I never turn down offers to help clean the house. Not that I get many. Still, there are those few miraculous moments when my young daughter will grab a rag and ask where her dusting services would be most appreciated. Once I enthusiastically answered: “Anywhere, honey!” Clearly, I was so stunned by the offer that I didn’t think giving her free reign to eliminate dust bunnies would lead to regret. But alas, I forget that there are some household items that are better left cleaned myself.
Case in point: LCD monitors.
Liquid Crystal Display or LCD monitors contain multiple sheets of fragile, non-glass polarizing material with a layer of liquid crystal solution in between. Translation: You need to be extremely careful when cleaning them. LCD screens are delicate in nature and can suffer serious damage if they are not cleaned properly.
If you have an older CRT glass monitor, then it’s okay to use commercial glass cleaners, such as Windex to remove dirt, dust and fingerprints. However, you should never spray a liquid glass cleaner on a LCD screen. In fact, you should never use a cleaner that contains even a trace of acetone to remove smudges from LCD monitors. Rather, LCD screens should be cleaned with soft microfiber cloths or a chamois. If your LCD screen is exceptionally dirty, then add a drop of standard rubbing alcohol to a soft, clean cloth, and then wipe the screen using gentle, even strokes. Never attempt to spray isopropyl alcohol directly on a LCD screen. Doing so could severely damage the monitor.
If you want to stick with a dry method of cleaning, then use a soft brush attachment on your vacuum and gently suck up any dirt or dust that may be caked on your LCD computer screen. Another good option is to use dry disposable dusters, such as Swiffer Duster Cloths or Staples’ Lint-Free Wipes. The dry, nonabrasive cleaners are great for every day maintenance of LCD monitors.