best cleaner for car lcd screen free sample
All of us have a tendency to treat the driver"s seat as our personal throne. That"s where we"re in our element, so we get comfortable—and complacent. Whether our fingers were last tapping on our phone screen, grasping the handle of a wrench, or carefully unwrapping a half-melted Hershey bar, we all tend to jump in, tune the radio, adjust the AC, and set a destination on the nav screen—all without first washing our hands.
And if you have a family? Other drivers use the car and its touchscreen, too. Of course, kids can"t resist touching any kind of screen, ever, and who knows where those tiny fingers have been? All parents have swiped their car"s touchscreen and felt... mystery muck. Yuck.
Touchscreens are likely one of the dirtiest, most germ-covered surfaces of any automobile. Sure, your dash gets dusty and your floorboard accumulates (a disturbing amount of) trash. However, it"s that dash-mounted screen that gets the most fingers, and therefore germs, on it.
Not necessarily. Many typical household glass cleaners contain either ammonia or alcohol. Most manufacturers recommend avoiding harsh chemicals on touchscreens, as they can affect functionality and perhaps damage the surrounding dashboard.
Sure, it"s cheaper and easier to use plain ol" Windex or Glass Plus, mainly because you"ve probably already got that stuff. Despite the temptation, though, you should avoid using household glass cleaner on your car"s touchscreen unless you"re positive the one you"re using contains neither ammonia nor alcohol. Besides, you may already own a great screen cleaner and not realize it.
Many modern automotive detailing products, including Chemical Guys Interior Cleaner and Meguiar"s Total Interior Detailer, are safe and effective to use on your car"s touchscreen. Read the label to be sure.
The fact is, there"s an even less expensive method to clean your car"s touchscreen, no products required—except a microfiber towel. (Again, you want to avoid scraping dust particles across the surface of your touchscreen to prevent scratches, so always use a clean microfiber towel.)
Many of the experts and gearheads in our Hearst Autos test garage told us they rarely use any kind of cleaner on their personal touchscreens. Up and down the line, those who saw us testing and photographing screen cleaners—we"re talking about people whose opinions we trust and whose bylines our readers know and respect—told us that whenever they get behind the wheel, they just drip a bit of water onto a clean microfiber towel, and wipe. Done.
As a parent, however, I"m left asking the question: Will a simple water wipe eliminate germs in the family SUV? Yeah, no. Sorry, but knowing my children, and the impressive but disgusting level of filth they can achieve, I"m going to use a cleaning agent on my car"s touchscreen.
To get to the bottom of whether car screen cleaners were truly necessary, we used a very scientific methodology. That is, we got our fingers and hands dirty, and touched the heck out of a screen in a test vehicle in the Hearst Autos stable. We let it dry for a while, and then cleaned it according to the product"s instructions. We did that five times.
We first made sure all the products did the job they claimed to do—and they all did. The wipes left droplets on the screen, which required a second wipe with a microfiber. But they all cleaned the chocolate and grease off the screen, leaving it clean and clear.
While using, we looked for any greasy film or residue left behind. We also considered any particularly strong odors, and took note of cleaners that left residual streaks. Most did, but all came away clean with a soft buff—that is to say, a few more gentle wipes with the microfiber towel.
Word to the wise: Don"t discount a screen cleaner because it leaves streaks on your screen. Take your time and do it right. We noticed far too many people online complaining that the product they used wasn"t some sort of magical solution that cleaned perfectly with just one wipe. All screen cleaners—all glass cleaners, really—will streak unless you take the time and care to give the surface a soft buff at the end of the process.
With a combined 206 years of automotive publishing experience, Hearst Autos—Car and Driver, Road & Track, and Autoweek—knows cars better than just about anyone. The Gear Team is committed to delivering honest evaluations, hands-on tests, and product reviews driven by decades of knowledge and experience. We get our hands on almost every product, tool, and piece of gear we feature.
If we can’t get our hands on the gear, we rely on the combined wisdom of our writers and editors, as well as auto experts we trust. We’ll never say anything is “the best” if we wouldn’t recommend it to our friends or buy it ourselves, and we won’t claim we’ve tested something if we haven’t. Learn more about our product testing here.
Through the car touch screen, also known as the infotainment screen or itouch screen, we enjoy a lot of advantages such as music playing, GPS navigation, voice recognition, etc.
You wouldn’t want such a precious thing to get damaged or destroyed, so it’s a must to take proper care of it, including observing the proper way of how to clean your car touch screen.
To clean it, it must be turned off, gently wiped with a microfiber cloth sprayed with a cleaner in an up and down motion, and wiped dry with another clean microfiber cloth.
Since the touch screen is delicate, cleaning it should be done with caution. And that includes using the right materials for the task to avoid causing any damages. So make sure to prepare the right materials for cleaning itouch screen, which are listed below:
The soft texture and non-abrasiveness of a microfiber cloth make it the best type of cloth to use when cleaning touch screen in car. With it, you can gently clean the car touch screen without leaving any scratches. You will need one for cleaning the car touch screen with a cleaner and another for wiping the surface.
Avoid materials like paper towels and cotton rags, as they’re highly abrasive and won’t do well in lifting the dirt from the car touch screen. Another thing to avoid is alcohol-based wipes, as they are damaging to touch screens, can leave streaks, and aren’t very soft.
A car touch screen can be cleaned with only the use of distilled water. Just distilled water would be enough for cleaning off the fingerprints and dirt on a car touch screen. Avoid tap water, as it can leave some residue from its minerals.
