Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message
Best way to clean monitor without streaks?
Best way to clean monitor without streaks?
any recommendations on cleaning the t42p lcd? everytime I clean it with water, it leaves streaks 
The best stuff I've found so far: Office Depot Screen cleaner
Unbeatable in combination with the soft Kleenex paper towel. There is nothing better for display and glasses, IMHO
Unbeatable in combination with the soft Kleenex paper towel. There is nothing better for display and glasses, IMHO
IBM TP T41p (1.7G/1GB/100GB-7k100/DVD-CDRW/SXGA+/BT)
IBM TP T22 (900/512/40/DVD/CDRW/14")
IBM TP A31 (1.8GHz/512MB/40GB/DVD-CDRW/15" SXGA)
For sale: n/a
WTB: n/a
-
christopher_wolf
- Special Member
- Posts: 5741
- Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2005 1:24 pm
- Location: UC Berkeley, California
- Contact:
Yikes!
Make sure its not alcohol based or you're screen will start turning yellow.
If you want to use anything other than water make sure its specifically suitable for LCD's.
Compare an older laptop with a brand new one and you'll see what i mean. Thats the alcohol reacting with the plastic covering your LCD makes it turn yellow.
Make sure its not alcohol based or you're screen will start turning yellow.
If you want to use anything other than water make sure its specifically suitable for LCD's.
Compare an older laptop with a brand new one and you'll see what i mean. Thats the alcohol reacting with the plastic covering your LCD makes it turn yellow.
6457-5KU (T61p) - Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 200GB HDD, 24x DVD, 15.4" WUXGA TFT, nVIDIA Quadro FX570M, Card Reader, Intel 4965AG, Windows Vista Ultimate
-
Kyocera
- Moderator Emeritus

- Posts: 4826
- Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:00 pm
- Location: North Carolina, ...in my mind I'm going to Carolina.....
- Contact:
Please check here #18. IBM recommends 50/50 isopropyl and water. Been doing that for years with good results.
Also check the documentation that came on board with your thinkpad, one of the highlights of ownership is the great tutorials and extensive user guides.
Also check the documentation that came on board with your thinkpad, one of the highlights of ownership is the great tutorials and extensive user guides.
Ammonia and ammonia based cleaning solutions (Windex, Glass Plus, etc.) are what turn the plastic overlay protective covering on LCDs yellow and brittle, not alcohol.kam_ wrote:Make sure its not alcohol based or you're screen will start turning yellow.
A 50/50 water alcohol solution is specifically prescribed by most LCD manufacturers for cleaning purposes. Lens cleaning solution for plastic lenses is widely available from optometrists and your neighborhood Walmart and is another excellent choice.
ONLY use a 3M microfiber cloth or similar to wipe your display.
Beware cheap paper towels, some of them can have a higher Rockwell hardness than the plastic overlay and will leave innumerable fine scratches.
Regards,
James
5.5K+ posts and all I've got to show for it are some feathers.... AND a Bird wearing a Crown
-
Thane_Bitter
- Freshman Member
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Tue May 11, 2004 9:01 am
- Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Like others, I too use a 50/50 Isopropyl/distilled water mixture, and use a microfibre cloth.
One thing that has not been mentioned yet is never spray or squirt the cleaning solution directly onto the screen, always apply it to the cloth. This keeps the solution from running done underneath the bezel frame, and leaking into the LCD display.
One thing that has not been mentioned yet is never spray or squirt the cleaning solution directly onto the screen, always apply it to the cloth. This keeps the solution from running done underneath the bezel frame, and leaking into the LCD display.
- End of Line -
R31 2656-6FU 1.13GHz, 256MB + 512MB, 80GB 7K2 HDD, Ethernet, Wireless & Modem.
365XD 2625-DEE 100MHz, 24MB, 1.0GB HDD
R31 2656-6FU 1.13GHz, 256MB + 512MB, 80GB 7K2 HDD, Ethernet, Wireless & Modem.
365XD 2625-DEE 100MHz, 24MB, 1.0GB HDD
-
Kyocera
- Moderator Emeritus

- Posts: 4826
- Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:00 pm
- Location: North Carolina, ...in my mind I'm going to Carolina.....
- Contact:
Frequently Asked Questions wrote:
18.) What is the best way to clean my ThinkPad’s LCD? What about the case? Can I just use Windex and a paper towel?
Windex, napkin, and paper towel are big no-no’s. Use a lint-free/micro-fiber cloth and screen cleaning fluid (which is a mix of water and Ethanol). Never spray the cleaner directly onto the screen, always spray it onto the cloth first. You can use the same cleaner for the case, or just a slightly watered cloth. These cleaning supplies are available at Office Depot, Staples and other office/computer supply stores.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
-
W11: Micro$haft are Moving your Files into the Cloud without you knowing!
by RealBlackStuff » Sat Jan 03, 2026 2:23 am » in Windows 10/11/etc. - 5 Replies
- 9504 Views
-
Last post by Saucey
Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:43 pm
-
-
-
Thinkpad without display
by hopgarden53 » Sat Jan 17, 2026 7:09 pm » in GENERAL ThinkPad News/Comments & Questions - 2 Replies
- 3637 Views
-
Last post by dcfbf
Tue Jan 20, 2026 5:19 pm
-
-
- 0 Replies
- 2832 Views
-
Last post by dcfbf
Mon Feb 16, 2026 9:06 pm
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 44 guests






