alcohol can also contain other ingredients like denaturant, fragrances, and colorants that are potential contaminants. ASTM D770 (currently on revision 11(2019)) is the standard specification for isopropyl alcohol published by ASTM International.

As mentioned above, isopropyl alcohol is also available in different grades, or percentages of solvent to water, to fit a variety of specific applications. When deciding on the best isopropyl product for a particular manufacturing or repair process, first decide on the grade of solvent, then the packaging.

Bulk containers- Isopropyl alcohol is packaged in 1 gallon bottles, 5-gallon containers, 54-gallon drums, and even totes for automated dispensing. In most cases, a spigot can be attached to the 1 and 5 gallon containers for convenient dispensing in benchtop or workstation use. When transferring to another container, make sure the smaller bottle is properly marked with the chemical name and warning information.

Small bottles / spray bottles- To avoid the risk and hassle of pouring and labelling smaller containers, isopropyl alcohol is also available in smaller plastic containers like pints and quarts. Some have a trigger spray attachment for convenient cleaning.

Pump dispensers / dauber bottles- Empty bottles are available to make dispensing even more convenient. A wipe or swab can be saturated in the opening, which is filled with a valve when the user pushes down. This keeps the isopropyl alcohol sealed, which avoids cross contamination when a wipe is resaturated after use, causing it to draw in moisture from the ambient air. These bottles can come with a variety of features including ESD-safe materials and a selection of labels for standard chemicals like IPA.

Presaturated wipes- For the ideal mix of form and function, wipes are available, and are already saturated with isopropyl alcohol. They can come in pop-up tubs where the wipes are pulled up from the top, plastic boxes or pouches that reduce linting caused by wipe perforations, and even individually wrapped packages. The individually wrapped wipes are perfect for field maintenance because they fit neatly in a tool box.

Although isopropyl alcohol is generally considered safe if handled properly, it is a flammable solvent, so precautions need to be taken to prevent a dangerous situation from developing.

Storage- because isopropyl alcohol is very flammable, it needs to be stored in a closed container in a cool, well-ventilated area away from ignition sources like heat, sparks and flames. It has an NFPA rating of 3, so it should be stored in a cabinet or room designed for that type of hazardous material. If solvent is transferred to another container, make sure it is marked with the chemical name and required warning information.

Personal protection equipment- isopropyl alcohol has a tendency to defatten the skin, which means it draws out the protective oils from the skin and can lead to dermatitis if improperly handled. Gloves made of nitrile or other solvent-resistant materials should be worn. Glasses or even a face shield should be worn if the user is spraying an IPA product, or if splashing could occur. Respirators can be used if ventilation is not adequate enough to avoid breathing in a high concentration of vapors.

Disposal- isopropyl alcohol needs to be disposed of as a hazardous liquid according to state and local requirements. It certainly cannot be flushed down the drain, and additional disposal requirements may need to be followed depending on the soils dissolved in the waste material.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS)- The central resource for all safety requirements is the SDS, which should be readily available wherever isopropyl alcohol is used.

Is it any wonder isopropyl alcohol can be found in all corners of electronic PCB assembly, rework and repair operations? It is effective, reasonably priced, and safe if handled properly. To buy isopropyl alcohol in the grade and packaging that is best for your application, go to www.techspray.com.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Chinese flat screen makers, once dismissed as second-class players in the global LCD market, are drawing envious looks from big names such as LG Display Co Ltd and Samsung.A man walks out of the headquarters of LG Display in Seoul, October 20, 2011. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

While the Korean giants were busy developing next-generation organic light emitting diode (OLED) TVs, little-known Chinese companies have started selling a type of display that are sharper than the standard LCD and cheaper than OLED.

Until last year, the UHD market had been almost non-existent, with just 33,000 sets sold in the 200 million-unit LCD TV market. Since then, shipments have soared around 20-fold, thanks to China, data from research firm IHS shows.

Chinese consumers who want brighter and sharper images but can’t afford OLED screens made by LG and Samsung Display, a unit of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, are turning to UHD.

But its slow introduction into the market and austere prices have thrown open a window of opportunity for UHD makers, in this case Chinese companies like BOE Technology Group Co Ltd and TCL Corp’s LCD unit CSOT.

By comparison, Japanese flat-screen pioneer Sharp Corp reported a razor-thin 0.5 percent margin. LG Display, the world’s No.1 LCD maker, posted a 5.6 percent margin.

