[ph0ust]

ok, i know this has been hashed out a lot (i even did a search). here is my question.... i've had my 24" mid-07 imac for over a year now and the screen needs a cleaning that goes beyond a light washing with microfiber and water.

correct me if i am wrong, but isn't the front panel glass? and if so, can't a solvent be used safely? i understand that solvents on the screen itself would ruin it, but if the front panel is glass... isn't that a moot point?

thanks for any advice. i really want to clean my imac well, but don't want to ruin it.

[ghporter]

Uncle Steve's guys say don't use any solvents at all. (Reasons are included in the linked article.) I don't know why your screen should need extra tough cleaning though, since it really IS glass and nothing much can stick to it that well.

[tooki]

I've used Formula 409 and Fantastik on LCDs (of all kinds, with and without the front glass) with no ill effects. They're great at cutting through grime, but since they're not glass cleaners, they often leave a hazy film which you then need to clean off separately with water or windex.

That said, microfiber is incredibly good at cleaning stuff off. Sometimes it takes a little elbow grease, but that should do it. What's on it?

[ph0ust]

i live a few blocks from the beach and my office has a south facing window (beach is south). santa ana winds, moisture, dust, whatever.... it all ends up on my screen. i wipe it down with a microfiber cloth but from one day to the next it just gets dirty with little spots.

i'll try water, but like you said it takes a lot of elbow grease and i would rather just wipe it once or twice and have it spotless.

thanks.

[seanc]

Well, if it really glass, why not just use window cleaner? Works well enough on my CRTs.

[MichiganRich]

I'm sitting here in front of my 24" iMac, and I tried some LCD spray cleaner I got from Staples on a little part of it last weekend. It smeared and streaked and I wound up using some water on a scanner wipe to get the residue off. I'm not sure about the "glass" thing... it doesn't react like plain glass and now I'm a little leery of treating it as such again.... just a word of caution

[tooki]

It really is window glass -- I've seen a technician drop one, and it shatters like window glass!

Anyhow, LCD cleaners like iKlear and the stuff you got from Staples are really designed for matte screens -- I believe they contain oils to dissolve fingerprints, which is why those sprays streak terribly on glossy screens (especially ones without a glass front plate).

That said, having cleaned LCDs hundreds of times in my tenure at a store, I observed that most people do not use enough elbow grease with the microfiber, and they tend to use too much spray or water. That combination results in streaking. Increasing pressure and using less spray produces great results on glass-covered LCDs.

So:

• On plain glass-covered glossy LCDs, like the aluminum iMacs, the LCD Cinema, and the unibody MacBook (Pro), use substantial pressure, any microfiber, and sparingly use either water or LCD cleaner if there is dried on stuff. Fingerprints and dust can be cleaned off dry.
  
• On non-glass-covered glossy LCDs (which are all antireflective coated) as well as antireflective coated CRTs, use a spectacularly CLEAN, smooth microfiber with water only. NO LCD cleaners, they streak terribly! This will take moderate pressure. After cleaning with spray, go back with a second smooth microfiber cloth and do a dry polishing.
  
• For antiglare (matte) LCDs, use LCD cleaner and a fluffy microfiber. Light to moderate pressure is sufficient.

With any of these screens, if you have residue on the display that won't come off with the methods above, then use 409 or Fantastik to do a degreasing/cleaning with a paper towel, then proceed as above to remove the haze left from the cleaner.

[ph0ust]

well, i used a new microfiber cloth, soaked in water and basically scrubbed my screen hard for 4-5 minutes. it did clean up, but damn.... it took a lot of pressure on the glass and a lot of time. i guess i'll stick with water and microfiber, but i wish that this could get done with just a little wiping instead of having to treat it like i am polishing silver or something!

thanks for the input everyone.

[ghporter]

One more thing to think about: regular, gentle cleaning may be more appropriate than occasional heavy cleaning... In other words, make a quick cleaning with Windex part of your regular routine, maybe weekly, and that should prevent buildup like you had to work hard to remove. Just a thought...

[tooki]

Originally Posted by ph0ust 

well, i used a new microfiber cloth, soaked in water and basically scrubbed my screen hard for 4-5 minutes. it did clean up, but damn.... it took a lot of pressure on the glass and a lot of time. i guess i'll stick with water and microfiber, but i wish that this could get done with just a little wiping instead of having to treat it like i am polishing silver or something!

thanks for the input everyone.

You don't want a wet microfiber, you want it barely humid. To clean a 24" iMac, I used 2-3 spritzes of water or iKlear and a dry microfiber. That's all it takes. Any wetter and you reduce the friction of the cloth (reducing its cleaning power) and leave streaks.