If there are stubborn grease, splatters of soda, or other accumulated deposits on your car touch screen, you can make use of an alcohol-and-ammonia-free cleaning solution.
Do not clean touch screen with alcohol or ammonia-containing products like household windows or kitchen cleaners, as they can damage the car touch screen. Other things you should avoid to not damage the car touch screen are solvents, kerosine, gasoline, acidic and alkaline solutions.
Or, you can make a DIY car touch screen cleaning solution. You can create one by combining equal parts of distilled vinegar and water. The vinegar’s acidity will dissolve the oils, sugar, and protein on the car touch screen’s surface, which will allow you to wipe them off more easily.
The steps in cleaning the car touch screen are very easy to do. Just remember to execute them with caution to avoid damaging it. Do the following steps with care:
Before you clean touch screen in car, you must turn it off first. You should never clean the car touch screen when it’s on because that would interfere with the pixels. Also, with the car touch screen off, you’ll be able to see the dirt and oils much better on the dark surface.
Spray the cleaning solution on a microfiber cloth for cleaning the car touch screen. If the oils and dirt on the surface aren’t too much or stubborn, then distilled water would work just fine. But if its surface is too filthy and with stubborn oils and dirt, then you need to use the commercial cleaner or the vinegar and water cleaning solution.
While there are different options for the cleaner, the best way to clean touch screen would be to lightly spray the cleaner on the microfiber cloth and gently wipe the car touch screen in an up and down direction.
You should not spray the cleaner on the screen directly, exert too much pressure on it, and pick off the stubborn debris with your fingernail, as doing these can damage it.
Or you may also wipe the screen in a side to side manner if you have a wider screen. Don’t wipe the screen in a circular motion, as it’s not as effective in cleaning.
After you’ve cleaned the car touch screen with a microfiber cloth and cleaner, wipe it again with a clean, dry microfiber cloth to dry it. Use the same wiping direction as you did in the previous step, either up and down or side to side.
How to clean your car touch screen is a super easy three-step process, and it can even be done with readily-available things at your home. However, if done wrong, the screen could get damaged. So always make sure to do it carefully.
How did you find this tutorial? If you liked it, kindly tell us in the comments section. And it would be great if you would pass the information on to other car owners by sharing this article.
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Friends! I don’t know about you but it’s so easy for me to forget just how dirty our phones can get! I started being more conscious of this because Luca loves looking at pictures and videos of himself on our phones and his little hands are all over them. Did you know that the average phone is 10x dirtier than a public restroom!?
Like most people, my cell phone is one of my most used belongings. I use it for working, taking videos and August loves taking a million selfies. But did you know that the average cell phone is 10x dirtier than a public toilet seat?! But we put it on our face, and our kids handle it daily!
A question I get asked all the time are tips for taking/editing photos. While I’m no professional, one extremely easy tip that makes the BIGGEST difference in capturing a pretty photo is keeping your phone and phone lens clean ✨✨ Our phones are on average 10x dirtier than a public bathroom so it’s no surprise that they need a lot of cleaning.
From the television to the computer to the tablets, screens and monitors are all around your house. As more and more devices move into the touch-screen mode, you may very well find you’re frequently cleaning TV screens and computer monitors. While you may be quick to grab some paper towels, glass cleaner and start wiping away, stop and ask yourself this: is this the best way to clean this screen? There are many different considerations for cleaning the screens and monitors in your house. Here’s a closer look at what you need to know.
Most of the TVs found in homes today have flat screen monitors and are quite different compared to screens on older models. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) TVs of the past (like the big 1980s-style sets you may recall) had a thick glass screen that was relatively safe to wipe clean with paper towels and window cleaner. Not so with today’s flat screen models. Much of what’s on the market today has a liquid crystal display, or LCD, monitor that produces images. LCD televisions are also thinner and lighter than CRTs.
The make-up of an LCD monitor or screen, however, features a special type of material that is sensitive to chemicals, such as a glass cleaner. Likewise, a plasma display panel (PDP) is made with small cells that contain electrically charged ionized gases—the plasmas.
One of the most important steps to remember is to turn the device off before you begin cleaning. When the screen is dark it will be easier to see the dirty areas. Keep in mind that using harsh chemicals on these screens could ultimately damage or even ruin the television or computer. And it’s not just the cleaners you need to be aware of; kitchen towels or paper towels could also cause scratches and leave the screens covered in lint.
Knowing and understanding how to clean your screens and monitors can help ensure you’re able to use and enjoy your devices for years to come. Here are a few suggestions for properly cleaning these specialty screens.
Probably one of the most important considerations is to never spray any type of cleaning fluid or even water directly onto the screen. While the old CRT screens were pretty much water-tight, the same can’t be said for today’s modern screens. Screens today are made of layers upon layers of glass, plastics, various display elements, and other materials. When liquid comes in contact with the screen’s edge it can be pulled in, like a capillary, to the layers. Once this happens, you will likely notice something that looks like a blob on your screen, and the liquid will most likely never evaporate without leaving some remaining damage.
You may think that grabbing the bottle of glass cleaner you already have on hand is fine for cleaning screens and monitors. But think again. Using many of these common cleaning products can end up causing serious damage. Ammonia-based cleaners (such as traditional window cleaning spray), for example, could cause a chemical reaction with the coating on the screen or cause clouding. Some electronics stores sell specialty cleaners for use on screens, but you can also make cleaning solutions at home. One option is to combine equal parts of water and vinegar for a homemade cleaning product. But don’t spray anything directly onto the screen. Instead, spray the solution onto a lint-free cloth and gently wipe the surface.
