Do not ever use Clorox, Windex, or Lysol cleaning products on your electronic devices. Smartphone screens should only be cleaned with alcohol-based cleaners, such as lens cleaning wipes you would use to clean your eyeglasses. Another option would be to use a screen cleaner designed to be used on computer screens.
Before we dive into cleaning your screens, let's discuss a few mistakes you should never make when cleaning a smartphone touchscreen. Don't use harsh chemicals, including Windex, disinfectant wipes, diluted bleach, anything with ammonia, or alcohol-based cleaners.
DO use a lint-free microfiber cloth to clean your screens. Even if not initially visible, materials other than soft microfiber cloths (even paper towels) can cause scratches on your phone's screen, which then build up over time.
No, it is not recommended to clean your TV with Windex or any other glass cleaner that contains ammonia. Ammonia can damage the anti-glare coating on the screen and cause discoloration or other damage.
Dampen a new clean, non-abrasive cloth with a disinfectant recommended by the CDC: a household bleach solution (1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water) or Isopropyl alcohol ( 71% to 85% alcohol). Be sure to squeeze any excess liquid off of the cloth. Do not spray the solution directly onto the touch screen.
Alcohol is a solvent and is not recommended for cleaning sensitive touch screens.
Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean your iPhone unless following the instructions for disinfecting your iPhone.
Protect your screen
Do not use rubbing alcohol, paper towels, compressed air, dish soap or vinegar. All of these can damage your phone: Paper towels can scratch your screen, and vinegar could damage its coating. Do not use hand sanitizer on your phone screen, but do sanitize your hands before touching your phone.
Use a Windex® Electronics Wipe to remove fingerprints, grime and other unsavory smudges from the screen, keyboard and plastic casing.
Making this screen-cleaning spray couldn't be easier. Simply combine one part alcohol and one part distilled water in the spray bottle.
If you don't have access to Lysol wipes, a Clorox wipe is okay to use — Apple has updated its advice in the last year to say that Clorox-branded disinfecting wipes and other common disinfectants are safe to use on your phone. Or, you can try a mixture of mild soap and water applied to a microfiber cloth.
Researchers found ten times more bacteria on a phone screen than on a toilet seat or handle. Only 1 in 20 people clean their phone more than twice per year! Clean, Sanitize, and Dry to get rid of real viruses, but to prevent a computer virus, Apply Updates. Use automatic updates and restart at least weekly.
There are many different formulations of Windex. The ingredients vary between products, but they typically contain surfactants, solvents, and dyes. These chemicals are irritating when swallowed and can cause unwanted signs and symptoms including vomiting and abdominal pain.
Toothpaste is a common household item that is often used as a quick and easy solution for removing scratches from phone screens. It is often touted as a solution, but unfortunately, it may not be abrasive enough to remove most scratches effectively.
Alcohol or cleaning products may strip away screen's anti-reflective or anti-glare coatings, leading to permanent clouding on the screen.
Microfibre cloth - Using a cheap microfibre cloth is often the most simple yet effective way to keep electronic screens clean. In circular motions, use the soft fabric to remove any marks without leaving the glass further smudged or scratched.
It's recommended that you wipe the surface of your touchscreen device with a lint-free microfiber cloth to clean it. Not all cloths are suitable for touchscreen devices. Unless it's lint free, it may leave small pieces of fabric or material on your device.
Opt for distilled water instead of tap water to avoid streaks from mineral deposits. For tougher grime or disinfecting, sparingly use a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution. Avoid harsh chemicals like window cleaners and bleach, as they can damage the screen's coating.
Use a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with soap and water. Don't spray cleaners directly onto the device. Avoid aerosol sprays and cleaning solutions that contain bleach or abrasives. Keep liquids and moisture away from any openings on the device.
How to clean an LCD (not glass-covered) laptop screen: If you have a PC laptop with an LCD screen, you should not use disinfecting wipes. Manufacturers, such as Hewlett-Packard, say that active ingredients found in both Clorox and Lysol wipes could damage your screen.
The first rule of screen cleaning is DON'T USE WINDEX! Or any other alcohol or vinegar-based product. The solvents in these products can actually hurt your screens by sapping away moisture and breaking down the plasticized elements of the screen, leading to deterioration of the screen and its frame.
Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75 percent ethyl alcohol wipe, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces.
70% isopropyl alcohol wipe: Apple, Samsung, and Google all recommend using isopropyl alcohol–based cleaning wipes on their devices. Apple also says you can use 75% ethyl alcohol wipes or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.