Filed under: Portables, How-tos, Macbook Pro, TUAW Tips, MacBook
Keeping your screen clean
Although I can be a bit of a slob, I'm pretty anal retentive when it comes to keeping my electronics clean. That goes triple for my MacBook. Although I was pretty scrupulous with my last laptop, the glossy screen and black casing that shows all have required me to become even more attentive. Even though I don't have people touching my screen all the time, I manage to accumulate build up of fingerprints, smudges and dust marks (most likely from the keyboard) that require giving the screen a full cleaning every week.The Apple Blog has posted some some great tips/techniques for keeping your screen looking like new, and while they are directed for glossy screen owners, the same basic techniques can be used for any screen, be it iPod/iPhone, matte LCD screen (like on a MacBook Pro or older Apple laptop), iMac, etc.
The key is getting the right type of cleaning solution an the right type of cleaning cloth. The author of the tips article recommends using monitor wipes from some sort of Office supply store, but I've found that unless you get individually sealed one-time use wipes (which can get expensive), the wipes tend to dry out very, very quickly, effectively making them useless. I prefer to use cleaning product like iKlear or a home-made 50/50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and bottled water. 99% of all electronics cleaners out there are essentially diluted isopropyl alcohol (add blue dye and some fragrance and ammonia and you have Windex -- don't use Windex on your screen).
As for the right kind of cloth, you want to use a lint-free microfiber lens cloth (it will be slightly textured as opposed to a smooth microfiber cloth that you use for polishing/cleaning an iPod or digital camera screen, you can use a smooth microfiber cloth, but I have had much better results with the more textured ultra-suede cloths for laptop screens).
Now for the actual cleaning:
First you want to turn off your notebook and let it cool down completely. Heat messes with the cleaning process. Shut off the computer, unplug it and let it cool for a few minutes.
If you are using a product like iKlear that is completely alcohol free, lightly spray the entire screen (it usually takes 1 pump for a MacBook, 2 for a MacBook Pro) and then use the edge of your cleaning cloth to lightly evenly disperse the solution. If you are using something with alcohol, spray directly onto a portion of your cloth first and then apply the solution evenly to the screen.
Next, using a different edge of the cloth (or a different cloth - just make sure it is starting out dry), polish small sections of the screen in vertical strokes until all of the cleaner is gone. it's OK to be firm when polishing, just make sure you support the back of the screen with your hand. Continue until the entire display is clean.
If you still have streaks on the screen and the screen is "dry" -- you didn't polish your screen enough and the cleaner has left residue. Re-apply the solution and start again.
That's it! Enjoy your clean Mac!
What I like about iKlear is that you can get the cleaning solution, the cleaning cloths and some travel pre-moistened wipes all in one package. You can use the same solution to clean the casing of your laptop (use the smooth microfiber cloth instead) and your iPod, cell phone and digital camera.
If you are using a product like iKlear that is completely alcohol free, lightly spray the entire screen (it usually takes 1 pump for a MacBook, 2 for a MacBook Pro) and then use the edge of your cleaning cloth to lightly evenly disperse the solution. If you are using something with alcohol, spray directly onto a portion of your cloth first and then apply the solution evenly to the screen.Next, using a different edge of the cloth (or a different cloth - just make sure it is starting out dry), polish small sections of the screen in vertical strokes until all of the cleaner is gone. it's OK to be firm when polishing, just make sure you support the back of the screen with your hand. Continue until the entire display is clean.
If you still have streaks on the screen and the screen is "dry" -- you didn't polish your screen enough and the cleaner has left residue. Re-apply the solution and start again.
That's it! Enjoy your clean Mac!
What I like about iKlear is that you can get the cleaning solution, the cleaning cloths and some travel pre-moistened wipes all in one package. You can use the same solution to clean the casing of your laptop (use the smooth microfiber cloth instead) and your iPod, cell phone and digital camera.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Thomas said 8:23PM on 1-11-2008
I don't know about other models but my aluminium iMac came with a cloth.
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Ed said 6:50AM on 1-12-2008
Same for the MacBook, and it's the recommended suedeish texture. I use it near daily, I just never get around to mixing up some cleaning solution.
