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What should I use to clean the screen?

I just got a Skinomi protector for it and I am trying to clean the screen first and all I get is worse smears. I tried a micro-fiber cloth and a soft cotton towel and all I seem to see is even more smears. I want to put the protector on a perfectly clean screen.

Good question since my Skinomi is in shipment. I thought about trying those "electronic equipment wipes" you can buy everywhere that come individually packaged like alcohol wipes.
If that doesn't work, I'm open to suggestions too.

Its Glass so Maybe a Type of Glass cleaner and a micro Fiber Towel. Spray the towel not the tablet of course. If not They have Electronic wipes like at target and best buy in tv sections.

Pure silicon spray

MisterEdF said:
I just got a Skinomi protector for it and I am trying to clean the screen first and all I get is worse smears. I tried a micro-fiber cloth and a soft cotton towel and all I seem to see is even more smears. I want to put the protector on a perfectly clean screen.
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lil tip for instal. clean and prep nicely. do the install in your bathroom with steam in the air to keep the lint and dust from the air. and dont panic if it looks like crap right after. leave it for a solid day or 2 then it will look good. even if you have some lint under the skinomi it will strt to look alright after the first day. at least it did with mine. i thought i had messed mine up but it looks quite nice now.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

You can use LCD cleaning solution on the screen with a very soft lint-free cloth.
I've used it for years before I apply anything on my screens and it works perfectly.
You only use 1-2 sprays max at about 12 inches away.
Compusa/Staples/etc all normal stores have it.
When I put the back on my Skinomi, I used a light detergent (the size of a pea) and a damp cloth to clean the back surface down, then used the cleaning solution, dried it, and the sticker adhered without a single edge lifting up.

just mix some alcohol in some water and use that... use less than 50% alcohol in the solution.... same stuff as most lcd cleaners.

HorsexD said:
Its Glass so Maybe a Type of Glass cleaner and a micro Fiber Towel. Spray the towel not the tablet of course. If not They have Electronic wipes like at target and best buy in tv sections.
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I assume you meant an LCD cleaner. I think glass cleaner like Windex could be too harsh for a tablet screen.

I use a microfibre cloth, and it works really well.

hybridau said:
I use a microfibre cloth, and it works really well.
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I have a whole bunch of those and all they seem to do is smear it even worse.

Ravynmagi said:
I assume you meant an LCD cleaner. I think glass cleaner like Windex could be too harsh for a tablet screen.
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It's not really a tablet screen - it's a sheet of some of the most durable glass currently made by man... it should be fine with any cleaning solution really. The LCD solutions are simply formulated to avoid harming the PLASTIC sheet over most LCD devices (i.e. TV's, laptops, etc.) since stuff like alcohol can cause some plastics to get cloudy over time.
The Transformer doesn't have a plastic sheet over its screen, just the Gorilla Glass, so use whatever as long as it's not so wet as to drip into the system.

Some glass screens have a oleophobic coating to repel oils. Some chemicals can remove those coatings. I'm not sure if the transformer has this coating but I just use 30% alcohol then a microfiber cloth. That's been working fine.
Sent from my Transformer TF101

The op is asking how to clean the skinomi screen protector not the glass screen.
I just use a damp microfiber towel and then flip over to dry side and dry it off.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

I don't know but you guys all need to check out NuScreen HD.

lacrossev said:
The op is asking how to clean the skinomi screen protector not the glass screen.
I just use a damp microfiber towel and then flip over to dry side and dry it off.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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No, the OP is asking how to clean the gorilla glass screen before putting on the screen protector.

The Transformer has a coating, so anything slightly corrosive will remove it, exposing the glass and making the surface hard to swipe.

Microfibre cloth and glasses cleaning solution.
Inviato dal mio Transformer TF101 usando Tapatalk

lacrossev said:
The op is asking how to clean the skinomi screen protector not the glass screen.
I just use a damp microfiber towel and then flip over to dry side and dry it off.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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No, I want to clean the SCREEN so I can then INSTALL the Skinomi.

frosty5689 said:
The Transformer has a coating, so anything slightly corrosive will remove it, exposing the glass and making the surface hard to swipe.
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The Transformer does not have an oleophobic coating.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

frosty5689 said:
The Transformer has a coating, so anything slightly corrosive will remove it, exposing the glass and making the surface hard to swipe.
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seh6183 said:
The Transformer does not have an oleophobic coating.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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lol ... who is the liar :|

Getting rid of the oleophobic coating-How?

