Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: PC monitor cleaning

This is topic PC monitor cleaning in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 02-17-2003, 12:25 PM:

What do you use to clean the screen of your PC monitor?

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-17-2003, 12:30 PM:

Windex. [Big Grin]

The coatings on modern CRTs don't seem to be bothered by it at all.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 02-17-2003, 01:10 PM:

I also use Windex. I don't spray it directly on the screen though, I spray it on the paper towel and then wipe the screen, using the paper towel as a wet rag.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 02-17-2003, 01:23 PM:

Ditto.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 02-17-2003, 01:34 PM:

Windex. Spraying it on the cloth avoids drips running down into the works.
Avoid -!!!- using Fantastic on anything glass. It will etch many types of glass, let alone what it might do to the monitor's AR coating.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-17-2003, 01:40 PM:

I agree with the caution not to spray liquid glass cleaner directly on the monitor surface, lest it drip down into the electronics. Some monitor wipes sold for the purpose contain a conductive antistat to minimize attraction of dust to the monitor faceplate. For CRT displays, keep magnets away from the monitor, or you might require a degaussing of the monitor to regain your purity. [Wink]

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-17-2003, 01:44 PM:

I remember "back in the old days" some monitors had an anti-static coating of some kind that was very susceptible to fingerprints, and they didn't like to be cleaned with anything other than a re-application of the same or similar anti-static spray. Modern CRTs seem to do much better -- not much problem with static, and they aren't bothered by careful cleaning with something like Windex.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 02-17-2003, 01:47 PM:

I tend to blast mine with an air duster spray. As has been noted in other threads and contexts, this just moves dust - it doesn't remove it - but it moves it to a location where it can safely be removed with a damp cloth.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 02-17-2003, 02:07 PM:

John said:

quote:
For CRT displays, keep magnets away from the monitor, or you might require a degaussing of the monitor to regain your purity.

That's for sure!!!!

A new demonstration monitor was completely ruined at a retail facility by some little punk who held a powerful magnet next to the screen. The magnet damaged the screen so bad that even normal degaussing could not restore it.

I am also amazed by the people who lean their floppy disks against the monitor. They cannot understand why the disks get corrupt just sitting there when they turn the monitor off and on.

...and then, there was a person who recorded some data on a 5.25-inch floppy, took the disk out of the drive, and stuffed it in his electric typewriter and typed the name of the contents on the disk. He thought the disk was defective when he tried to use it again.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 02-17-2003, 02:18 PM:

We used to have a 16-screen video wall in our lobby. It was my job as projectionist to clean it. In a month it would get a measurable amount of dust built up on the screen. We used to use a screen brush moutned on an extention pole to dust it. But every now and then we would have to get out the 16' ladder and get up there with Windex and paper towels. I was always amazed and horrified as to the amount of dust those CRTs attracted.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-17-2003, 02:24 PM:

TV picture tubes seem to have the problem much worse than computer monitors. I have a 27" Sony Wega flat-screen TV that attracts dust like a magnet.

Posted by John Moriarty (Member # 1153) on 02-17-2003, 04:56 PM:

And what do people use on LCD (or similar) screens?

I normally use a damp soft cloth, and if necesary a touch of washing up liquid. (Too cheap to buy stuff deisgned for purpose.)

John

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 02-17-2003, 08:28 PM:

I position my LCD displays high enough that I can tilt the display downwards a couple of degrees. This way dust never settles on them and I never have to clean them.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 02-18-2003, 12:32 AM:

Spray Windex onto a clean rag or paper towel then wipe the face of the monitor. To keep it cleaner longer I follow this cleaning with a product made for coin operated video game monitors called "Touchdown" by Wildcat Products.

Posted by Matthew Peters (Member # 1495) on 02-18-2003, 01:14 AM:

I use a plain, soft, lens/negative cloth – no chemicals. Always removes fingerprints and dust.

[ 03-10-2003, 04:59 AM: Message edited by: Matthew Peters ]

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 02-18-2003, 03:33 AM:

quote:
And what do people use on LCD (or similar) screens?

Again, air duster spray. But discharged at a 50-60 degree angle to the screen; not straight at it, in order to avoid the risk of any propellant settling on the surface.

Posted by Mike Rendall (Member # 1499) on 02-18-2003, 11:25 AM:

For glass screens, I use isopropyl alcohol or ethanol on a J-cloth, This dissolves the greasy marks and then enables it to be wiped off rather than just spread around. It also isn't detergent based and so should theoretically not mess around with static or smear.

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 02-19-2003, 06:55 PM:

It has been said you can make a solution of water and fabric softner(not much thought) that will help reduce static. The fabric softner contains a chemical that helps reduce static, but for whats its worth, I use whatever glass cleaning product is laying around.

Josh