Responsible for performing installations and repairs (motors, starters, fuses, electrical power to machine etc.) for industrial equipment and machines in order to support the achievement of Nelson-Miller’s business goals and objectives:
• Perform highly diversified duties to install and maintain electrical apparatus on production machines and any other facility equipment (Screen Print, Punch Press, Steel Rule Die, Automated Machines, Turret, Laser Cutting Machines, etc.).
• Provide electrical emergency/unscheduled diagnostics, repairs of production equipment during production and performs scheduled electrical maintenance repairs of production equipment during machine service.
But, not everything gets the attention it needs when it comes to cleanliness.It"s essential that we clean ourtouchscreens as much as we clean our hands.
4. Use your best judgment and clean your screens as often as you feel is necessary to protect yourself your employees and prevent the spread of disease.
Do you remember the last time you cleaned the screen of your smartphone or tablet?If the answer is never or you can"t remember, you may want to keep reading.
You travel to work, visit a restaurant or two, a few stores, a gym or fitness center, your local library, and maybe to and from a school or daycare with your children.
Unless you"re washing your hands every time before and after touching your phone, tablet, or laptop screen, any bacteria or germs that may be on your hands can spread to that surface.
When business is booming, it"s unreasonable to ask cashiers, wait staff, bartenders, managers, or anyone else who may use the POS system to wash their hands before touching the screen every time.
Don"t use harsh chemicals, including Windex, disinfectant wipes, diluted bleach, anything with ammonia, or alcohol-based cleaners. We know that kitchen cleaners are readily available, but it can truly cause harm. Only use a small amount of water on a damp cloth, you don"t want excess liquid. You can purchase cleaning solutions, but these are not necessary.
Don"t use abrasive cloths, paper towels, or tissue paper that can easily scratch the touchscreen. Scratches may be minor, but they can worsen over time, damaging and dulling the screen. Use microfiber cloths instead, which are specially designed to clean sensitive surfaces. We"ll talk more about this later.
Don"t press too hard while cleaning the screen and damage your device. Use light continuous wiping to avoid permanent damage to the screen"s functionality.
Let"s start with your POS system. To effectively clean and disinfect these screens, you"ll first need to make or purchase a cleaning solution consisting of 80% alcohol and 20% water.
Spray your cloth with the cleaning solution. DO NOT spray the cleaning solution directly on the screen. The liquid concentration could soak between the thin layers and cause black spots to appear on the screen.
With a circular motion, gently wipe the screen surface to remove any dirt or residue from the glass. Using a circular motion can help prevent streaking.
As for personal devices, how often you clean these will depend on your habits. For example, if you have recently been around someone coughing or sneezing, clean your device right away.
The screen for the navigation and audio system in your is more than likely a "Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display" (TFT LCD), which is very similar to the screen in a laptop computer. It not only uses advanced micro-technology to operate, it"s also coated to minimize glare and remain sharp and vivid almost all the time.
Make sure the screen in your car is turned off - you don"t want to interfere with any pixels while they"re still firing. Turning off the screen will also allow you to see dirt, dust, and grime better because you"re working with a dark surface.
Find your microfiber cloth. These soft, dry cloths are the same type of cloth you would use to clean your smartphone, eyeglasses or tablet. They"re perfect for the LCD screens in cars because they’re non abrasive. A high quality microfiber cloth will work efficiently when dry to clean most screen dirt and dust.
What not to do: You don’t want to use paper towels or old cotton rags because these can scratch your screen. These materials are both highly abrasive, and neither will be particularly good at lifting dirt from the screen’s surface. If you use one of these, your monitor will still be kind of dirty, and you run the risk of scratching or leaving behind lint particles.
Gently wipe the screen with the microfiber cloth from top to bottom using a circular motion. Try not to press too hard as this can damage your LCD screen. Continue to use the microfiber cloth to remove any remaining smudgy oils.
If you have a lot of dirt or any other tough sort of build up on your device, then you’ll probably need to use something more than a dry cloth. Spray your microfiber with a small amount of ammonia and alcohol free screen cleaning solution. Ordinary household window or kitchen cleaners, should never be used, as the alcohol or ammonia in the cleaner will damage the screen.
Avoid getting moisture in any ports on the car’s dashboard and don’t let the cleaning solution sit on the multimedia or satellite navigation screen for too long.
Do not wipe or clean your touch screen with paper towels or facial tissues, as these can scratch the surface. Using a microfiber cloth is the only safe way to clean your touch screen.
Unlike paper towels, our gentle microfiber cloths clean the sensitive glass on your touch screen without scratching the surface. The microfiber attract and removes unwanted oils and dust, whereas other product simply spread them around.
This post was written by AM Denmark. Established in 1971, over the last 45 years AM has earned its place as a leader in the field of vinyl, hi-fi, computer, touch screen and flat screen TV cleaning. As media consumption has evolved, AM has continued to innovate and adapt to new technologies and devices. AM thrives to provide the best and highest quality cleaning products for office and home use. The cleaning liquid in all AM cleaning products is alcohol-free, and safely tested across all screens. It won’t damage your most sensitive gadgets, screens or your skin, even after repeated use.
This is the ultimate guide to properly cleaning your flat-screen television without scratching it or causing any potential damage. Included in this guide will be the best cleaning techniques, as well as the ideal products to accomplish a brand-new appearance on your TV. This guide is full of must-have knowledge for absolutely anyone who wants their television to remain in pristine condition. As a bonus, this guide will also provide you with a detailed explanation and instructions on how to clean your TV remote control.
