When it comes to keeping your laptop screen clean, we all know it’s an uphill battle. The simple fact that food, drinks, and greasy hands are never far away, means that the risk of messy splatters and fingerprint smudges is always there.

Here's the right way to clean your laptop computer screen:

1. Make sure your laptop is turned off and unplug the power adapter and battery. Cleaning a screen that's in use can result in permanent damage, so to be on the safe side, shut your laptop down, don't just put it to sleep. Interfering with any pixels while they're still firing could mean big problems for your laptop further down the line. Turning off the laptop will also allow you to see dirt, dust, and grime better because you're working with a dark surface.
2. Get a microfiber cloth. These are made from a type of fabric that doesn't leave lint, in addition to being very soft. If you use a paper towel, toilet paper, T-shirt or another type of cloth, it will leave tiny particles on your screen and could even scratch it. It’s always a good thing to have a microfiber cloth as they’re also  handy for cleaning all sorts of screens and lenses, like smartphones, tablets and cameras.
3. Wipe the laptop screen gently with the cloth. A couple of sweeps with the microfiber cloth should take care of any dust and loose particles clinging to the screen. Make sure to wipe gently, without exerting too much pressure. If you press too hard you could damage the screen.
4. For some of the tougher spots you might need a liquid solution. Lightly spray your microfiber cloth with a small amount of alcohol and ammonia free cleaning solution – just don’t soak it, it’s important to make sure you don’t get it too wet. If you accidentally use too much water, wring the cloth out well until it is only slightly moist. Gently wipe the screen with the microfiber cloth from top to bottom using a circular motion. Never scrub the screen, or you could cause pixel burnout. What not to do: Don’t get carried away spraying too much liquid directly onto the screen of the laptop. This significantly increases your risk of getting water into the laptop’s inner workings, thereby making a short or permanent and expensive damage much more likely. 
5. If you have a second dry microfiber cloth, continue to use that to remove any remaining smudgy oils. It’s important not to let any liquids sit on the screen for too long as this can damage the laptop screen.
6. Something else to be aware of is that the keyboard can also create “stains” on the laptop screen. These are difficult to avoid and even harder to clean away. The best thing to do is to take some preventative steps. To help reduce the stains, consider storing the soft, lint-free cloth that you use to clean the screen inside the laptop, between the keyboard and screen.

 
Some extra tips:

• Avoid getting moisture in any of the ports in the laptop.
• Avoid using an alcohol-based cleaner on your device, as these will damage the protective coating on most touch screens and ruin your device. Do not use regular cleaning supplies on your screen. The only cleaners safe for your screen are the water based or a lab tested cleaner meant for LCD screens. Do not use the following: window cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, dish soap, or soap of any kind for that matter.
• Wiping or cleaning your laptop screen with paper towels or facial tissues isn’t a good idea as these can scratch the surface of your screen. A microfiber cloth really is the only safe way to clean your sensitive laptop screen.
• Unlike paper towels, our gentle microfiber cloths clean the sensitive glass on your laptop, computer or PC without scratching the surface. Unlike other cloths that just spread the dirt around the screen, microfibers attract and remove unwanted greasy fingerprints and dust.
• The liquid and microfiber in all our products can be used for any surfaces, including phones, camera lenses, eyeglasses, TV’s and car touch screens.
• If you’re into weekly house cleaning, add to your routine a light dusting of the laptop screen with a microfiber cloth to prevent dust from building up.

 
About the author:
This post was written by AM Denmark. Established in 1971, over the last 45 years AM has earned its place as a leader in the field of vinyl, hi-fi, computer, touch screen and flat screen TV cleaning. As media consumption has evolved, AM has continued to innovate and adapt to new technologies and devices. AM strives to provide the best and highest quality cleaning products for office and home use. The cleaning liquid in all AM cleaning products is alcohol-free, and safely tested across all screens. It won’t damage your most sensitive gadgets, screens or your skin, even after repeated use.