How to clean and disinfect your laptop screen

Cleaning a Mac is vastly different from what PC users will have to do when they tackle LCD screens.

Whether you are on a laptop or parked in front of a monitor on your desk, computer screens may be the first thing to get real grimy at your workstation. Dust is a major concern — it can silently coat a computer’s screen or monitor and disrupt the screen’s colors or brightness. You might also have to fight oily fingerprints.

Cleaning a screen requires a bit more of a delicate touch than the rest of your electronics. Avoid Windex or any other glass cleaner, said Carolyn Forte, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab. While it is certainly effective at removing streaks on glass, Forte says using a clean microfiber cloth before and after you attempt to clean your laptop’s screen is the right way to go to remove any streaks or imperfections.

What cleaning product can I use to clean my computer screen? The answer is complicated, as there are hundreds of laptop manufacturers and even more when it comes to monitors, and they all advertise different solutions. Apple updated its advice for its customers in 2020, clarifying that products like Clorox-branded disinfecting wipes are safe to use on their products if used carefully — but some devices, such as the Apple Pro Display XDR, may have their own instructions that are independent of the company’s general advice.

It often comes down to whether glass is part of a laptop’s screen: For Mac users, this is usually the case, but PC models may not have a glass covering over their LCD screens. When in doubt, refer to the user’s manual.

That being said, Forte says most laptops and monitors with glass-protected screens can be wiped down with Lysol disinfecting wipes, which have been readily advertised as safe to use with electronics for years. Since laptops are routinely handled, Forte says you should not aim to completely disinfect your device, as it will not stay disinfected for long.

Here is how to safely use Lysol wipes to sanitize a non-LCD laptop screen:

1. Be sure to unplug the laptop or monitor from its power source and turn it off, if possible

2. Use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe down the screen; remove dust, scuffs and any surface-level fingerprints if possible.

3. Wring out a disinfecting wipe to ensure that it is not oversaturated. Gently wipe down the laptop’s screen once, taking care not to touch any openings (including ports or speakers).

4. Let the screen air dry. If streaks develop, wipe it down once more with a clean microfiber cloth, as this extra friction can help remove more germs, as well as smooth out any streaks.

Can I use water and soap to clean my laptop screen? If you have a PC laptop with a regular LCD screen, you should not use disinfecting wipes because manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard have said active ingredients found in both Clorox and Lysol wipes could damage your screen. The HP customer-support Web page explains why: “Do not use any of the following chemicals or any solutions that contain them: acetone, ethyl alcohol, toluene, ethyl acid, ammonia or methyl chloride,” it reads. “Plastic and glass cleaners containing ammonia may leave a glare-causing film.”

Microfiber cloths are made with specialized fibers that have more surface area to trap dirt, grime and germs, Forte said, and they are better designed with edges to lift bacteria up off the screen. While a dry microfiber cloth cannot disinfect an LCD screen like a Lysol wipe can, using one to wipe down the screen will not put it in danger of damage that cleaners could pose.