Nowadays, most televisions are manufactured with a soft plastic screen. As a result of this, TV screens are delicate and can be easilydamagedif cleaned with an improper solution or technique. Accidentally using the incorrect product on your television could result in permanent damage, such as fogging, discoloring, or scratching.
When cleaning a television screen, two different techniques work extremely well. The first technique focuses on spraying down a microfiber cloth and wiping the Televisions screen. Alternatively, you may spray a minimal amount of non-ammonia based cleaner onto the TVs screen and gently wipe it away. These two techniques are proven safe and will not result in any permanent damage to your TV’s screen, as long as you follow the necessary detailed instructions when performing the cleaning.
Certain products and items you never want to use on the screen of your TV since they will cause permanent damage. When gearing up to perform a television cleaning, you will want to avoid using regular tap water, wood-based wipes, isopropyl alcohol solution containing more than 50% alcohol, regular Windex, or any cleaners that are ammonia-based.
Many products that are not made specifically for cleaning electronics will harm your television. If regular tap water is used on the television screen, a visible residue will appear after the water has dried. Instead of utilizing tap water, you may choose to use distilled water combined with a microfiber cloth. The combination of distilled water with the microfiber cloth will cause any dust on the screen’s surface to cling to the damp cloth. Distilled water will also ensure that the anti-reflective coating on your TV’s screen does not become worn-out.
Though Windex is a common go-to product for cleaning many devices and appliances, using it on a television screen can cause permanent damage. The reason behind this is because Windex is an ammonia-based cleaner. Ammonia-based cleaners may cause a chemical reaction between the ammonia-based cleaner and the coating on the Televisions screen or cause clouding.
It is essential to avoid the use of any wood-based cleaning wipes on a TV screen. Wood-based cleaning wipes include paper towels, Kleenex tissues, along with any similar products. If wood-based wipes are used on the TV’s screen, there is a strong possibility that you would be left with a multitude of visible, permanent scratches on the screen. The reason why the scratching often occurs is how rough the fibers of these products are combined with how soft the screen on the TV is.
You have a few technique options to choose from when preparing to clean a TV screen. A 50% isopropyl alcohol-based spray, also known as a lens cleaner, is a simple option that many lean towards. When using an isopropyl alcohol spray, you will want to pay close attention to the level of alcohol in the spray and be sure to avoid any alcohol-based sprays that contain more than 50% alcohol, as this will over-dry the television screen.
When choosing to utilize the lens cleaner technique, you will also want to use a clean, soft microfiber cloth that does not shed any fibers. If the microfiber cloth does shed fibers, you will find that sometimes after you’ve already cleaned the TV, you have to clean it again. This is due to the small static electricity charge produced when wiping the TV’s screen, which will attract the fibers of a microfiber cloth.
Optionally, specific products are intended for use on electronics that are extremely gentle as they do not contain ammonia or alcohol. Windex makes a special electronics cleaner that works phenomenally and is highly recommended. Additionally, the product “Screen Mom” is specially formulated for televisions and is also a fantastic product.
If the television is not dirty but has acquired a collection of dust particles on the surface, compressed air may be the best option for this job. Using compressed air will inevitably eliminate the worry of causing potential damage to the screen since there is no possible way to damage the television with air. Compressed air is an easy, inexpensive, and fast way to clear any dust from the television, leaving the TV appearing brand-new.
The first option entails simply spraying the microfiber cloth down with the cleaning solution and using that to wipe the television screen. If this is the method that is chosen, you will want to be cautious of the amount of solution used. Ideally, the cloth should only be slightly damp after you’ve sprayed it down.
Accidentally applying too much solution onto the microfiber cloth and using the excessively wet cloth on the TV screen may result in permanent damage. When too much cleaning solution is applied to the TV screen, the cleaner tends to run down the screen into the bezel and any other nearby electronics.
Alternatively, you may mist the TVs screen directly with a small amount of the cleaning solution that you’ve chosen. Immediately after misting the screen, you will want to gently wipe away the mist with a microfiber cloth. If this is the option that you would like to utilize, be sure to be extremely careful to not spray too much cleaner onto the television – as this may drip onto the bezel along with any other nearby electronics very rapidly, resulting in permanent damage.
IMPORTANT: When wiping a television screen with any wipe, be sure to be gentle, and refrain from applying any excessive pressure. Applying too much pressure on the screen will result in distorted pixels.
Where can you purchase inexpensive microfiber wipes and ammonia-free cleaners? Both microfiber wipes and ammonia-free cleaners are commonly found at your local big-box stores such as Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, and the Dollar Tree.
Microfiber cloths are commonly located in the automotive aisle of any big box store, and the lens cleaner can often be found bundled in kits for eyeglasses. Alternatively, Amazon possesses an extensive assortment of microfiber wipes and appropriate cleaning solutions that can be shipped directly to your door.
Recent studies from multiple universities have confirmed that the TV remote is the single dirtiest item in a typical home and is a hotbed for bacteria and viruses.
When performing a deep clean on your TV remote, all you need when performing a deep clean is rubbing alcohol, also known as isopropyl alcohol, which comes in a solution or a spray cleaner. Typically, you’ll find this at your local grocery, pharmacy, or hardware store as a 50% water and 50% isopropyl alcohol mixture. Combine this with a clean toothbrush, q-tips, and a microfiber cloth.
The television screen is what everyone sees first, but don’t forget these other key areas, not to mention the area around your unit. “It can also help to clean the furniture and carpets around the TV to prevent dust and hair from getting into it,” says Williams.
