Clean that screen!

[Wingsley]

I have a late-2013 Core i5 iMac 21.5".

My iMacs display-screen seems to attract lint and dust like a magnet. What is the best and safest way to clean that screen? I've been thinking about getting one of those fingertip spray bottles and filling it with a mixture of tap-water and alcohol. I could spray the screen, then wipe if off with a microfiber cloth. Would that be okay? Too elaborate? Not gentle enough?

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Alcohol will damage coatings depending on the mixture and depending on the soap it could contain harsh detergeants. Don't over think it and just use a thin spray of water & microfiber cloth, Apple states on their website the best way to clean screens if you're curious.

 

[bernuli]

I have a late-2013 Core i5 iMac 21.5".

My iMacs display-screen seems to attract lint and dust like a magnet. What is the best and safest way to clean that screen? I've been thinking about getting one of those fingertip spray bottles and filling it with a mixture of tap-water and alcohol. I could spray the screen, then wipe if off with a microfiber cloth. Would that be okay? Too elaborate? Not gentle enough?

If it just dust I use a soft, dedicated paintbrush to gently wipe dust to the side.

leaving the monitor tilted slight downwards helps prevent dust from landing on the screen. Maybe not possible with iMac.

 

[CooperBox]

I have a late-2013 Core i5 iMac 21.5".

My iMacs display-screen seems to attract lint and dust like a magnet. What is the best and safest way to clean that screen? I've been thinking about getting one of those fingertip spray bottles and filling it with a mixture of tap-water and alcohol. I could spray the screen, then wipe if off with a microfiber cloth. Would that be okay? Too elaborate? Not gentle enough?

This is how I always clean my iMac 27" screen:
i) I 'steal' one of my wife's furniture cleaning dusters which here are called Swiffer. That is the first step to rid the
screen of dust.

ii) Once clear of dust I soak a small chamois leather in distilled water, then wring it out to remove water droplets, then when slightly dampened only, carefully clean the screen ensuring that no water droplets go to the edges, especially the bottom edge of screen. Tap water can be used but often can leave behind traces on the screen especially if your water supply is hard with higher than average mineral deposits.

 

[44267547]

I have a late-2013 Core i5 iMac 21.5".

My iMacs display-screen seems to attract lint and dust like a magnet. What is the best and safest way to clean that screen? I've been thinking about getting one of those fingertip spray bottles and filling it with a mixture of tap-water and alcohol. I could spray the screen, then wipe if off with a microfiber cloth. Would that be okay? Too elaborate? Not gentle enough?

My suggestion?

Use a quality microfiber cloth with a high thread count that is slightly damp, that’s it. [I specifically use like a higher quality auto cleaning microfiber cloth that I would use to detail cars, which won’t leave behind any lint, as the cheaper ones do.] Garbage microfiber cloths like the ones from Target or something, are actually more abrasive and can damage the Oleophobic coating.

If you want to go a step further and use a ‘cleaning solution’, look at Whoosh, that’s the exact product the Apple uses in their stores to clean displays with. But if it were me, I’d go the route that I first suggested.

Edit:

Don’t ever spray any solutions/water directly onto a display. It’s probably like the biggest no-no with any electronic product with displays.

 

[Wingsley]

Okay, I've been busy updating the MacOS on my elderly parents' laptop, so I've been away. Just got the chance to see this thread's progress.

Thanks everyone for the comments.

Here's what I did. (Keep in mind I live in a rural area, so I don't have a Target nearby; Walmart will have to do.)

I went to the Walmart Vision Center (Optometrist and Eyeglasses) and bought a large Zeiss microfiber cloth (very silky in texture; 12" x 16" / 30.5 x 40.5 cm) and an Equate fingertip sprayer bottle (2 fl. oz. / 59 ml) which I filled with clean tap water. This is more than enough to clean this screen. I do like the idea of a Swiffer duster, though. I may get one, but I would have to figure out a container (like a can) to store it in between uses. I screen was dirty; so now my cloth has visible dirt on it. How do you clean one of these things?