Cleaning fingerprints off your MacBook screen
Odds are your MacBook screen has more than a few smudges or fingerprints. While it may not seem like a big issue, it isn’t hygienic and doesn’t look professional.
When you clean your MacBook screen you need to avoid certain products; harsh disinfectants and glass cleaners can be especially damaging to your screen. Thankfully, properly cleaning them is extremely fast, cheap and easy.
Using a damp cloth to clean your MacBook Screen
The easiest and most common method for cleaning a MacBook screen is simply using a damp cloth. The only materials required are a soft cloth and water or a screen cleaner.
Before you begin, turn off your device and unplug any power cords or hard drives. This will allow you to clean your device well without potentially damaging any of the plugins.
Next, slightly dampen a lint-free cloth. It is also important to use a soft, lint-free cloth like one made of microfiber. This could be the fabric that came in the box with your MacBook or something similar like a glasses cleaning cloth.
You can dampen the cloth by spraying it with a solution or putting it in water then ringing it out.
It is important to get the cloth damp, but not wet. If it is over-saturated you could potentially drip water into the ports or damage the keyboard.
Finally, use the slightly damp cloth to gently wipe the screen, keyboard and other hard surfaces. Do not get it close to electronic parts like the USB port.
Ideally, wait for the computer to dry before turning the device back on. Alternatively, you can wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth.
If you need an extremely quick clean, simply use a dry microfiber cloth. Then, when you have time to properly clean the screen, you can use the damp cloth method. No matter how fast you need to clean your device, avoid using products that aren’t made for cleaning electronics.
What to avoid when cleaning your MacBook screen
There are many things to avoid when cleaning your MacBook screen. In most cases, dampening a soft cloth with water will be enough.
However, if you want to disinfect your Macbook, avoid using cleaners that aren’t specifically for electronic screens. Specifically, avoid using glass cleaners like Windex. If your glass cleaner specifically says it can be used on devices, quickly check the ingredients for acetone or other potentially harmful materials. Using such cleaners can degrade your screens.
Do not use paper towels, bath towels or other potentially abrasive cloths. Rough materials can damage or leave residue on your screens.
Never spray your devices with cleaners directly. Always spray a cloth then apply them to the screens. This will minimize potential damage to ports and other plug-ins.
Can you use disinfecting wipes to clean your MacBook screen?
You can use some disinfecting wipes to clean your screen, but it isn’t ideal. Some wipes use cleaning agents that slowly damage your screen. Like with other cleaners, be sure to read the list of ingredients.
If you want to disinfect your screen, you should buy or make a solution specifically for electronics. This is important because other cleaners may include acetone, a key ingredient in nail polish remover that is damaging to plastics. If applied to a touchscreen device, acetone can damage the screen’s quality and reduce a device’s ability to sense touch.
The bottom line is if you want to use a wipe to clean or disinfect your screens, get some made specifically for electronics. That will minimize potential damage and still make it easy to keep your devices clean.
How often should you clean your MacBook screen?
How often you should clean your screens depends on how often you use them and what you are cleaning them with. The average person should clean their MacBook screen once a week.
If you need to clean your screen often, it is handy to have a cleaning kit. That way you know you are washing your screens properly.
If you work in an office where other people interact with your devices a lot, it is good to sanitize your screens often. This is also important if you use your electronics when cooking or working with raw food.
If you are worried about your screen getting damaged, you can also get a screen protector that fits your specific device. This is a great option if you have kids or are concerned about blue light.
Cheap or disposable screen protectors that are easy to peel off can also make cleaning especially quick, but they aren’t particularly cheap. It is usually better to get in the habit of cleaning your screen regularly to keep your MacBook free from fingerprints, smudges and spills.
Jackalyn Beck is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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