The remote control is handled regularly. This is the one time when harsh chemicals can be used sparingly. Follow the manufacturer owner’s manual instructions first, but if sanitizing is needed, use a cleaner that’s at least 70 percent alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations. (Basic drugstore isopropyl alcohol works well for this.)
Start the remote control cleaning by removing the batteries. As with the TV screen recommendations, you’ll want to avoid spraying directly onto the surface, as this could cause the device to malfunction. Dampen a clean microfiber cloth and rub gently on the top and the underside of the remote control. For hard-to-reach gunk that’s jammed between the buttons, try a cotton swab dipped in a small amount of the cleaning solution. Make sure to let it dry thoroughly before replacing the batteries and using it again.
When figuring out how to clean a TV screen, selecting the safest cleaning solution is key, but it’s also important to know what cleaning products to avoid. Keep in mind that not only should you skip cleaning with certain products, you should also avoid spraying them in close proximity to the TV.
In terms of what to use, Samsung recommends “monitor cleaner only” (also called TV screen cleaner). Panasonic suggests “one part mild liquid dish soap diluted by 100 times the amount of water.” To make this cleaning solution, add a scant teaspoon of liquid dish soap to two cups of water, stirring well to dissolve.
Williams likes TV cleaning kits for their ease of use. “A TV kit will be your safest option for cleaning a TV,” he says. “These kits will come with everything you need to get your TV looking new, like screen-cleaning solvent and a fast-drying microfiber cloth.” You can find TV cleaning kits and cleaning products designed for flat-screen TVs at electronics stores or on Amazon.
Some people swear that only distilled water is useful as cleaning spray for their delicate electronics. Although Williams does not necessarily recommend using distilled water, if you know for a fact you have hard water in your area, you may want to try the distilled water route and see if you notice a difference. Hard water, which has high levels of calcium and magnesium, may leave a film or residue when it’s used for cleaning. Before you spray water to clean TV screens, try experimenting with tap water on a less-important screen, like an old cell phone, to assess the results.
If you can picture the hulking tube TVs (also known as CRTVs) of yore, you may also remember how delightfully easy they were to clean—a few spritzes of window cleaner and some wipes with paper towels and you were good to go—no special microfiber cloth required. But modern TVs with fancier technologies like LCD, OLED, and plasma call for gentler techniques. “Avoid using chemicals like alcohol, ammonia or acetones when cleaning your TV. These cleaners were safe to use for previous generations of TVs with glass panels, but as the hardware changes with time, the cleaning methods do too,” says Williams. Since some multi-purpose and glass cleaners are made with ammonia, skip the Windex.
Modern TVs are often smart TVs but the cleaning tips are the same as the ones for LCD, OLED and plasma TVs. The microfiber cloth is your TV screen’s best friend. “The majority of TVs you purchase today will be smart TVs, and the cleaning process is the same as TVs without smart capabilities,” Williams says.
Before you start, power-off and unplug your monitor. Spray the cleaning solution on a soft cloth (for example an old T-shirt), lint-free microfiber cloth, or some other very soft cloth. A large cloth is best, since it will help reducing the risk of leaving streaks across the display from finger pressure.
Starting from the top, wipe the screen in one direction until you have cleaned the entire screen. Apply light, but distributed pressure. Repeat if necessary. Let it air dry.
NASHVILLE – Nissan is offering tips on how to disinfect your vehicle as we aim to stop the spread of COVID-19. Frequent hand washing as directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a crucial part of staying healthy, but so is disinfecting surfaces, including those in your car.
"Most people are still using their vehicles, whether they are essential employees commuting to work or someone running to the grocery store while in quarantine," said Ryan Fulkerson, director, New Model Engineering, Nissan North America. "We want to make sure they"re informed on how to best keep their vehicle disinfected."
The CDC recommends wearing disposable gloves for cleaning and then disinfecting surfaces. If a surface appears dirty, it should be wiped down with soap and water prior to disinfection. For vehicle interiors, a soft or microfiber cloth dampened with soap and water can be used to wipe down hard surfaces.
While most common household disinfectants are effective, some are not ideal for use on a vehicle including bleach, hydrogen peroxide, benzene, thinners or other harsh and abrasive cleaners. These chemical products can damage your vehicle"s upholstery and/or interior surfaces. Instead, alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70% alcohol* are effective against the coronavirus according to the CDC, and can be safely used in your vehicle.
The infotainment screen is tricky because it"s a high-touch area that should not come in contact with aggressive cleaners. Use screen wipes or a soft cloth dampened with soap and water to clean the screen surface. Wipe dry with a clean, soft cloth. Ammonia-based cleaners should not be used on infotainment screens, as they can damage the anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings. If the vehicle is equipped, using voice commands can help avoid touching the center screen altogether.
In North America, Nissan"s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution, and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.comand www.infinitiusa.com,or visit the U.S. media sites nissannews.com and infinitinews.com.
*While Isopropyl alcohol is safe for use on most surfaces, it should be used with care and with a microfiber cloth to avoid damage. If you are unsure about which solutions are safe to use on your vehicle’s interior, see Owner’s Manual for instructions regarding proper care and maintenance of your vehicle, or consult your local Nissan dealership’s service team.
Pre-moistened and ready-to-use, Weiman"s wipes remove dust, fingerprints and other greasy smudges and smears without any harsh ingredients that could damage delicate screens — all reasons that helped them earn our Good Housekeeping Seal. In our Cleaning Lab tests, they were well-sized to use on large and small devices, worked quickly and cleaned well. Screens dried fast and without any excess moisture, streaks or residue left behind. We also like using Weiman pre-moistened wipes to remove grime from keyboards and for spot cleaning, too.