Hickeroar said 10:08AM on 1-12-2008
@Ed:
my macbook pro didn't come with one :-/ I was wishing it had when I got it though.
Chuck B. said 8:28PM on 1-11-2008
http://www.radtech.us/Products/NotebookScreensavrz.aspx
Probably the best thing I bought when I had my iBook, and now with my MacBook Pro - helps keep transference of oil from the keyboard -> screen, so a must, and it seconds great as a cleaning cloth as well.
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Beau said 8:31PM on 1-11-2008
The cloth that came with my iPod Touch works pretty well too!
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oshawapilot said 8:34PM on 1-11-2008
It should be noted that Windex also contains ammonia.
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Kevin said 9:03PM on 1-11-2008
iKlear is definitely worth it. I had a hard time keeping my MBP and iPhone clean with other stuff, but iKlear restores them to like-new condition every time. And they give you a ton of it in that package--I clean my MBP and iPhone pretty much every day, and I've still got over half left from the kit I bought six months ago.
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Nathan said 9:23PM on 1-11-2008
Never spray cleaners directly on your screen or other electronics. Always spray them into the microfiber cloth and then use the cloth normally.
The reason for this is that the cleaner can drip down and leach up into the screen via capillary action.
Also, never ever use Windex, alcohol or any cleaners that aren't explicitly marked as LCD/electronics safe.
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PowerLlama said 9:23PM on 1-11-2008
So the iKlear kit I got a while ago came with two cloths. One is light blue, and the other is dark blue. Which one were you referring to when you said to rub down your screen?
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Christina Warren said 9:41PM on 1-11-2008
Dark blue :-)
Jari said 10:17AM on 1-12-2008
I have cleaned my screens starting 1984 with very simple method: Get two wads of toilet paper, other wet, other dry. First I wipe a few times with wet and and then with dry. Fingerprints are gone and screen is clean. Cost's nothing and material is always available.
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G said 9:57PM on 1-11-2008
I usually pick up some iKlear (aka Klear Screen) every 2-3 years at Macworld Expo. Then I bought some Radtech OmniCleanz on someone's recommendation. It does clean better than iKlear, and managed to get rid of some dirt that iKlear couldn't. So now I clean regularly with iKlear, since it's good enough for most situations, and I have the OmniCleanz for extra finesse when needed. Both are great.
Btw, when machine-washing microfiber cloth, don't use fabric softener. It binds to the fibers and makes them less absorbent, aside from putting something else on your screen besides microfiber.
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Devin said 10:07PM on 1-11-2008
I just use a ittle water and a microfiber cloth weekly and my MacBook looks good as new for free!
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LonelyTV said 11:19PM on 1-11-2008
Be careful, tap water has some mineral deposits that could potentially scratch your screen. Try using distilled water instead.
Anthony said 10:40PM on 1-11-2008
I've found that ArmorAll Glass wipes which are ammonia free work quite well on my MacBook.
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LonelyTV said 11:17PM on 1-11-2008
I clean my Mac Book Pro's screen with a 1:1 mixture of White Vinegar and Distilled Water. I use a 100% cotton cloth (such as a T-Shirt) to wipe it clean. It works perfectly and costs next to nothing.
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Robert said 11:47PM on 1-11-2008
This guy that you may have heard of said his piece on this subject. I trust him. So, I follow his instructions:
http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/07/01/how-to-clean-lcd-screen/
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saccorator said 11:53PM on 1-11-2008
I had an ISF certified calibrator recommend ScreenKleen (http://www.screenkleen.com). iKlear looks and sounds much the same, but ScreenKleen is one product that can be used on multiple screen types.
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darngooddesign said 12:17AM on 1-12-2008
Exhale on the screen and wipe with a soft t-shirt.
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Cool6324 said 12:35AM on 1-12-2008
I use the cloth that came with my macbook to clean it. I use a little dish soap on the cloth with water. I ring it until it's semi-dry and then I clean the screen and trackpad/keyboard. Works fine for me, and my blackbook looks like day 1 in the end.
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