Hey guys,as title says(kind of anyway),I've had enough of the oleophobic coating on the SGS2.Fingerprints stay on screen no matter(I have very oily skin,unfortunately) and it's not any better than my Desire HD for that matter.Not that it bothers me for that,but it SCRATCHES like hell.I already have more fine scrathces on my GS2 after 2 weeks than on my DHD after 7 months.So I want to remove the oleophobic coating.
Now,I know it's done somehow by cleaning the screen using certain cleaning stuff,but what cleaning stuff?Can I use a window cleaner or something?And should I wipe it with a fiber cloth?
Thanks guys!

tolis626 said:
Hey guys,as title says(kind of anyway),I've had enough of the oleophobic coating on the SGS2.Fingerprints stay on screen no matter(I have very oily skin,unfortunately) and it's not any better than my Desire HD for that matter.Not that it bothers me for that,but it SCRATCHES like hell.I already have more fine scrathces on my GS2 after 2 weeks than on my DHD after 7 months.So I want to remove the oleophobic coating.
Now,I know it's done somehow by cleaning the screen using certain cleaning stuff,but what cleaning stuff?Can I use a window cleaner or something?And should I wipe it with a fiber cloth?
Thanks guys!
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Click to collapse
some one said he used polish liquids
i recommend liter fluid

OP, take my advice , do NOT do it! You think the coating is not helping, wait till you remove it! It will be 100 times worse, literally!
If you do decide to rid the screen of the coating - I succeeded (on SGS1) with Chlorine toilet bowl cleaning liquid, but be very careful to not get it inside speakers/mikes. All the scratches remained though, mine were in the glass, not the coating.

You want that coating on there. Just get a screen protector and maybe a matte one if the finger prints bother you.

Damn,I hate screen protectors...
KreoXDA,mine are most probably not on the glass itself.I can't feel them with my fingernail(And I have long fingernails on my right hand-classic guitar player anyone? ) like I could with such scratches on other phones.Anyway,I'll see if I can find some good screen protector.All I've used just crapped all over my touchscreen experience.I'd try Zaggs,but guess what!NOT available in Greece!I''m losing my patience here...

ZAGGS are the WORST for sensitivity!!, STAY AWAY
try an steinheil one? their ultrathin series is good

blickmanic said:
ZAGGS are the WORST for sensitivity!!, STAY AWAY
try an steinheil one? their ultrathin series is good
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Yeah...Well,I found Zaggs(they even came to Greece...Oh well!) but I cannot find Steinheils.What about Belkin?They have a matte overlay that I think would be nice.
Also,what do you mean that Zaggs are the worst for sensitivity?Is it harder to select something on the screen with a protector on?
Thanks anyway pal!

zaggs are the thickest screen protectors on the market!, they ruin the touchscreen experience, they DO block fingerprints well though. they also have the 'orange peel' effect on them.
woops, the SGP steinheil ones arent available *yet*
meanwhile, THIS should suit your needs...

blickmanic said:
zaggs are the thickest screen protectors on the market!, they ruin the touchscreen experience, they DO block fingerprints well though. they also have the 'orange peel' effect on them.
woops, the SGP steinheil ones arent available *yet*
meanwhile, THIS should suit your needs...
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Click to collapse
Well,I'll see if I can find it in Greece or else...E-bay it is!I have never bought anything from e-bay though...Will buy a jig,that's for sure!

tolis626 said:
Hey guys,as title says(kind of anyway),I've had enough of the oleophobic coating on the SGS2.Fingerprints stay on screen no matter(I have very oily skin,unfortunately) and it's not any better than my Desire HD for that matter.Not that it bothers me for that,but it SCRATCHES like hell.I already have more fine scrathces on my GS2 after 2 weeks than on my DHD after 7 months.So I want to remove the oleophobic coating.
Now,I know it's done somehow by cleaning the screen using certain cleaning stuff,but what cleaning stuff?Can I use a window cleaner or something?And should I wipe it with a fiber cloth?
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I got burgled the police said finger prints actually very difficult to pickup because finger tips don't have sweat glands. Relies on someone touching their face or hair or rubbing their palms together. This its not meant to be pointed comment but as you offered a reason, Try doing less of that
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

