More often, than not, There are some grease and fingerprints on the screen of our phones and computers. In such instances, what should I do? As a response, I usually tear an alcohol pad and wiped it casually, and the screen looked brand new. In this post, I will be discussing with you the reasons why wiping your phone with alcohol is not ideal
But why do people always say “Don’t use alcohol to clean the computer screen”? There are often netizens who say that after wiping the computer screen with alcohol, the screen is seriously damaged.
Then all kinds of popular scientific theories came out, some said that using alcohol would damage the screen coating, and some said that alcohol would directly corrode the screen.
The Effect of Alcohol On A Computer Screen!
Is alcohol so terrible? Why have I been fine for so long? What if you want to wipe your phone in order to disinfect it? What might actually get broken from alcohol wipe is not the screen, it’s the coating
If you go to the Internet to search “can you use alcohol to wipe the screen”, almost all the articles with the answer “NO” will mention the coating.
To be honest, you may be fine wiping the screen of your phone with alcohol wipes. Little wonder screen protectors come with them. However, it is not recommended to use it on the screen of the computer or TV.
Why are Computer and TVs Screens Specially Coated
For TV and computer screens, in order to avoid reflection and improve the display effect, a layer of “anti-reflective coating“ will be coated on the surface of the screen. However, this coating does not “integrate” with the screen, it “sticks” to your screen like a film.
Here is Why Wiping your Phone with Alcohol is not Ideal
Alcohol, as a good solvent, will indeed damage the soluble coating on the screens, resulting in uneven brightness of the screen and visible coating peeling off. Moreover, non-touch computers and TV screens generally do not have fingerprints, so manufacturers generally recommend that they be wiped gently with a soft cloth dampened with water.
Can You Clean Your Phones’ Screen Safely With Alcohol?
It seems that it is not a big problem not to wipe the computer with alcohol, but as a mobile phone that is often taken out, can it be disinfected with alcohol? As a touch product, mobile phones usually add a “hydrophobic and oleophobic coating” on the surface of the screen to avoid becoming a “fingerprint collector” and affecting use. The current common hydrophobic and oleophobic layer uses fluorine-containing coatings, which are stable and will not react with alcohol.
In the official cleaning guidelines of Huawei and Apple, it is mentioned that alcohol soft cloths and wet wipes can be used to clean the screen.
How to Clean The Screens On Apple Products
- You may wipe the screens of apple products with alcohol,
- You must not spray alcohol directly!
Don’t use alcohol on the computer’s screen as doing so may damage both the rant-reflective coatings as well as the screen. the entire screen can stop displaying normally see the image below.
Hardly will you see any company that would recommend that you spray alcohol or cleaner directly on the screen, not even water! Although the current equipment integration is doing well, and some of them have reached a high waterproof level, this does not mean that you can directly pour alcohol on it.
Spray directly on the screen, and the liquid may flow to the edge seams, thereby infiltrating the inside of the device. Even if it is a waterproof device, the waterproof glue at the seams may be dissolved after encountering alcohol or detergent.
Samsung Recommends Cleaning the Phone’s Screen by Spraying the Cloth
So no matter what screen is cleaned, if you need to use liquid (water, alcohol, detergent, etc.), you should spray the liquid on a clean soft cloth, and then wipe the screen when you gently pinch the cleaning cloth so that no droplets can be squeezed out.
- The problem is only with alcohol,
- You must pay attention to what kind of cloth you use.
What Causes More Damages to The Screen Than Wiping With Alcohol?
You may think that whether you wipe the screen with alcohol or not, your phone will always become more and more “greasy”. The biggest killer for most screen coatings is not alcohol, but friction.
Cleaning guidelines for almost all brands specify what wipes to use for cleaning: Use a soft, lint-free cloth (such as the one that came with your computer when you bought it), and avoid harsh cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items.
In fact, the effect of the screen coating itself will weaken over time. If rough cloth or paper towels are used, even if the screen is wiped directly with clean water, the coating may fall off due to excessive friction.
Your Laptops’ Keyboard Membrance can also damage your screen Coatings
At the same time, for notebook computers, if you use a keyboard membrane, the protruding keyboard membrane will directly touch the screen when the lid is closed. If the material of the keyboard membrane itself is rough, or there are relatively hard dust particles left on it, it will damage the coating. wear and tear.
For new equipment that has just been purchased, excessive cleaning is not required, and it is most important to use a suitable soft cloth for cleaning.
For old equipment, various “repair films” can be purchased online. In fact, it is essential to form a layer of coating on the surface of the screen, but this method does not last long.
If it really affects normal use, you can go to the brand’s official after-sales consultation and apply for replacement services.
Do not wipe it unless necessary!
To put it simply, if it is for cleaning purposes, there is no need to use alcohol. Just use a soft cleaning cloth to wipe the screen. If necessary, you can wet the soft cloth and squeeze it dry until it does not drip.
How to Disinfect Your Phone Safely!
For the purpose of disinfection, both Huawei and Apple have stated that alcohol pads can be used to wipe and disinfect the screen of the mobile phone, but it is necessary to prevent alcohol from entering the pores.
At the same time, please do not use alcohol if there is a leather back cover.
Links To Recommended Cleaning Methods For Various Manufacturers
By the way: Computers, TVs, and other large-size screen products are more stringent in the pursuit of visual effects, and the coatings used by each company are different. You need to refer to official documents or customer service consultations. (e.g. Apple’s nano-textured glass display can only be cleaned with the polishing cloth that came with the Pro Display XDR or iMac )
- Apple: How to clean Apple products https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204172
- Samsung: How to Clean a Galaxy Phone? https://www.samsung.com/en/support/mobile-devices/how-do-i-clean-my-galaxy-phone/
- Nokia: How to safely clean and disinfect a Nokia phone?
- OnePlus: Clean up dust and dirt on your phone
- Dell: Maintenance items for monitor LCD screen
- Lenovo: How to clean the computer display references
- https://news.samsung.com/global/tips-for-keeping-your-smartphone-clean
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