If you want a basic cloth to wipe away greasy smudges and film on everything from your phone to your laptop to your television screen, opt for E-Cloth. Made of microfiber, it picks up and locks in dust and dirt particles within its microscopic structure without scratching the surface and without the need for liquids, so it"s a safe bet for any device. And thanks to its large 8-inch by 12-inch size, there are thousands of tiny crevices for trapping particles, so it can handle multiple cleanings before it needs rinsing or washing. For devices that can withstand moist cleaning, the E-Cloth can be dampened before wiping for even better results. We have tested many E-Cloth microfiber cleaning cloths in the GH Cleaning Lab on glass, appliances and countertops and we are big fans.
Insignia, Best Buy"s private label brand screen cleaner is a consumer favorite. While we haven"t tested this spray ourselves, consumers praise it for cleaning all types of screens quickly and thoroughly and without damage. Most say it zapped streaks well and give it points for including a washable microfiber cloth — though a bit small — that can be stored neatly with the spray under the cap. Handy for homes with lots of screens to clean, the 5-ounce bottle of cleaning solution goes a long way when you spray the cloth, then wipe.
This ingenious little tool from OXO is super handy to keep in a desk drawer or nearby your desktop.Pop off the plastic cover and use the microfiber pad to zap a smudge, fingerprint or speck of stuck-on dirt that"s blurring your screen. The soft-bristle brush gets gently into crevices, ports, openings and between and around keys to whisk away crumbs and dust. When done, just snap the cover back on and retract the brush to keep it clean and in good shape.
If you have experience with high-end cameras, binoculars or microscopes, you likely recognize the Zeiss brand. With a long history in high-quality lenses, Zeiss knows how to clean delicate surfaces without damaging them. These pre-moistened, disposable wipes are individually wrapped so they stay clean, fresh and moist until you open the package. Easy to tuck into a purse, pocket, car console, desk or drawer, the wipes remove fingerprints and greasy smears without leaving behind any filmy residue that needs additional buffing. They can be used to clean eyeglasses, too.
There are lots of devices that use UV-C light and claim to kill bacteria and germs on surfaces. While it"s difficult to determine just how effective they are without the assistance of a microbiology lab, there are some things about the PhoneSoap Pro that impressed us enough to include it here. In conversations we had with the manufacturer, we learned that thePhoneSoap Pro is EPA-registered, though it"s not required to be. EPA registrations are something we look for on all the germ-killing cleaning products we test,and it provides the assurance that the claims are verified.
In our testing, we found the PhoneSoap Pro easy to use. It cleans both sides of your phone at once in just five minutes, shuts off automatically and allows you to charge your phone while it"s being cleaned. You can also use it for sanitizing small items like eyeglasses, keys and credit cards. While it kills germs, it doesn"t remove grease or smudges, so you"ll need to wipe your device with a cloth before or after sanitizing.
Toddy Gear microfiber cloths are a GH Cleaning Lab favorite not only for how hefty and durable they are, but also for their dirt-trapping dual-sided cleaning and polishing fabrics. These colorful cloths are perfect to stash in a purse, glove box or briefcase for whenever you need to spruce up electronic screens or your car"s infotainment center. The 5-inch by 7-inch cloth neatly folds down into its own little pouch so it stays clean, and it"s machine washable and dry-able if it ever gets overwhelmed with dust.
A consumer favorite with over 7,700 five-star reviews on Amazon, Whoosh claims to be the screen cleaner of choice at Apple stores. In our experience, it leaves screens squeaky clean and shiny in seconds with no hard-to-remove residue. The small spray is great to tuck into a purse while the larger one stays in a desk drawer or TV stand. The microfiber cloths are 6 inches square, washable and perfect for phone, tablet, laptop and desktop screens. As with all liquids, we recommend spraying the cloth before wiping. Never spray a screen directly.
When we test screen cleaners in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we are first and foremost concerned with the how safe they are to use on delicate devices and whether they may cause any possible harm to screens and coatings. For pre-moistened wipes and liquid sprays, we check the ingredients for potentially damaging culprits, like ammonia, and steer clear of recommending products that contain them. For dry cloths, we look for a convenient and usable size and how easy they are to launder and clean.
We test all screen cleaners on a variety of devices — large and small and from different manufacturers — for how well they clean, how easy they are to use and store, how quickly they work and whether they leave any residue behind.
Above, one of our Lab experts tests the OXO Good Grips Sweep & Swipe on the screen and keyboard of a laptop to assess how well it removes dirt, dust and smudges.
There are tons of screen cleaning options on the market, but always check your device’s manufacturer’s recommended cleaning instructions before purchasing any cleaner to be sure what you are considering is safe. Here are some things to consider when shopping for screen cleaners:
✔️Size: It"s best to determine the size of the screens you plan to clean when shopping for cleaners. Of course, microfiber cloths and electronic screen wipes will work on a variety of screen sizes but if you are looking for a wipe that can clean your laptop, mini portable wipes made for smartphones might not be large enough for a thorough clean. On the flip side, a large TV wipe used on a phone wastes product.
✔️Cloth: Not every cloth is designed to remove fingerprints and dust. Some can actually make your dirty screen look even worse. Stick to microfiber cloths that are delicate enough to leave your screen scratch-free but still collect dirt, dust and grease.
✔️Formula: Always look at the indigents listed for your cleaner — screens are sensitive, and harsh chemicals can cause damage to the surface. For regular use, it"s important to use products specially made for screens. Disinfectant wipes containing alcohol can be used occasionally to remove germs, but try to avoid bleach- and ammonia-based products.
