# Don't use Windex to clean an LCD monitor! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 19, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213 "2008-02-19T04:13:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Pithy\_Moniker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@Pithy\_Moniker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithy_Moniker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/41 "2008-02-19T20:58:24Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] What else can I not use Windex on? Now I’m afraid. [/QUOTE] Oh let’s see… pets, small children… ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/42 "2008-02-19T21:00:22Z")
…your vagina (or even others’ vaginas)… ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/43 "2008-02-19T22:17:14Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] …your vagina (or even others’ vaginas)… [/QUOTE] Indeed. Who want streaks in a vagina? Strokes sure, but not streaks. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/44 "2008-02-19T23:18:45Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Indeed. Who want streaks in a vagina? Strokes sure, but not streaks. [/QUOTE] I always wondered if that was the key to **Rubystreak** ’s user name. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/45 "2008-02-20T02:46:02Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Why not? [/QUOTE] Windex will make the colours on your LCD run; you wipe the screen and next thing you know there`s a puddle of RGB mojo in your desk; it`s a bitch to clean too. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/46 "2008-02-20T02:55:55Z")
Just to be clear here Windex has ammonia and may may damage LCD Screen - Don’t use it. Re alcohol I use the standard [cheap 70% isopropyl solution](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol) you can get from any drug store in a spray bottle (spray on cloth then apply never spray directly onto item electronics) and have never had a problem with plastic surfaces or LCD screens. You can cut it with more water if you want to be super safe. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/47 "2008-02-20T05:07:10Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Many times I think people mistake don’t use it because it removes a coating, with it runs down into the unit and damages it. [/QUOTE] Shoehorse? ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/48 "2008-02-20T09:43:26Z")
I _would_ cut the alcohol a little. Alcohol (especially the stronger 90% version) can destroy the finish/gloss on many surfaces including some glossy plastics. I don’t think the 70% is _AS_ risky (not like the ammonia anyway), but why take a chance? I’ve dulled the gloss of plastic items when using alcohol to remove stickers. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/49 "2008-02-20T15:53:26Z")
[QUOTE=Kuboydal] I wonder if she will streak if I wash her in beer. [/QUOTE] Given enough beer almost anyone can be convinced to go streaking. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/50 "2008-02-20T16:16:37Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] Isn’t Windex, you know… wet? :smack: [/QUOTE] Yes, but trust me, when one of your co-workers forgets AGAIN and uses the permanent marker on the dry-erase board AGAIN, Windex may be one of the more sensible options that pops into your head. But it’s a bad idea. You’ll get better results, and less damage to the whiteboard, by scribbling all over with a whiteboard marker and then immediately wiping off. Repeat as necessary, pausing only to mutter evil thoughts under your breath. (Whiteboard markers on the whiteboard. Permanent markers on things you want to mark permanently. It shouldn’t be rocket science, and yet…) ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/51 "2008-02-20T23:00:31Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] What else can I not use Windex on? Now I’m afraid. [/QUOTE] Don’t use Windex on tinted windows in cars. Does nasty things to the dyes and/or adhesive. You’ve seen cars driving around with a nasty purple color and bubbles on the tinting? Most of them are from ammonia based cleaners. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/53 "2012-07-22T06:17:19Z")
Spam reported. Also, zombie thread. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/55 "2012-07-22T06:45:53Z")
> [@cleanpro](#): > > did I just get called a spammer? Ouch. Well, gee, let’s see. Someone registers today, with “Clean Pro” as their user name and bumps a 4 year old thread to link to website where you can buy a _cleaning product_? Yeah, the description seems to fit. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213/56 "2012-07-22T10:55:53Z")
Cleanup on Aisle 52. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-use-windex-to-clean-an-lcd-monitor/438213.md?page=2)