How to Clean Computer Monitor | The Safe Way, Step by Step

One wrong move — a spray of glass cleaner, a paper towel, a wet cloth — and you can etch the coating or push moisture into the edges. The actual process takes about five minutes and requires almost nothing you don’t already own. The steps below follow the official guidance from HP, LG, and BenQ, so you never have to guess.

What You Need (And What You Should Never Use)

You only need two things for a routine cleaning: a clean, lint-free microfiber cloth and distilled water. That covers nearly every situation, and it’s what HP and LG both recommend as the baseline approach. If you don’t have distilled water, tap water works in a pinch, though it can leave mineral residue on the screen over time.

What you should keep away from the display surface:

• Paper towels and facial tissue — the fibers scratch the screen’s coating.
• Ammonia-based glass cleaners like Windex — HP explicitly warns against these.
• Alcohol-based cleaners — HP and LG both discourage these on modern displays.
• Acetone or strong solvents — these can permanently damage the screen’s anti-glare layer.

LCD screens get singled out repeatedly in manufacturer guidance as needing extra caution with any liquid. The takeaway: the less liquid you use, the safer you are.

How to Clean the Screen in Five Steps

The process is simple, but the order matters. Here’s the sequence that matches official instructions from HP, LG, and BenQ.

1. Turn off and unplug the monitor. For a laptop, shut it down and unplug the charger. LG specifically says to disconnect from both mains electricity and the connected device. Powering down also makes smudges much easier to see.
2. Remove loose dust with a dry microfiber cloth. Do a light pass across the whole screen surface first. This lifts the grit that could otherwise scratch the screen during the wet pass.
3. Dampen the cloth for stubborn smudges. Use distilled water only. The cloth should be damp, not wet — LG is explicit about this. Never spray liquid directly on the monitor; apply it to the cloth instead. If your cloth is so wet it drips, wring it out.
4. Wipe gently. Use light, one-direction passes or circular motions — BenQ says the pattern doesn’t matter as long as you apply very mild pressure. Don’t scrub. Those fingerprints and dust spots come off with minimal effort once the cloth is slightly damp.
5. Let the screen dry completely before powering back on.

When the screen is dry, check it at an angle to see if you missed any spots. A second light pass with the damp cloth usually handles anything left behind.

How to Handle Stubborn Grime

Dried-on splatter and greasy smudges sometimes resist plain distilled water. For those spots, a 50/50 mix of distilled water and white vinegar on your cloth is a widely used option that several sources permit. Apply the mixture to the cloth, not the screen, and use the same gentle wiping motion.

If you’d rather skip mixing your own solution, a purpose-made screen cleaner designed for LCD and LED displays is a safe alternative — just check the label for ammonia and alcohol. For a list of products we’ve actually tested, our roundup of the best computer monitor cleaner options is worth a look before you buy.

One more thing: the frame, bezel, and stand can tolerate slightly stronger cleaners than the display surface itself. Use a separate cloth for those areas so you don’t transfer any residue back onto the screen.

FAQs

Is it safe to use Windex on a computer monitor?

No. Windex and other ammonia-based glass cleaners can strip the anti-glare coating on modern LCD and LED screens. HP explicitly advises against them. Stick with distilled water or a cleaner made specifically for screens.

Why does my monitor look streaky after cleaning?

Streaks usually mean you used too much liquid, or your microfiber cloth wasn’t clean. The fix: use a fresh dry microfiber cloth and buff the screen lightly in one direction. If streaks persist, you may have left a residue — wipe once more with a barely damp cloth, then dry.

Can I clean my monitor while it’s on?

You shouldn’t. Cleaning a powered-on monitor makes it harder to see smudges and increases the risk of static discharge. Turn it off and unplug it first — that matches the official steps from HP, LG, and BenQ.