How do I clean a monitor screen without damaging it?

Switch the monitor off, wipe the dust away with a dry microfibre cloth, and only for fingerprints that remain, use a cloth barely dampened with distilled water. Never spray onto the screen, and skip glass cleaner, paper towels and pressure — the coating on most monitors is softer than glass.

1. Switch it off and let it cool. Dust and smears are easier to see on a dark screen, and you avoid pressing keys or controls on a live display. If it is easy to reach, unplug it too.

2. Dry cloth first. A clean, dry microfibre cloth removes most dust on its own. Wipe lightly, in straight strokes from one side to the other; dust dragged in circles can scratch.

3. Then a barely damp cloth. For fingerprints and smudges, dampen a corner of the cloth with distilled water — tap water can leave mineral spots — and wring it until it is only just damp. Wipe gently, then dry with the dry part of the cloth. Liquid that runs to the edge can seep behind the bezel, which is why you never spray the screen directly.

What to avoid.

• Glass cleaner, ammonia and solvents — they can cloud or strip the anti-glare or anti-reflective coating most monitors have.
• Paper towels and tissues — their fibres are abrasive and leave lint.
• Pressing hard — on an LCD panel, pressure can leave marks or damage the pixels underneath.
• Alcohol, unless your monitor’s manual allows it.

Keeping it clean longer. A cover over the screen when it is not in use keeps dust off: the kwmobile in our dust covers hub is a linen cover cut for 20 to 22 in monitors, cleaned with a lint roller, brush or hand wash. A hanging privacy filter, if you use one, is cleaned the same way — off the monitor, where it is easier to hold flat.

The keyboard in front of it needs a different routine — see how to clean crumbs and dust out of a keyboard.