Keep Your Computer Repair Bills Down - How to Clean Your Monitor

Believe it or not, January is National Clean Up Your Computer Month!

I didn’t believe it when I read this either, but it’s on the Internet so it must be true, right? Well, it’s not a Federal holiday established by Congress, but it actually is a good idea to clean up your computer regularly.

There are various levels of “cleaning up” where computers are involved, but with a few days left in January, I thought I’d take the time to answer this small, but nagging question…

How can I safely get the dust, smudges and fingerprints off my flat screen monitor?

Although each monitor manufacturer has its own special instructions for cleaning, there are some common guidelines you can use to get your screen looking like new with minimal effort. Don’t use products with ethyl alcohol or ammonia-based products on your screens. Products like Windex can make flat-screen or laptop monitors turn yellow. Instead, just use water to clean grungy surfaces. If water is not enough, you can make your own cleaning solution with one-part vinegar, two-parts water, and two-parts isopropyl alcohol.

Follow these steps for the best results:

Turn off the monitor. This is not required, but it makes the smudges and smears easier to see.
Use a cotton cloth or compressed air to get rid of light dust buildup. Never use a rag or paper towel to wipe the screen since they can scratch the surface.
Lightly moisten your cloth with the cleaning solution. Never spray liquid directly onto your screen.
Wipe the cloth in one direction – from top to bottom. This method will efficiently move the grime and dust to the bottom of the screen where it can be wiped away.

One final guideline to keep your computer repair bill down: never touch or press on your LCD screen with your fingers. This can cause the pixels on your beautiful monitor to burn out.

Just like the outside of your computer, the virtual inside needs periodic cleaning too. Emptying the trash, filtering spam, scanning for viruses and spyware are all tasks that we recommend completing on a regular schedule to keep your desktop and server machines running optimally. At EnvisionIT Solutions, we do this for all our Managed IT clients whose computers we support in Albuquerque, NM as well as their remote workers all over the country. We know technology so you don’t have to!

Happy cleaning up your computer! It feels great right after you finish.

Written By Kevin Gray

Hello! I am the Sales Manager and one of the Senior IT Consultants @ EnvisionIT Solutions. I help our clients envision great technology solutions that help their businesses grow. Let me know if you have any questions. I am an avid outdoorsman who loves fly fishing and camping. I also love sports – soccer, basketball, football….