Samsung Display, a unit of Samsung Electronics, had a margin of 13 percent, the biggest in the industry. But excluding its fledging OLED business, its LCD margin is between 3 and 7 percent, according to a Bernstein forecast.

Just as Korea overtook flat-screen pioneer Japan in the early 2000s, the surprise offensive by Chinese flat screen makers may be a taste of what’s to come, analysts say.

“Even with some expansion of the Chinese panel suppliers we do expect Samsung and LG Display to stay dominant and continue production in LCD,” said Sweta Dash, director at IHS.

BOE Technology is now planning to raise 46 billion yuan ($7.5 billion) in the biggest Chinese equity offering this year, to build panel production lines and increase its stake in its LCD venture BOE Display Technology.

SEOUL, Nov 5 (Reuters) - China has decided to approve $6 billion worth of investment in flat-screen plants by South Korea"s Samsung Electronicsand LG Display, a source said on Friday.

Asian makers of liquid crystal display (LCD) screens are rushing to set up production bases in China, which is expected to become the world’s biggest LCD TV market within a few years.

Samsung, the world’s No.1 LCD maker, has sought Chinese approval for its 7.5-generation LCD manufacturing facility in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, requiring 2.6 trillion won ($2.35 billion) investment. [ID:nSEO131216]

If your screen is still dirty, apply a small amount of 70~75% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution to your cloth and gently wipe down the exterior of your screen. Alternatively, you can also use a 70~75% IPA wipe.

You rely on your computer for a lot—working from home, ordering groceries, retail therapy—so it"s no surprise when it starts to collect fingerprints, smudges, and generally look a little worse for the wear. But how do you clean a computer screen without damaging it and leaving those pesky streaks? Fortunately, you don"t need much—generally water and a cotton ball will do the trick. But here"s what you should keep in mind to ensure you"re doing it safely.

It"s always a good idea to check the manual of your computer to see what products they suggest to clean a screen, says Kimberly Button, a certified cleaning expert. If you don"t know where the manual is, many companies offer downloadable PDFs.

If you"re concerned about germs, you might wonder whether you can use stronger household cleaners for the task. The bottom line: It depends on the type of computer screen you have, says Button.

Avoid using Windex on a screen. It"s only made for glass, and can be too harsh for delicate computer screens, says Button. And skip things like eyeglass cleaner, which won"t disinfect.

However, if you"re adamant about getting a little extra cleaning power, you can try Lysol wipes or a 1:1 dilution of rubbing alcohol and water on non-LCD screens.

This is not only safer if you"re using any liquids, but it also makes cleaning easier. Fingerprints and smudges are much more visible on a black screen.

Use a soft, dry cloth or cotton ball to gently wipe off any obvious dust, dirt, and debris, so as not to rub tiny specks of dust or dirt into the screen, says Button.

That may suffice for mildly dirty screens, but for a deeper clean you can spray another soft cloth with the cleaning solution outlined above. You only need a bit—a light misting will do. And note: You should never spray a solution directly onto the screen, because you could end up spraying liquid into the speakers, camera, keyboard, or parts of the monitor that are not compatible with water, says Button.

Using the slightly moistened cloth, gently wipe the computer screen from right to left without too much pressure, making sure you"ve cleaned every inch of the surface.

The Manhattan LCD Cleaning Kit gently cleans and removes dirt, fingerprints and smudges from most LCD surfaces, making it ideal for use with flat panel displays, televisions, notebook computers and other electronics. A soft, synthetic brush gently eliminates excess dust and debris without scratching. The bristles retract into the handle to keep them clean and protected. The non-aerosol cleaning solution safely and thoroughly removes fingerprints and smudges without harsh solvents or abrasives. A soft, lint-free microfiber cloth gently cleans, dries and polishes for a clear, non-streak finish.

For best results, spray cleaner onto microfiber cloth, gently wipe then quickly dry any excess liquid from LCD surface. Safe for frequent use on LCD surfaces to help restore and maintain brightness and clarity. Manhattan does not recommend that cleaning solution be directly applied to any LCD surface. Not recommended for use on anti-glare, privacy or polarized materials.

Whether you’re gaming or burning the midnight oil on a work project, there’s nothing more annoying than a dirty computer screen. The only problem is that most computer screens are highly sensitive and require a delicate touch to prevent damage.

