What do you use to clean your CRT screen?

[Cawchy87]

I was going to use windex but apparently that strips the protectant off the screen. What is the best commonly used substance to clean a flat crt screen with?

 

[ronnn]

Water, but than I really dislike the smell of cleaners.

 

[nycxandy]

I use water.

 

[dudeman007]

I wanted to find this out too. Thanks for posting.:beer:

 

[Ken90630]

Bleach and steel wool. :evil:

OK, seriously ... I don't know if I personally would call water "best," since there's nothing in it to really cut thru oily fingerprints, smog, or stubborn dirt (and if you scrub too hard, you could rub thru the non-glare coating if the monitor has it). I'm not saying it won't take some surface dirt off, 'cuz I'm sure it will. I just wouldn't call it "best." And cleaners with alcohol or ammonia in them are reputed to strip non-glare coating off (as you pointed out), so I avoid those.

I personally have been using Kensington Screen Guardian cleaner and soft cloths for several years now and the tandem has worked great. Screen Guardian is non-abrasive and, according to the label, suitable for non-glare CRTs, notebook computers, and any screen with a non-glare or polarized coating. That pretty much covers everything, I think. It comes in a small 4 oz spray bottle for $3 or $4. I think I bought my bottle in the bookstore at a local university, but Best Buy or Comp USA carry it too, I think. It's widely available. I usually just put a few sprays on the cloth and rub the cloth over the monitor and it works perfectly. Cheap, simple, safe, effective, and no residue.

 

[yhelothar]

drinking water and tissue

 

[Bucksnort]

I use a soft 100% cotton t shirt with a small amount of water on the sleeve and wipe the entire screen then use the remainder of the clean t shirt to dry and buff it. Windex and such should be avoided. If there is something that water will not remove then NEC recommends a light soapy solution on the t shirt like well diluted liquid dish wash soap.

 

[Finnkc]

you can pick up water based cleaning solutions from PC stores .... come in a small spray bottle. I don't use it all the time however if you have ever had someone spill a drink by your PC you know it always gets on the screen .... always!!!! So this stuff cleans what just water can't.

 

[ELopes580]

I just use the shirt that I am wearing at the time.


Seriously, does Windex do harm on a CRT monitor???

 

[caz67]

Water, and a soft cloth

 

[dullard]

I've only purchaced monitors with quality coatings that don't show fingerprints (I didn't go out of my way to get coatings, but they just happened to come with the quality monitors). So about once a year I'll wipe it with a Kleenex tissue to get off dust. I use no other cleaning methods.

At work, some of my coworker's monitors were cheap Trinitrons and they show every fingerprint possible. A dab of water and a tissue works just fine.

 

[ShowdOWN]

i've been using the lens cleaner pads for years, cuts thru the finger prints without a hitch.

 

[Schadenfroh]

distillled water and lens cleaner pads, no hard water, no lint

 

[CJP]

Water and paper towels. For no streaks I just wash and dry small portions of the screen bit by bit.

 

[Muse]

I spray on water from with one of those plastic spray bottles - tap water. Then I gently wipe all over with a cloth provided me by Nanao when I bought one of their 17" CRTs back in 1995 or so. Wash it once in a while and keep it where it won't get dirty (except cleaning my CRT). Been using it too for my LCD, but not sure if I should.

 

[Cawchy87]

Thanks guys, i think i am going to use the water and this soft cloth that came for wiping off my hockey visor.

 

[Mik3y]

diet coke and dirty undies.

 

[NokiaDude]

20% Windex and 80% water does great for anti-glare treated monitors. It's gentle enough that it's safe to use and it get's rid of streaks and water dots that water sometimes leaves behind.

 

[Phooey]

Endust makes a special amonia-free, oil-free cleaner for electronics that would be suitable for CRTs. The danger of using glass cleaners is that they will leave a "craze" which is like a white haze on your screen.

