Best course of action for a filthy laptop screen?

[Spork829]

I love my Toshiba laptop (L755D if anyone cares) and I've used it first as my daily driver for everything including games, and now just for school after building a proper desktop. However after 4 years of use, the screen is pretty gross. I've taken it apart and cleaned out all the internals today as well as the rest of the shell, but the screen is proving to be an issue. All this gunk is really caked on there, so my microfiber cloth is basically doing nothing. It seems like a rather poor idea to use any sort of liquid cleaner on the screen, so what would you guys recommend?

[SCHISCHKA]

We won't ask what the gunk is. Isopropyl is best for cleaning because it leaves no residue 

[RadiatingLight]

Just soak a paper towel in liquid cleaner

[rphawks]

Eeek. I clean my laptop screen with a cloth regularly, but... this situation... Either 

 

A. Use cleaning alcohol

 

B. Use water. Just be careful not to let the water touch anything besides plastic and the screen. 

[Spork829]

Just now, RadiatingLight said:

Just soak a paper towel in liquid cleaner

That won't harm anything if it's on the screen? And what sort of cleaner would you suggest?

[Spork829]

3 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

We won't ask what the gunk is. Isopropyl is best for cleaning because it leaves no residue 

 just dirt from over the years, I think it's mostly from my fingers as the screen rests on the keys when it's closed.

[SCHISCHKA]

1 minute ago, Spork829 said:

 just dirt from over the years, I think it's mostly from my fingers as the screen rests on the keys when it's closed.

it looks like its been through several fappenings

[meenmeen1103]

I use Monster screenclean. I've had the bottle for years and it's just under half full. Cleans nicely (though mostly dust, with the occasional sneeze/spit/phlegm residue). Says it's alcohol free but wouldn't know if that's worse or better or makes no difference.

[Spork829]

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

it looks like its been through several fappenings

*Furiously attempts to think of clever response to deny said accusations and also steer clear of this thread getting removed*

[Enderman]

Water or alcohol will dissolve the gunk and not damage the screen. Just wet the microfibre cloth with it, not enough to make drops that could go into the edge of the screen.

[SpaceGhostC2C]

5 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

We won't ask what the gunk is. Isopropyl is best for cleaning because it leaves no residue 

 

3 minutes ago, rphawks said:

A. Use cleaning alcohol

 

No, never use alcohol unless your screen literally has actual glass on top of it. That doesn't look like CRT to me, so don't do it. Don't use paper towel either, they are abrasive to the screen. It's not like they will tear it open, but it will damage it over time.

 

Use microfiber or other lint-free cloth. You can use water or solutions explicitly compatible with LCD screens and the like, i.e, without alcohol nor ammonia. 

[TetraSky]

Isn't there some kind of coating on the screen that alcohol would remove? That's why I was always told never use alcohol on a monitor or TV... Unless it's glass, which I doubt this laptop is.

 

Just a bit of water and a lot of elbow grease should remove that gunk.

[Hamil_P1]

alcohol

[Spork829]

2 minutes ago, SpaceGhostC2C said:

 

No, never use alcohol unless your screen literally has actual glass on top of it. That doesn't look like CRT to me, so don't do it. Don't use paper towel either, they are abrasive to the screen. It's not like they will tear it open, but it will damage it over time.

 

Use microfiber or other lint-free cloth. You can use water or solutions explicitly compatible with LCD screens and the like, i.e, without alcohol nor ammonia. 

 

Just now, TetraSky said:

Isn't there some kind of coating on the screen that alcohol would remove? That's why I was always told never use alcohol on a monitor or TV...

 

Just a bit of water and a lot of elbow grease should remove that gunk.

Yeah I don't think alcohol is a great idea. I think I'll go with water and the microfiber cloth.

[meenmeen1103]

5 minutes ago, meenmeen1103 said:

I use Monster screenclean. I've had the bottle for years and it's just under half full. Cleans nicely (though mostly dust, with the occasional sneeze/spit/phlegm residue). Says it's alcohol free but wouldn't know if that's worse or better or makes no difference.

 

2 minutes ago, SpaceGhostC2C said:

 

No, never use alcohol unless your screen literally has actual glass on top of it. That doesn't look like CRT to me, so don't do it. Don't use paper towel either, they are abrasive to the screen. It's not like they will tear it open, but it will damage it over time.

 

Use microfiber or other lint-free cloth. You can use water or solutions explicitly compatible with LCD screens and the like, i.e, without alcohol nor ammonia. 

I now know if alcohol free is worse or better or makes no difference.

[TetraSky]

2 minutes ago, Spork829 said:

 

Yeah I don't think alcohol is a great idea. I think I'll go with water and the microfiber cloth.

You could also just get a bottle of LCD cleaner at your local tech store... One that is alcohol and ammonia free. I bought a bottle like 10 years ago and it's not even half empty yet, works great and dries quicker than just water.

[Spork829]

Just now, TetraSky said:

You could also just get a bottle of LCD cleaner at your local tech store... One that is alcohol and ammonia free. I bought a bottle like 10 years ago and it's not even half empty yet.

Yeah, I should probably invest in a bottle.

[ARikozuM]

KILL IT WITH FIRE!

 

Isopropyl alcohol is good for most screens since it evaporates quickly.

 

Edit: Just like with cars, apply lightly to a micro-fiber rag to prevent damage.

[TetraSky]

Oh right, Linus made a video on that before. Alcohol for mobiles/devices with glass front, water for anything else.

[ARikozuM]

3 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

Oh right, Linus made a video on that before. Alcohol for mobiles, water for anything else.

I miss Linus being abused by FractalJosh

[TetraSky]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

I miss Linus being abused by FractalJosh

We all do... We all do.

[Spork829]

Just now, TetraSky said:

We all do... We all do.

Hah, I never saw that before. Thank you.

[SCHISCHKA]

41 minutes ago, Spork829 said:

 

Yeah I don't think alcohol is a great idea. I think I'll go with water and the microfiber cloth.

i use iso because its what is sold in CD cleaners. If its ok for CDs i figure its ok for screens

[TetraSky]

7 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

i use iso because its what is sold in CD cleaners. If its ok for CDs i figure its ok for screens

CDs don't have anti glare coating on them that is easily removable with alcohol.