If you’ve ruined a monitor before or you want to keep that brand new laptop running smoothly, this article will provide you with all the information you could possibly need to keep your screen squeaky clean without damaging it.

Wondering how to clean your laptop screen without causing any damage? You don’t have to be a tech guru to understand that any kind of liquid getting into the hardware of your laptop spells disaster. Because of this, you should avoid liquid sprays.

One of the most common mistakes people make when attempting to clean their laptop computer screens is using a liquid cleaner. As a general rule, try to avoid them altogether, however, there are few safe liquid substances you can carefully use to clean laptop screens.

If you aren’t having much luck with a dry cloth or if you spilled something on your screen, you can try using a bit of rubbing alcohol (for non-LCD screens) if you don’t want to buy a specified cleaning product.

If you have an LCD screen, do not use rubbing alcohol as it will damage your screen. If you’re unsure about what products are safe for your laptop or you aren’t completely sure what kind of screen you have, look up the products that the manufacturer lists as restricted for cleaning.

With the right cloth or material, a cleaning substance may be completely unnecessary. Microfiber cloths are the best possible material to clean your PC with, since paper towels, household rags, and old T-shirts will scratch and damage your screen.

Of course, there will be instances where no amount of gentle wiping will remove the soda your toddler spilled on your laptop a week ago. In these circumstances, you may have to turn to a serious computer cleaning solution or rubbing alcohol. Just remember that when you clean your laptop’s screen, a delicate touch is vital to the long-term health of your display.

Sometimes you can’t splurge on ultra-expensive products when trying to clean your laptop screen and you have to rely on alternative methods. There are plenty of household items that can be used, such as rubbing alcohol. However, there are some that are dangerous to your screen which you should try to avoid.

A brand new sponge is a great way to clean a screen. You will need to lightly dampen the sponge (but not too much); the last thing you want is for water to drip down into your laptop.

If, and only if, you have a glass laptop screen, it’s safe to use Windex as a cleaner. Sturdier computers sometimes have a clear glass screen over the front of the display - much like a cell phone. A bit of Windex sprayed onto your microfiber cloth will certainly get the job done. But remember, never spray the Windex directly onto your laptop screen itself.

If you don’t have a microfiber cloth or a sponge fresh out of the package, a soft duster brush will work. A traditional feather duster might damage your screen but there’s a good chance you’ve adopted the Swiffer® duster into your household. These cleaning cloths are made from thousands of tiny polyester fibers and are the next best thing for cleaning your screen if you don’t have a microfiber cloth.

If you ever find yourself questioning the methods by which you plan to clean your laptop screen, it’s best to err on the side of caution. To take extra precaution, you can order specialized products and cleaning solutions online or pick them up at electronic stores.

Compressed gas is one of the best places to start when learning how to clean your laptop. Not only is this product great for removing the dust on your screen, but it’s also good for cleaning your keyboard as well. Dust-Off®, Endust®, and Fellowes® are all solid and reliable brands of compressed air that have withstood the test of time. They are available at grocery stores, drug stores, and computer stores, as well as many online retailers.

Bryson Screen and Laptop Cleaner is a reasonably inexpensive cleaning solution that’s as easy to use. Just spray it onto a screen-safe cleaning cloth and wipe away all of your worries.

The i-ScreenClean Ball 3-Pack is a great tool for daily cleaning and maintenance. With the i-ScreenClean ball, you can entirely avoid the use of liquids while you clean your laptop screen or monitor. Bigger problems like spills and stains will require the use of professional cleaning products, but for the most part, the cleaning ball is a great way to go.

The corners of your monitor or laptop screen are often the most difficult and frustrating to clean. Fortunately, cleaning brushes for detailing are available. The Oxo Good Grips cleaning brush is perfect for reaching into the corners of your laptop’s display. This tool will allow you to avoid the use of liquids and give your laptop a complete clean.

You can find most of these products online or at computer stores along with wipes and other cleaning supplies that were specifically designed for laptop screens and monitors.

Once you’ve cleaned your laptop screen, try to keep it that way. One of the primary reasons your screen continues to get dirty so often is because of your keyboard. Dead skin cells, dirt, and grime from your fingertips get on the keyboard and transfers to your laptop’s screen when you close it.

The best thing about touch screens, especially tablets and smartphones, is that they usually come with an additional protective screen that makes it much easier to clean. However, you should still take the same precautions that you would with a standard laptop screen.

