How to clean LCD screen without leaving streaks?

[Special K]

Does anyone have a reliable method for cleaning LCD screens that doesn't leave streaks? I've searched and everything I try leaves streaks. I've used a microfiber cloth and an old 100% cotton t-shirt, and have tried that along with plain water, distilled water, distilled water + alcohol, and a cleaning solution for eyeglasses with an anti-glare/reflective coating. All of them leave streaks behind after cleaning.

What do the rest of you use to clean your LCDs that doesn't leave any streaks behind?

 

[CRXican]

I use some monster LCD cleaner that I got at the Apple store.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

This

or this

 

[nakedfrog]

1:1 water and rubbing alcohol, and determination.

 

[ivan2]

You have a glossy one I suppose? I use water + paper towel and never noticed any streak on my LCD.

 

[sdifox]

microfibre cloth is your friend

 

[KaChow]

I use a microfiber cloth with a spot of distilled water (a SPOT, not doused!) and my screen looks better than brand new.

 

[ZetaEpyon]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
1:1 water and rubbing alcohol, and determination.

Originally posted by: sdifox
microfibre cloth is your friend

I use these combined, although not much determination is needed. 🙂

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
1:1 water and rubbing alcohol, and determination.

Originally posted by: sdifox
microfibre cloth is your friend

I use these combined, although not much determination is needed. 🙂

microfibre + water should be all you need unless you eat fries with your fingers and touch your screen with that hand.

 

[ZetaEpyon]

Sure, but using the alcohol helps minimize streaking because it evaporates faster.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon
Sure, but using the alcohol helps minimize streaking because it evaporates faster.

a lot of things don't like alcohol.

 

[catnap1972]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon
Sure, but using the alcohol helps minimize streaking because it evaporates faster.

a lot of things don't like alcohol.

That guy's girlfriend in the other thread being one of them (she has "accidents" all over the house).

Maybe try peeing on the screen and see if that helps get it clean :laugh:

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
1:1 water and rubbing alcohol, and determination.

Originally posted by: sdifox
microfibre cloth is your friend

I use these combined, although not much determination is needed. 🙂

The determination comes into play when making sure there isn't a single speck or tiny streak left 😛
I use dry microfiber for periodic touch-ups, and a t-shirt for full cleanings with solution.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
1:1 water and rubbing alcohol, and determination.

Originally posted by: sdifox
microfibre cloth is your friend

I use these combined, although not much determination is needed. 🙂

microfibre + water should be all you need unless you eat fries with your fingers and touch your screen with that hand.

As I said in the OP, I have already tried both of the quoted recommendations. There isn't any food or anything on the monitor to start with. The LCD ends up looking worse after I clean it because of the streaking. It's a matte finish Dell 2005fpw. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong here.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
1:1 water and rubbing alcohol, and determination.

Originally posted by: sdifox
microfibre cloth is your friend

I use these combined, although not much determination is needed. 🙂

microfibre + water should be all you need unless you eat fries with your fingers and touch your screen with that hand.

As I said in the OP, I have already tried both of the quoted recommendations. There isn't any food or anything on the monitor to start with. The LCD ends up looking worse after I clean it because of the streaking. It's a matte finish Dell 2005fpw. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong here.

your problem is too much water.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: KaChow
I use a microfiber cloth with a spot of distilled water (a SPOT, not doused!) and my screen looks better than brand new.

This is the best thing. Using anything other than distilled water (even a product marketed specifically as an LCD cleaner) can not only leave streaks but can damage certain screen coatings.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: kalrith

Originally posted by: KaChow
I use a microfiber cloth with a spot of distilled water (a SPOT, not doused!) and my screen looks better than brand new.

This is the best thing. Using anything other than distilled water (even a product marketed specifically as an LCD cleaner) can not only leave streaks but can damage certain screen coatings.

Is a spot of distilled water even enough to clean the entire screen? It seems like it would dry up (and leave a streak in my case) before being able to be spread over the whole screen.

 

[Epic Fail]

Turn on the monitor, turn off other lights, problem solved.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: kalrith

Originally posted by: KaChow
I use a microfiber cloth with a spot of distilled water (a SPOT, not doused!) and my screen looks better than brand new.

This is the best thing. Using anything other than distilled water (even a product marketed specifically as an LCD cleaner) can not only leave streaks but can damage certain screen coatings.

Is a spot of distilled water even enough to clean the entire screen? It seems like it would dry up (and leave a streak in my case) before being able to be spread over the whole screen.

I don't know if I agree with the spot part, but definitely with the microfiber cloth and distilled water part. Minerals in tap water can leave streaks, which is why you should use distilled water. Things other than microfiber cloth can scratch the screen and/or leave lint, etc. behind.

Here's what I do. I turn the screen off. I take a spray bottle with distilled water in it and spray a very small amount on the cloth (never directly on the screen) and wipe the screen until more water is needed. Sometimes the cloth gets too dirty, and so I wash it really well with just water and let it completely dry before using it again. This is how I clean my plasma screen and two LCD computer monitors, and it works great. I used to use LCD-cleaner spray, and then I used tap water, but neither works as well as distilled water.

Edit: Most of the time I just use the microfiber cloth dry, but sometimes the distilled water is required.

 

[foghorn67]

The lens cleaner they sell at Costco. Free refills.

 

[Special K]

Just as a follow up post, I was able to clean my monitor with no streaks using a spray bottle of distilled water along with the microfiber cloth that came with my HDTV. I guess a 100% cotton tshirt just doesn't cut it. Heck, even the cloths that came with my eyeglasses weren't doing a very good job.