Oh and I ordered sgp ones from the place recommended on the accessories thread. delivered from korea to uk, good stuff.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

crypticc said:
When I got burgled the police said finger prints actually very difficult to pickup because finger tips don't have sweat glands. Relies on someone touching their face or hair or rubbing their palms together. This its not meant to be pointed comment but as you offered a reason, Try doing less of that
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
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Oh sh!t,I didn't know that.And I was blaming my fingers for nothing?
Well,I'll try and touch my face less.When I sweat(especially now in the summer with the high temperatures) it gets oily like hell.It will get better with time(It's a puberty thing partially like acme),but for now it's killing me.
Thank you for the heads up though.Finally I found cops usefull!

My advice: polish your face often .
What i do is clean the screen with my shirt so now and then. Some days its worse then others...

Can I ask how you guys manage to scratch your screen? I've got *very* long nails (I'm a girl ), never bother with screen protectors and I've yet to scratch a screen (HD2 stayed pristine for over 18 months, so is the S2 after a month) and shock horror, I don't always put my phone in a case before flinging it in my handbag though it's usually in a separate pocket... As for fingerprints, well a wipe on my jeans or t-shirt usually takes care of that.

Isadora said:
Can I ask how you guys manage to scratch your screen? I've got *very* long nails (I'm a girl ), never bother with screen protectors and I've yet to scratch a screen (HD2 stayed pristine for over 18 months, so is the S2 after a month) and shock horror, I don't always put my phone in a case before flinging it in my handbag though it's usually in a separate pocket... As for fingerprints, well a wipe on my jeans or t-shirt usually takes care of that.
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A girl around here?I'm impressed!
Anyway,I too have long fingernails on my right hand because I play the guitar,but they don't damage the screen.I go to the beach very often and sand particles find their way everywhere.Now THEY do damage. ;-)
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

Isadora said:
Can I ask how you guys manage to scratch your screen? I've got *very* long nails (I'm a girl ), never bother with screen protectors and I've yet to scratch a screen (HD2 stayed pristine for over 18 months, so is the S2 after a month) and shock horror, I don't always put my phone in a case before flinging it in my handbag though it's usually in a separate pocket... As for fingerprints, well a wipe on my jeans or t-shirt usually takes care of that.
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Guys hands tend to have more dirt (from putting their hands on the bench, on the ground or at the beach). As a result, there will be one or two tiny sand particles which then scratches the screen when they use the phone.

here is links to Steinheil protectors..enjoy..
http://www.exportprive.com/samsung-screen-protectors-c-1164_1224_1232.html

did you try alcohol and windex?

alcohol will remove the oleophobic coating, but very slowly. you'll end up with a haze.
i used meguiar's scratchx 2.0 to remove a scratch, not realizing there was a coating. result was a hazy ring where i had removed the coating.
tried rainx, with improved the slick feel but also caused more of the haze effect (alcohol). ended up using scratchx to remove the whole coating, using a flashlight to check, and putting a realook protector on. luckily the result is fantastic.
that said, don't remove any coating unless you really really have to. it doesn't seem like it but it is way better at preventing smudges than just glass.

crypticc said:
When I got burgled the police said finger prints actually very difficult to pickup because finger tips don't have sweat glands.
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A good friend of mine is a dermatologist. You and/or the cops are wrong. Maybe they tell that story to everybody so they don't get their hopes to high.
You can test for youself though. Wash you hands with antibacterial soap and dry them with and air handdryer. Hold your hand steady for 10 minutes without touching anything and then see i you'll leave prints on you phone

How to clean smears?

I have a screen protector and just cannot figure out how to clean the smears off. Can I use Windex or alcohol on the protector? I have these alcohol wipes I use for my glasses that I think would be great, however if alcohol is a big no no, I'd be afraid of runoff on the edges. And the same goes with Windex.

I'm using a zagg invisible shield. All I do is wipe with a damp soft cloth. Good as new.