While touch screen laptops aren’t always made of the same materials that traditional smartphones and tablets are, they may often be just as sensitive. The best thing to do is pick up a microfiber cloth and give your screen a gentle wipe down using the same techniques previously mentioned.

Unless you plan to wash your hands before each time you use your touch screen laptop, you should make an effort to clean it far more frequently. All that grime on your fingertips dragging across your screen can cause a major build up.

Touch screens are especially sensitive to pressure, so make sure you don’t press down too firmly while you’re cleaning since it could wear out the sensors or even damage them. You will also want to turn your screen off before cleaning. You wouldn’t want to accidentally send out a strange jumbled-up email to an important client while you’re cleaning.

When learning how to clean your monitor or laptop screen, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. You invested a significant amount in your laptop and other electronics. It would be wise to invest a small amount in their care and upkeep. Investing in a microfiber cloth that you keep in your desk just for your laptop, along with a cleaning solution kit might cost you a few bucks but it will cost you far more to replace a damaged computer screen from careless cleaning.

Whether you’re gaming or burning the midnight oil on a work project, there’s nothing more annoying than a dirty computer screen. The only problem is that most computer screens are highly sensitive and require a delicate touch to prevent damage.

If you’ve ruined a monitor before or you want to keep that brand new laptop running smoothly, this article will provide you with all the information you could possibly need to keep your screen squeaky clean without damaging it.

Wondering how to clean your laptop screen without causing any damage? You don’t have to be a tech guru to understand that any kind of liquid getting into the hardware of your laptop spells disaster. Because of this, you should avoid liquid sprays.

One of the most common mistakes people make when attempting to clean their laptop computer screens is using a liquid cleaner. As a general rule, try to avoid them altogether, however, there are few safe liquid substances you can carefully use to clean laptop screens.

If you aren’t having much luck with a dry cloth or if you spilled something on your screen, you can try using a bit of rubbing alcohol (for non-LCD screens) if you don’t want to buy a specified cleaning product.

If you have an LCD screen, do not use rubbing alcohol as it will damage your screen. If you’re unsure about what products are safe for your laptop or you aren’t completely sure what kind of screen you have, look up the products that the manufacturer lists as restricted for cleaning.

With the right cloth or material, a cleaning substance may be completely unnecessary. Microfiber cloths are the best possible material to clean your PC with, since paper towels, household rags, and old T-shirts will scratch and damage your screen.

Of course, there will be instances where no amount of gentle wiping will remove the soda your toddler spilled on your laptop a week ago. In these circumstances, you may have to turn to a serious computer cleaning solution or rubbing alcohol. Just remember that when you clean your laptop’s screen, a delicate touch is vital to the long-term health of your display.

Sometimes you can’t splurge on ultra-expensive products when trying to clean your laptop screen and you have to rely on alternative methods. There are plenty of household items that can be used, such as rubbing alcohol. However, there are some that are dangerous to your screen which you should try to avoid.

A brand new sponge is a great way to clean a screen. You will need to lightly dampen the sponge (but not too much); the last thing you want is for water to drip down into your laptop.

If, and only if, you have a glass laptop screen, it’s safe to use Windex as a cleaner. Sturdier computers sometimes have a clear glass screen over the front of the display - much like a cell phone. A bit of Windex sprayed onto your microfiber cloth will certainly get the job done. But remember, never spray the Windex directly onto your laptop screen itself.

If you don’t have a microfiber cloth or a sponge fresh out of the package, a soft duster brush will work. A traditional feather duster might damage your screen but there’s a good chance you’ve adopted the Swiffer® duster into your household. These cleaning cloths are made from thousands of tiny polyester fibers and are the next best thing for cleaning your screen if you don’t have a microfiber cloth.

If you ever find yourself questioning the methods by which you plan to clean your laptop screen, it’s best to err on the side of caution. To take extra precaution, you can order specialized products and cleaning solutions online or pick them up at electronic stores.

Compressed gas is one of the best places to start when learning how to clean your laptop. Not only is this product great for removing the dust on your screen, but it’s also good for cleaning your keyboard as well. Dust-Off®, Endust®, and Fellowes® are all solid and reliable brands of compressed air that have withstood the test of time. They are available at grocery stores, drug stores, and computer stores, as well as many online retailers.

Bryson Screen and Laptop Cleaner is a reasonably inexpensive cleaning solution that’s as easy to use. Just spray it onto a screen-safe cleaning cloth and wipe away all of your worries.