When it comes to cleaning electronics, the Good Housekeeping Institute Media and Tech Lab always recommends following the device manufacturer"s recommendations for safety. And while this is always a good practice, many of those recommendations are extra gentle to keep from damaging the anti-glare, fingerprint-resistant and other protective coatings on a device"s surface.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab provides expert tips and reviews on all things cleaning. Carolyn Forte brings over 40 years of experience a as consumer products expert to her role as Executive Director of the Home Care and Cleaning Lab. She has deep analytical testing and editorial writing expertise in categories like washers, dryers and vacuum cleaners, cleaning products and all things and tips needed to keep a home clean and organized.
Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute"s Home Care and Cleaning Lab.
A. Klear Screen and iKlear are the only Screen Cleaners used, sold, or recommended by Apple, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Panasonic, Samsung, and ViewSonic. The Klear Screen and iKlear formula"s anti-static, alcohol and ammonia-free properties allow you to safely clean, protect, and preserve your LCD, Plasma, HDTV, Big Screen TV, and CRT displays. Klear Screen is also safe to use on your iPods, Digital Cameras and Camcorders, Scanners, PDA"s, GPS Screens, Portable DVD Players, DVD"s, and CD"s.
A. Glass cleaner is made with alcohol and ammonia, which will damage any LCD screen. LCD display screens are made of plastic. Plastics and Computer manufacturers consistently do not recommend alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners. Repeated applications of alcohol on plastic may turn your screen surface yellow, make it brittle, and can cause stress cracking on your screen surface. Do not make a very expensive mistake cleaning your laptop LCD screen with a $2 glass cleaner and a paper towel!
A. Beware, one of the best known brands recently relabeled their alcohol-based wipes for laptop use. Many commercially available computer screen cleaners are formulated to clean glass, not plastic, and contain either alcohol or ammonia, both of which are harmful to LCD screens.
A. Klear Screen is a state-of-the-art cleaner for precision and multi-coated optics and is internationally recognized for its unique, non-damaging, alcohol and ammonia-free formula. Klear Screen and iKlear use the same unique formula, which safely cleans and replenishes your screen surface with a non-toxic, non-damaging, liquid polymer-based solution. Our solution lifts and dissolves surface contaminants, fingerprints, and floating debris off the screen surface leaving an anti-static coating, which dramatically reduces surface friction, resists fingerprinting and provides a renewable protective screen barrier.
Q. Why do I need a special cleaner for my new High Definition Display Screen? The owners manual specifically warns against using glass cleaners. Is Klear Screen and iKlear compatible and safe for cleaning my display screen?
A. High Definition Display screens are made of plastic. High Definition Screen Manufacturersrecommend againstusing alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners. Repeated application of alcohol on plastic may turn your screen surface yellow, make it brittle, and can cause stress cracking on your screen surface. Do not make a very expensive mistake by cleaning your High Definition Screen with a $2 glass cleaner and a paper towel! Please review the specific LCD, High Definition TV, Plasma, and Flat Panel Display cleaning instructions in theKlear Screen Application Guide (PDF)for detailed cleaning information.
A. Klear Screen and iKlear are 100% safe for cleaning the screen and any externally applied vinyl film screen protectors for your PDA"s. Klear Screen will clean your PDA screen without damage and will enhance the smoothness of the writing surface. Repeated use of Klear Screen or iKlear can help to extend the usable service life of each vinyl film screen protector you apply.
Q. Why do I need to use the Klear Screen or iKlear solution in conjunction with a Klear Screen polishing cloth (Micro-Chamois, Micro-Fiber, or Klear Kloth)?
A. Cleaning optical-grade surfaces and coatings require both a non-damaging and alcohol and ammonia free cleaner, and an optical-grade polishing cloth. All three ofour clothsare optical-grade. The Micro-Chamois and Micro-Fiber Polishing Cloths that don’t scratch, absorb 5 times their weight in liquid, and are washable and reusable.
A. You may see streaks on your display if you have not polished off the Klear Screen or iKlear Solution completely. Klear Screen and iKlear requires a two-step cleaning process. In order to remove the streaks, begin the cleaning process over.
If the cleaner is still visible on screen, continue to polish until screen is clear. Please see our specialinstructionsabout cleaning “glossy” TFT screens.
Remove the dry Step 2, Klear Kloth and gently polish surface, side to side and top to bottom (a new addition to our Travel Singles is our Travel Size Micro-Chamois). Immediately after using a Travel Single, follow with a final polish using our Micro-Chamois cloth, and you will achieve the ultimate cleaning results. For ultimate cleaning results use our Klear Screen or iKlear Micro-Chamois or Micro-Fiber cloths as a substitution for Step 3.
A. Yes. Klear Screen and iKlear are great for cleaning CD’s and DVD’s. To clean: Lightly mist both sides of the disk. Polish the Klear Screen or iKlear solution off by polishing the entire disk in straight lines (not in a circular motion). By cleaning the non-playing surface, the static charge from both sides of the disk will be removed.
A. We make no claims for our iKlear Apple Polish products as a scratch remover of any kind. However, we offer a third-party product called iCleaner iPod & MacBook Pro Scratch Remover that has been highly rated by Mac publications including Macworld magazine. One of the secrets of using the iCleaner is to follow it up with an application of our own iKlear iPod, MacBook & MacBook Pro Cleaning Kit. A 2 oz bottle should allow you clean your iPod every week for a year or more. You can safely re-apply our iKlear Apple Polish as many times per day or per week as you wish. People do find that regular and consistent application of our iKlear Apple Polish may greatly reduce the amount of surface scratches on your iPod.