I would not use anything like windex. I use a solution that I bought for my HDTV a couple years ago. It is designed to clean off sensitive screens like LCD's, stereo equipment, etc. I don't remember the name of the product, but I bought it at Best Buy. There are several different products out that are safe to use on smartphone screens. Some are kinda spendy. A microfiber cloth works great paired up with one of these solutions.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

If you're talking about stuff other than finger prints, just use a moist micro fiber. For finger prints all I do is give a quick breath and wipe.
I wouldn't use any chemical not recommended by the maker.
XDA Mobile

Smears, like oil or grease. Microfiber isn't doing the trick, just smearing it more.

tuffluck said:
Smears, like oil or grease. Microfiber isn't doing the trick, just smearing it more.
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A good microfiber towel should really do the trick all by itself. Worse case get the towel a bit damp with water. This is how I've clean my phone and tablet and I've had no problems. Don't forget to wash the towel once in a while to remove the oils it builds up with.

Smears are easily taken care of with any descent 2-ply toilet paper. Now if you are talking about the hershey squirts, I highly recommend using an old cotton towel to soak it up, followed by a soap and hot water mix to relieve the burning that is usually associated with heavy smears and/or hershey squirts. Hope this could be of some help...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

Spit on it, it works!
Edit: spelling

bigb252 said:
Spit on it, it was works!
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Exactly...Lol.. that what I do and rub it on my stomach.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

no screen protector. use your clothes.

https://www.klearscreen.com/searchresult.aspx?CategoryID=3
This stuff works on "sensative" screens.

If it is too much for microfibre cloth to handle, use one of those tiny sanitizing hand wipes. It's basically alcohol and evaporates quickly and won't damage any electronics.
Sent from my SGH-T999

tuffluck said:
I have a screen protector and just cannot figure out how to clean the smears off. Can I use Windex or alcohol on the protector? I have these alcohol wipes I use for my glasses that I think would be great, however if alcohol is a big no no, I'd be afraid of runoff on the edges. And the same goes with Windex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The monster branded cleaner with no alcohol in it works great! You can pick it up at best buy.
Sent From My Samsung Galaxy SIII

dave2metz said:
Smears are easily taken care of with any descent 2-ply toilet paper. Now if you are talking about the hershey squirts, I highly recommend using an old cotton towel to soak it up, followed by a soap and hot water mix to relieve the burning that is usually associated with heavy smears and/or hershey squirts. Hope this could be of some help...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
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This is ****ing funny :laugh:

Bought ScreenDr. screen cleaner today at Microcenter for 10 bucks and it is awesome! Works great on the phone and tablet.

Try looking for disposable camera lens cleaning wipes. I bought a box made by Zeiss at Walmart for only a few bucks and it works wonders on any glass screen.

cleaning screen with dishwasher soap?

I've put a little of dishwasher soap into the a spray bottle and spray on the cloth then used that to wipe the phone. I then rinse the cloth with water and made sure i squeeze all the water out of the cloth and wipe away the soap. then wipe it again with a dry cloth. Would the dishwasher soap be able to damage the screen? I did notice that the digitizer area seem to appear more prominent now after i did that (as in it doesn't blend in with the black sides as much as before)

Dont use dishwater soap to wash your screen..
I guess it causes scratches...
sent from my phone using hands and brain...

just use your breath and a microfiber cloth....

Your nexus 4 should be taken off your hands for such negligence.... Ever heard of micro fibre ...?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Good god almighty that's a lot of work to clean your screen/protector. I just drop a dab of spit, wipe with undershirt and I'm done. > 5 seconds

i'm kind of a clean freak, but yeah i think i made a big mistake. There's probably some kind of chemical coating on top fo the screen that keeps it black and blend in with the whole phone.

would someone be kind enough to upload a picture of their nexus 4 with the screen off for me to compare?

There's usually an oleophobic type coating which helps repel oil from your skin and keeps it easy to clean. I would just use water and a microfiber cloth, if it's some kind of grease on a rare occasion, I use something like diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth to remove the grease, use as sparingly as possible.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda premium

CharliesTheMan said:
There's usually an oleophobic type coating which helps repel oil from your skin and keeps it easy to clean. I would just use water and a microfiber cloth, if it's some kind of grease on a rare occasion, I use something like diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth to remove the grease, use as sparingly as possible.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda premium
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Thanks for the tips. I did notice that it was super smooth and slippery when i first get it and it was nearly impossible to put on finger print.
Let me be more specific of what I did, I use a drop of soap called Palmalive Ultra(http://www.colgate.com/app/Palmolive/US/EN/Product-Ingredients.cwsp used for washing dishes) and mix it in a container about the size of a table spoon. Do you think that is able to take out the oleophobic coating or damage the screen? Also doesn't the smoothing coating eventually wears off in a week or so?

