Screen cleaning materials

[MajorFoley]

Hi guys so im looking at screen cleaners and theres the usual products like these that i see around shops

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/cygnett-screen-cleaning-kit

https://www.centrecom.com.au/laser-clean-range-250ml-spray-and-cloth

However a bunch of my friends has said demineralized (or distilled?) water and micro-fiber cloths should be enough.

So i was looking at possibly just getting these 2 things and calling it a day

https://www.bunnings.com.au/klearwave-5l-demineralised-water_p4460993

https://www.bunnings.com.au/morgan-microfibre-cleaning-cloth-20-pack_p4460546  (although these look a bit big)

Using a generic monitor AND a XB241H acer predator so i kind of want this done right

[WereCat]

i use anything from micro fibre cloth and some window cleaner to wipes for my glasses

[MajorFoley]

9 minutes ago, WereCat said:

i use anything from micro fibre cloth and some window cleaner to wipes for my glasses

Dont have any window cleaner or anything.

[mariushm]

Window cleaner is not always good for monitors. Some have plastic foils over the surface as filters (anti-gloss, anti-glare) and these foils can be damaged by some chemicals in glass cleaning solutions. 

 

The easiest method is to get some microfiber cloth (for cleaning glasses - those that go on your face/eyes) and isopropyl alcohol... pour some isopropyl alcohol on the cloth and wipe in one direction only (for example from top to bottom, several wipes to cover whole screen horizontally) 

Let the alcohol on the screen evaporate by itself in a few seconds. 

 

A lot of those LCD screen cleaning and other fancy cleaning solutions are just Isopropyl alcohol with water and a bit of perfume and some chemical to prevent mold (due to added water and perfume in the solution).  Plain isopropul alcohol works just as well. 

 

Here you go, $10 for 1 liter of 99% purity alcohol : https://www.amcsupplies.com.au/product/isopropyl-alcohol

or 99.98% purity here : https://www.mektronics.com.au/ipa-technical-grade-100-pure-isopropyl-alcohol-1-litre.html

 

(you'll never get 100% purity because the alcohol is hygroscopic, it absorbs water from the air, even through a plastic container, that's why the above is not claiming 100% purity)

 

 

You can probably get 90% or better purity at vet/pet stores without prescription or whatever, and that's good enough... the other 10% is just water.

 

Suprisingly, just plain water (ideally distilled water) also works well for cleaning screens. A lot of manufacturers only recommend water, so dumb people won't use strong alcohols and damage surfaces. 

 

[MajorFoley]

3 minutes ago, mariushm said:

The easiest method is to get some microfiber cloth (for cleaning glasses - those that go on your face/eyes) and isopropyl alcohol... pour some isopropyl alcohol on the cloth and wipe in one direction only (for example from top to bottom, several wipes to cover whole screen horizontally) 

 

Thought isopropyl alcohol wasnt recommended for screens? Isn't demineralized water the same as distilled? I'm not sure if the XB241H had any of that anti glare stuff

 

[mariushm]

Isopropyl alcohol is a mild solvent, which won't damage screens or plastics. Even less if diluted with water (10-40% water, 60-90% isopropyl alcohol). 

 

For example, Acetone (nail polish remover) is a stronger solvent, and would damage screens... you can use it to clean cpu coolers, or after soldering to remove flux residue, but shouldn't be used for sensitive plastics

 

[MajorFoley]

Just now, mariushm said:

Isopropyl alcohol is a mild solvent, which won't damage screens or plastics. Even less if diluted with water (10-40% water, 60-90% isopropyl alcohol). 

 

For example, Acetone (nail polish remover) is a stronger solvent, and would damage screens... you can use it to clean cpu coolers, or after soldering to remove flux residue, but shouldn't be used for sensitive plastics

 

Well bunnings has some too, so those cloths i linked and either that water or isopropyl alcohol should be fine?

[Samfisher]

27 minutes ago, MajorFoley said:

Thought isopropyl alcohol wasnt recommended for screens? Isn't demineralized water the same as distilled? I'm not sure if the XB241H had any of that anti glare stuff

 

Even rubbing alcohol can cause discolouration on plastics, even with a quick wipe.

[MajorFoley]

13 minutes ago, Samfisher said:

Even rubbing alcohol can cause discolouration on plastics, even with a quick wipe.

Ok so in this case just get the water and cloths i linked and i should be good. Anything about the cloths i need to worry about apart from it being microfiber? The ones i linked are pretty big

[Samfisher]

1 minute ago, MajorFoley said:

Ok so in this case just get the water and cloths i linked and i should be good. Anything about the cloths i need to worry about apart from it being microfiber? The ones i linked are pretty big

If they are proper microfibre cloth, then just water and a firm but not hard wipe would be enough.

[MajorFoley]

20 minutes ago, Samfisher said:

If they are proper microfibre cloth, then just water and a firm but not hard wipe would be enough.

Dunno what you mean by proper microfibre cloth, i did link a set up on the OP but here 

https://www.bunnings.com.au/morgan-microfibre-cleaning-cloth-20-pack_p4460546

Thats what i was looking at grabbing, along with the deminieralised water.