The i-ScreenClean Ball 3-Pack is a great tool for daily cleaning and maintenance. With the i-ScreenClean ball, you can entirely avoid the use of liquids while you clean your laptop screen or monitor. Bigger problems like spills and stains will require the use of professional cleaning products, but for the most part, the cleaning ball is a great way to go.

The corners of your monitor or laptop screen are often the most difficult and frustrating to clean. Fortunately, cleaning brushes for detailing are available. The Oxo Good Grips cleaning brush is perfect for reaching into the corners of your laptop’s display. This tool will allow you to avoid the use of liquids and give your laptop a complete clean.

You can find most of these products online or at computer stores along with wipes and other cleaning supplies that were specifically designed for laptop screens and monitors.

Once you’ve cleaned your laptop screen, try to keep it that way. One of the primary reasons your screen continues to get dirty so often is because of your keyboard. Dead skin cells, dirt, and grime from your fingertips get on the keyboard and transfers to your laptop’s screen when you close it.

The best thing about touch screens, especially tablets and smartphones, is that they usually come with an additional protective screen that makes it much easier to clean. However, you should still take the same precautions that you would with a standard laptop screen.

While touch screen laptops aren’t always made of the same materials that traditional smartphones and tablets are, they may often be just as sensitive. The best thing to do is pick up a microfiber cloth and give your screen a gentle wipe down using the same techniques previously mentioned.

Unless you plan to wash your hands before each time you use your touch screen laptop, you should make an effort to clean it far more frequently. All that grime on your fingertips dragging across your screen can cause a major build up.

Touch screens are especially sensitive to pressure, so make sure you don’t press down too firmly while you’re cleaning since it could wear out the sensors or even damage them. You will also want to turn your screen off before cleaning. You wouldn’t want to accidentally send out a strange jumbled-up email to an important client while you’re cleaning.

When learning how to clean your monitor or laptop screen, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. You invested a significant amount in your laptop and other electronics. It would be wise to invest a small amount in their care and upkeep. Investing in a microfiber cloth that you keep in your desk just for your laptop, along with a cleaning solution kit might cost you a few bucks but it will cost you far more to replace a damaged computer screen from careless cleaning.

Chemicals leaking from millions of computer screens in homes, offices and schools could damage human health, according to research by Chinese scientists.

Chemistry professor Su Guanyong and colleagues at Nanjing University of Science and Technology in eastern Jiangsu province studied more than 360 types of chemicals used in computer and mobile phone screens and found that 87 of them could be a danger if they got into the environment.

Some chemicals in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) could alter genes, they said. Animal cells mutated unexpectedly if exposed, and preliminary results of their ongoing study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday showed that one of the most polluted places was the home.

Researchers said about a quarter of the chemicals from screens they tested might be pollutants. Photo: Getty alt=Researchers said about a quarter of the chemicals from screens they tested might be pollutants. Photo: Getty

Studies found that excessive radiation from screens could speed up the ageing of skin and blue light from diodes could harm the retina of the eye. "But nobody has looked beyond the brightness to unveil the dark secrets behind," Su said.

Over the years, screen panel manufacturers have pushed LCD technology to higher resolutions and faster refreshing rates, but the chemical composition of the liquid crystal that fills their screens has hardly changed.

Smartphones mean booming demand for components such as screens. Photo: Ben Sin alt=Smartphones mean booming demand for components such as screens. Photo: Ben Sin

They exposed embryonic chicken cells to liquid crystal taken from the screens and compared them to cells grown in normal conditions. They found genetic changes that suggested the exposed cells had mutated.

The Nanjing team was baffled by the amount of liquid crystal in the air. They knew screens were made in dust-free factories and sealed, but their surveys of hotels, school buildings, canteens, dormitories, electronic product repair centres, homes and laboratories revealed surprising results.

Scientists say cracked screens and leaking chemicals are a worldwide problem. Photo: Shutterstock alt=Scientists say cracked screens and leaking chemicals are a worldwide problem. Photo: Shutterstock

The lowest levels were found in a canteen, a dormitory and classrooms. Su said they were not sure where the drifting liquid crystals came from. Some screens might have been cracked or broken, he said. If a screen was left on for a long time, heat and radiation might cause liquid crystal to evaporate.

"Electric device recycling plants could be a major source of emissions, with broken screens dumped everywhere and little protection. This practice must stop," he said.