A. We make no claims for our iKlear Apple Polish products as a scratch remover of any kind. However, we offer a third-party product callediCleaner iPod & MacBook Pro Scratch Removerthat has been highly rated by Mac publications including Macworld magazine. One of the secrets of using the iCleaner is to follow it up with an application of our owniKlear iPod, Macbook & MacBook Pro Cleaning Kit. A 2 oz bottle should allow you clean your iBook/MacBook every week for a year or more. You can safely re-apply our iKlear Apple Polish as many times per day or per week as you wish. People do find that regular and consistent application of our iKlear Apple Polish may greatly reduce the amount of surface scratches on your iBook/ MacBook.
Q. I have a Sony ™ VAIO™ notebook computer with the X-Brite™ screen technology. People I"ve asked have recommended your Klear Screen High Performance Kit. Why should I be using your products?
A. We have achieved a 100% customer satisfaction rating because Klear Screen safely and effectively cleans X-Brite-type screens. You must use one of our Micro-Chamois or Micro-Fiber Cloths with our Klear Screen Solution.
A. Cleaning the glossy X-Brite-type screens requires a little more patience and a little more effort to clean effectively. Let the screen cool before attempting to clean with our Klear Screen High Performance or Deluxe Cleaning Kits. Note: Youcannoteffectively clean a glossy TFT screen when it"s hot or has been in use for an extended period of time. Clean in small sections until the entire screen is streak-free. Any of our Klear Screen products will safely clean a glossy X-Brite-type screen effectively but you must utilize one of our Micro-Chamois or Micro-Fiber Cloths with whatever Klear Screen solution you choose to achieve satisfactory results. Please review the specific glossy screen cleaning instructions in theKlear Screen Application Guide (PDF)for detailed cleaning information on all glossy TFT screens.
Q. I recently purchased a Dell™ Inspiron™ Notebook™, which includes a Klear Screen for Dell sample cleaning kit. Why should I use Klear Screen for Dell and where can I get more of your Klear Screen for Dell products when I run out?
A. Dell recently introduced Notebooks™ with their new TrueLife™ glossy TFT screens, which are difficult to clean. After testing multiple screen cleaning products Dell determined that Klear Screen is the only safe and effective screen cleaner. To guarantee customer satisfaction Dell asked us to create a dedicated screen cleaning kit for Dell users. Since their introduction in August of 2004, we delivered almost a half a million Klear Screen for Dell Cleaning Kits and have achieved a 100% customer satisfaction rating. Please review the specific glossy screen cleaning instructions in theKlear Screen Application Guide (PDF)for detailed cleaning information on all glossy TFT screens. All Klear Screen products can be purchased from ouronline storeor select dealers.
A. You should purchase one of ouriKlear Apple Polish Kits. Cleaning the glossy TFT screens requires a little more patience and a little more effort to clean effectively. Let the screen cool before attempting to clean with our Klear Screen High Performance or Deluxe Cleaning Kits. Note: Youcannoteffectively clean a glossy TFT screen when it"s hot or has been in use for an extended period of time. Clean in small sections until the entire screen is streak-free. Any of our Klear Screen products will safely clean a glossy TFT screen effectively but you must utilize one of our Micro-Chamois or Micro-Fiber Cloths with whatever Klear Screen solution you choose to achieve satisfactory results. Please review the specific glossy screen cleaning instructions in theKlear Screen Application Guide (PDF)for detailed cleaning information on all glossy TFT screens.
While it may be tempting to reach for a bottle of Windex or some other general cleaning product, don’t! Harsh chemicals may be fine for windows or countertops, but they can wreak havoc on computer monitors, wearing away coatings. There are many cleaning fluids on the market specifically geared toward computer monitors. While these products indeed work, you don’t need to spend money on them if you don’t want to; distilled water should work for most monitor-cleaning, and you can mix in some white vinegar for stubborn grime.
Additionally, avoid paper towels, rags, old T-shirts, or any of the usual materials you use to wipe down surfaces in your home. Monitors are more delicate than they look, and these fabrics — even paper towels — are abrasive enough to scratch your screen, especially if you have used them for other jobs where they might have accumulated grit. A microfiber cloth — the kind you might use to clean your glasses or vinyl records — is the safest choice. Just make sure it’s free of any dirt or grime before swiping across your display.
Step 1: Turn off your monitor. It’s easier to see smudges and stuff on a black screen, so turning off your monitor makes it easier to see what you are doing. It’s also safer for you and your computer. Cleaning your monitor while it’s on and the pixels are all fired up could damage your screen or potentially give you an unpleasant electrical jolt. Please turn it off!
Step 2: Wipe your monitor with a microfiber cloth. If dust is the only thing on your screen, a quick wiping should be enough to clean it. Take the microfiber cloth and gently brush the screen in long motions. We cannot stress enough that you should be gentle: Pressing too hard on the screen could damage the pixels within.
There are gentle cleaning fluids designed for monitors, but distilled water works well, as mentioned earlier. It’s important you only use filtered or distilled water, however, since tap water contains minerals and other substances that can harm the screen or leave annoying streaks. For especially stubborn grime, add a bit of white vinegar to the water. Just be careful not to spill any on your laptop.
Step 4: It’s important that you never spray water or other cleaning fluids directly onto your monitor, or it might trickle down to the edge of the screen and seep into the monitor itself and damage the electronic components within.