 

[Dulanic]

Monster Screen Cleaner, works really well for all types of monitors and TVs.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: dullard
I've only purchaced monitors with quality coatings that don't show fingerprints (I didn't go out of my way to get coatings, but they just happened to come with the quality monitors). So about once a year I'll wipe it with a Kleenex tissue to get off dust. I use no other cleaning methods.

At work, some of my coworker's monitors were cheap Trinitrons and they show every fingerprint possible. A dab of water and a tissue works just fine.

That's interesting, because I've always considered NEC monitors to be "high quality" (well, until Packard-Bell bought them). Anyhow, I've seen plenty of NEC monitors, who's coatings definately show fingerprints; indeed, even the slightest moisture or skin oil seems to show, if you look at the surface from an angle.

I would also personally be a bit warey of using "Kleenex"-type tissues, don't those things virtually bleed paper lint all over everything? Every one that I've used seems to disintegrate. I would worry about leaving a trail of lint around the bezel of the monitor.

I've taken (recently), to using a soft micro-fiber cloth, dry, on the monitor screen. and then carefully washing the cloth out with tap water. You can find those pretty cheaply, they sell them for cleaning dust off of CDs. I hope that's an O.K. solution to this problem. I've seen plenty of "monitor wipes", but don't those usually contain alchohol? And from prior posts it seems like that can cut through the anti-glare coatings, right?

For cheapo monitors that only have a plain glass face, I just use water and a cotton cloth, or indeed Kleenex or soft paper towel. (Kleenex first, paper towel last, to wipe up the "lint")

 

[Muse]

I only wash as a last resort. Of course, I try to never touch my screens with my hands. You can usually remove most of the dust on a screen with a short blast of compressed gas such as from Dust-Off (cheap at Costco). To dislodge stubborn particles, a careful and very gentle and spare brushing with a largish soft clean paint brush does wonders. Follow that with aforementioned brief blast of gas and your dust is 99% gone, no washing involved. As I said, I always wash (I do this seldom) with tap water sprayed from a plastic spray bottle and a careful use of cloth provided by Nanao (high end monitor manufacturer). I'm sure a soft cotton cloth would work fine, however. So far, I don't think I've ever had to resort to any kind of solvent, soap, etc. on my monitors.

 

[spongebobfan]

I have always used water and newspaper to clean all of my monitors as well as all mirrors and windows in my house. Try it and you'll never buy windex again Honestly it works wonders...

Sponge

 

[ss284]

Originally posted by: dullard
I've only purchaced monitors with quality coatings that don't show fingerprints (I didn't go out of my way to get coatings, but they just happened to come with the quality monitors). So about once a year I'll wipe it with a Kleenex tissue to get off dust. I use no other cleaning methods.

At work, some of my coworker's monitors were cheap Trinitrons and they show every fingerprint possible. A dab of water and a tissue works just fine.

Im sure i could get a fingerprint to show on this "fingerprint proof" monitor. I've encountered some high end monitors, and they all will show a greasy fingerprint no matter what coating they have on them.

Which monitors are you reffering to?


-Steve

 

[Ken90630]

Something that none of us are considering: The answer could also kinda depend on the air quality where you live. I, for instance, live in middle-class suburbia about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles, and our air quality is typically anywhere from tolerable to poor. Smog blows our way from L.A., San Pedro, Long Beach, etc., where there are a number of industrial areas and a lot more cars. Fortunately, we eventually get some offshore winds from the beach areas that blow the crud away until the next time, but there are days when you can look out a high-rise window and see a thick, brown haze blanketing L.A.

Reason I mention this is that I notice when things have been smoggy, an obvious haze appears on glass -- home windows, car windows, and yes, even my computer screen. I would say I use my Screen Guardian cleaner about 3 or 4 times a year for that reason. Water just smears the hazy stuff around and doesn't really remove it. But for those fortunate enough to live in an area where the air quality is better, I'd guess distilled water and soft cotton cloths would be fine.