qpqpqp said:
Thanks for the tips. I did notice that it was super smooth and slippery when i first get it and it was nearly impossible to put on finger print.
Let me be more specific of what I did, I use a drop of soap called Palmalive Ultra(http://www.colgate.com/app/Palmolive/US/EN/Product-Ingredients.cwsp used for washing dishes) and mix it in a container about the size of a table spoon. Do you think that is able to take out the oleophobic coating or damage the screen? Also doesn't the smoothing coating eventually wears off in a week or so?
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it's just your imagination. if it's safe to use on your skin of course it's safe on glass

patrickjaden said:
it's just your imagination. if it's safe to use on your skin of course it's safe on glass
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I hope so. Toothpaste for example, you can use it in your mouth, but that stuff will scratch glass like it was mawed by a bear. Its not just glass, I'm worried that it might take off the coating on top of the glass.

Just use water? I think dish soap is mild enough to use

I suggest everyone just use water. For me its too late. By the way does your phone still have that slippery feel like when you first got it?

Use eye glasses spray cleaner and microfiber cloth.

[Q] Is it safe to clean the screen with rubbing alcohol?

I've always cleaned my laptops, keyboards, tablets and phones with rubbing alcohol from a spray bottle at least 2x a month to clean the face butter off my screens and grime off my keyboards & mice. Is it safe to do this on the Note 3 since it has the oleophobic coating?

Neo3D said:
I've always cleaned my laptops, keyboards, tablets and phones with rubbing alcohol from a spray bottle at least 2x a month to clean the face butter off my screens and grime off my keyboards & mice. Is it safe to do this on the Note 3 since it has the oleophobic coating?
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I would say yes but I just realised my Note 3 has had a screen protector on it since day 1...

Neo3D said:
I've always cleaned my laptops, keyboards, tablets and phones with rubbing alcohol from a spray bottle at least 2x a month to clean the face butter off my screens and grime off my keyboards & mice. Is it safe to do this on the Note 3 since it has the oleophobic coating?
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Click to collapse
I tend not to use rubbing alcohol on my devices. For touch screen, you would probably be OK but like anything, it's liquid and if there is any microscopic gap anywhere in the device due to standards of build quality, you would not wish to inadvertently liquid damage your device. I would recommend getting a screen protector and ease any concerns you may have.
Hope this helps!

Neo3D said:
I've always cleaned my laptops, keyboards, tablets and phones with rubbing alcohol from a spray bottle at least 2x a month to clean the face butter off my screens and grime off my keyboards & mice. Is it safe to do this on the Note 3 since it has the oleophobic coating?
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Click to collapse
I use the wipes and spray I used for my glasses.
You should be fine using it, it's glass. Just don't use too much. If you put the spray on the cloth first so that it's just damp as opposed to wet, it's perfectly safe.
Send From My Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N9005 Using Tapatalk

Same with me. I spray very minimal of glass cleaner on some tissue paper before wiping it on my Note3 screen. That way, you can control the amount of moisture your phone will be expose to as oppose to spraying the alcohol directly on your phone's screen.

For alcohol only the artificial like the Isopropanol or isopropílico not the alcohol normal from wine.
I use my mount whit my bafo/breath and clean whit a spyglass handkerchief (no paper).

ValenteL said:
For alcohol only the artificial like the Isopropanol or isopropílico not the alcohol normal from wine.
I use my mount whit my bafo/breath and clean whit a spyglass handkerchief (no paper).
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LOL.... I prefer spirits actually, vodka or rum can work wonders.... But then after a few I'm a messy drinker....:silly:

Well, I use rubbing alcohol because it evaporates really fast!

Be careful because the note 3, like many other phones now a days, come with a factory oleophobic coating. That's what makes newer phones seemingly easy to keep clean. The more alcohol based chemicals you introduce to the screen, the harder they will be to keep clean because you would have worn off the oleophobic coating.

Careful! I always use rubbing alcohol to clean my iPhone (has screen protector) and it gets the job done (esp the oil) got a note 3 for less 2 then weeks n I believe I wiped it with RA 3 times.I notice the silver bracket around the phone is loose (if you look closely u can see a small GAP in between the screen n the silver bracket . So be careful RA can dissolve glue even super glue.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk