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Electronic screens get pretty grimy during day-to-day use. From greasy fingerprints to dust and dirt, our screens can collect distracting and unsightly smudges. A screen cleaner can help clean delicate and expensive devices. Screen cleaners can safely clean your device without damaging the screen or protective coating. We researched and picked the top contenders and then put them to the test by cleaning screens of all sizes.
The best screen cleaners in our testing got rid of fingerprints, dust, and caked-on grit and grime. They removed smudges and oils without leaving streaks or residue behind. From sprays, wipes, dry cloths, and more, these recommendations will help you find the best screen cleaner for the electronics in your life.
- BEST OVERALL: Whoosh! Screen Shine Duo XL
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Calyptus Screen Cleaner Spray Kit
- BEST STREAK-FREE: Screen Mom 16-Ounce Screen Cleaner Kit
- BEST PORTABLE WIPES: Wipex Touchscreen Wipes
- BEST MICROFIBER CLOTH: MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
- BEST FOR VR HEADSETS: Cnbeyoung Lens Cleaning Pen
- BEST FOR TRAVEL: YTT All-in-One Mist Screen Cleaner Spray
- BEST SPRAY KIT: Eveo Screen Cleaner Spray
How We Tested the Best Screen Cleaners
We tested the screen cleaners over a period of 2 weeks, intentionally leaving greasy fingerprints and applying dried food to our laptop, tablet, and phone screens to see how each screen cleaner would perform. We also let dust accumulate to see how well the cleaners handled dusty buildup. We then scored each product according to an established rubric, noting how well the screen cleaners removed different types of particles, their ease of use, and their convenience. We used our first-hand experience, along with the numerical scores, to give the products their final rankings and use-case recommendations.
Testing Stats
Products tested: 9
Hours spent testing: 6
Tests performed: 3
Average price: $14.88
Our Top Picks
Grimy, dusty, and fingerprint-coated device screens can be unsightly as well as annoying since they can interfere with the use of the device. But don’t just reach for any old cleaner, as improper cleaning can cloud, scratch, or otherwise cause damage to a screen. We tested the following screen cleaners and found them safe and effective for their designated uses.
Best Overall
Whoosh! Screen Shine Duo XL
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Effectiveness 4.5/5; Versatility 5/5; Convenience and Portability 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Kit: Yes
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Set includes a large bottle, a portable bottle, and 2 microfiber cloths
- Small bottle easily fits in a purse, office drawer, or backpack
- Worked well on dried food, dust, and greasy fingerprints without requiring excessive scrubbing
Cons
- Using the small microfiber cloth gets tedious when cleaning larger screens
As the only approved screen cleaner in Apple stores worldwide, the Whoosh! cleaning spray works on all electronic devices, from smartphones and tablets to computer monitors and television screens. This kit includes two Screen Shine cleaning sprays. One spray is a large 3.4-ounce size, and the second is a 0.3-ounce travel size. The travel-size spray was ideal for carrying to work. We toted it to an office and used it daily for several days, where it kept screens and eyeglasses crystal clear.
Manufactured in North America, the spray contains no alcohol, ammonia, dye, or fragrance. Its cleaning agents are D-glucopyranose, oligomeric, and decyl octyl as cleaning agents. The kit also includes two microfiber cloths that are treated with an antimicrobial agent to prevent odor. The cloths can be washed up to 50 times and still maintain their softness and streak-free clean, as long as you do not use a fabric softener or put them in the dryer.
We hand-washed the cloths with all of the other microfiber cloths included with the other screen cleaners we tested. They were easy to clean and air-dried without a problem. You can machine wash them, but make sure not to wash them alongside anything linty, or with items that may have sharp particles that could get caught in the cloths’ fibers.
Get the Whoosh! screen cleaner at Amazon, Walmart, or Whoosh!.
Best Bang For The Buck
Calyptus Screen Cleaner Spray Kit
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4/5; Effectiveness 4.5/5; Versatility 5/5; Convenience and Portability 4/5; Value 4/5
Product Specs
- Kit: Yes
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Effective on dried food, greasy fingerprints, and dust buildup
- Comes with 2 spray bottles and 4 cleaning cloths, providing versatile cleaning options
- Multicloth system provides a buffing option for those who like a little extra gleam
Cons
- Microfiber cloths are hand-wash only; no machine-wash option
This affordable screen cleaning set from Calyptus includes two 4-ounce screen sprays and four cleaning cloths—two for lifting and two for buffing. With 8 ounces of spray total, this complete kit offers enough solution to clean all your devices for quite some time. The powerful, plant-based cleaning spray is safe for all screens, including 4K, OLED, and LED flat-screen TV screens. The spray is natural, nontoxic, and fragrance-free.
We tested it on a phone, laptop, and computer monitor, cleaning off greasy fingerprints, dried food, and dust. It performed well on all of them. The Calyptus cloths are made of microfiber and are anti-static, low friction, and lint-free. They offer a streak-free clean and leave no residue behind. While the buffing cloths were nice for wetter screens, we found the lifting cloths to be a better fit for most jobs. We didn’t notice a difference between screens when we buffed after cleaning compared to when we didn’t.
We also liked that we could store the two spray bottles in different areas of the home, providing multiple storage choices for quick access. The only downside we noticed was that the cloths are hand-wash only. They’re not hard to clean, and they dry quickly, so they’re not too burdensome, but you don’t get the option of tossing them in the washing machine.
Get the Calyptus screen cleaner at Amazon.
Best Streak-Free
Screen Mom 16-Ounce Screen Cleaner Kit
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Effectiveness 4.5/5; Versatility 5/5; Convenience and Portability 4/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Kit: Yes
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Large microfiber cloth covers a lot of area; great for larger screens
- Solution didn’t leave streaks behind but was effective on greasy fingerprints and dust
- Machine-washable cloth was easy to care for and dried quickly
Cons
- Took heavier scrubbing to remove dried-on food
The Screen Mom solution performed admirably and required minimal wiping on greasy fingerprints and dust, leaving behind a streak-free shine. The 16-ounce bottle of cleaning solution comes with a large 15.75-inch-square microfiber cleaning cloth. The combination was ideal for cleaning large screens and didn’t leave unsightly residue. It made quick work of a 70-inch television screen, removing dust and fingerprints without a problem. While dried-on food took a bit more scrubbing, the Screen Mom solution removed debris from a television, laptop, computer monitor, and phone. It cleaned easily and dried quickly.
Screen Mom has plant-derived ingredients, and it’s odorless. This cloth is machine washable, though users shouldn’t wash it with detergent. We found hand-washing to be more effective because the cloth shouldn’t be washed with any other pieces that have rough particles or cotton that might stick to the microfiber.
Get the Screen Mom screen cleaner at Amazon or Screen Clean Mom.
Best Portable Wipes
Wipex Touchscreen Wipes
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Effectiveness 5/5; Versatility 5/5; Convenience and Portability 5/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Kit: No
- Reusable: No
Pros
- Small, lightweight, individually packaged wipes for convenience
- Easy to open and use when away from home
- Wipe has enough liquid to clean several devices and can be used on device cases, too
- Effectively cleans greasy fingerprints, food, and dust
Cons
- Expensive option for regular cleaning
- Left screens wet, which can leave water marks
These touch-screen wipes from Wipex are portable, lightweight, individually packaged screen wipes that are prewetted in a cleaning solution. They come in a box of 24, and the individual packets are small enough to carry in a purse or package without taking up extra space or adding weight.
We tested them on a laptop and phone. The wipes quickly cleaned everything we threw at them. They wiped away greasy fingerprints, food, and dust without a problem. They’re lavender-scented, but the odor was more like that of a mild general cleaning solution. While these wipes were very effective, each wipe had a lot of liquid on it, which left behind streaks and water spots. However, we found that drying the screens with a microfiber cloth prevented the streaking issue.
Get the Wipex screen cleaner at Amazon or Wipex.
Best Microfiber Cloth
MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Effectiveness 4/5; Versatility 3/5; Convenience and Portability 5/5; Value 4.5/5
Product Specs
- Kit: No
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Lightweight cloths fold down small for easy carrying and storage at home and on the go
- Effectively remove greasy fingerprints from phone screens and eyeglass lenses
- Dry cloths prevent streaking and staining from water spots; they can also be used wet with water
Cons
- Not an effective option for removing dried food
- Small size limits practical use on larger screens
MagicFiber’s ultrasoft cleaning cloths are made from high-quality microfiber material. Each of the fibers is claimed to be 200 times thinner than a human hair, resulting in a greater cleaning surface area than regular cloth fibers. That extra area helps them absorb and remove oils, dust, and dirt without the need to use extra cleaners.
In testing, these cloths proved incredibly practical and convenient for quickly wiping away fingerprints. We tested it on phones, a laptop, and eyeglass lenses. Their size made them the most practical pick for cleaning phones and eyeglasses. While the cloths can remove prints from laptop screens and computer monitors, the small size was a limitation. They also didn’t perform well on dried food.
The cloths are safe to use on any screen, from phones to TVs, and they leave no streaks, lint, or scratches behind. Each cloth is hand washable and reusable for long-lasting cleaning. We washed the cloths according to the directions (hand-wash in cold water with no detergent), and they came out looking good as new.
Get the MagicFiber screen cleaner at Amazon.
Best For VR Headsets
Cnbeyoung Lens Cleaning Pen
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Effectiveness 3.5/5; Versatility N/A; Convenience and Portability 5/5; Value 4/5
Product Specs
- Kit: No
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Small, lightweight design that’s easy to store and transport if needed
- Dual-ended design helps remove different types of debris from the nooks and crannies of a headset
- End caps protect the carbon tip and brush from damage and dust buildup when not in use
Cons
- Carbon tip can leave black smudges on the skin
- Requires gentle but persistent rubbing to remove smudges
Small and convenient, this lens cleaning pen from Cnbeyoung is great for keeping VR headsets clean and dust-free. At only 7 inches long by 0.5 inches wide, it can be stored in a drawer or tucked away with other VR gear without eating up storage space. The dual-ended design features a carbon-treated suede pad on one end and a gentle brush on the other. The brush retracts and is protected by a rubber cap, and the suede pad is protected by an end cap. The retractable brush removes large debris from the VR lenses, and the suede pad takes care of fingerprints.
In testing, the brush worked well, while the suede pad required more effort to remove fingerprints and smudges. We had to rub the suede pad several times over each area to completely remove smudges. The suede pad has activated-carbon powder on it, which is designed to help remove smudges. While we’re not sure if the carbon helped, it didn’t leave debris on the lenses. However, it did leave black smudges on the skin.
Overall, this cleaning pen worked well. But if you get smudges and fingerprints on your VR lenses every day, you might want something that has a solution to break up oils and smudges more quickly.
Get the Cnbeyoung screen cleaner at Amazon.
Best For Travel
YTT All-in-One Mist Screen Cleaner Spray
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Effectiveness 5/5; Versatility 4.5/5; Convenience and Portability 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Kit: No
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Small, portable size makes it easy to carry in a purse, backpack, or briefcase
- Directly applying the spray to the screen easily loosened dried-on food
- All-in-one design made it easy to store and find when in a purse or drawer
Cons
- Sueded exterior takes a longer time to dry than microfiber cloths
- Can only rinse, not wash the exterior
This cleaner spray’s lipstick-size design makes it highly portable and easy to use. Unlike many of the screen cleaners we tested, this spray applies directly to the screen rather than to a cloth. Consequently, the spray performed among the best at loosening dried food.
After spraying, the suede-wrapped bottle is then used to wipe away the cleaner and debris. We found that the suede also did a good job of wiping away any residue, whether it was greasy fingerprints or dust. It did an equally good job when used on a phone, tablet, or laptop screen.
One of the pros can also be a potential con: the small size. Using the YTT to clean a laptop or computer monitor takes a lot of spray, which gets the suede pretty wet. Unfortunately, once wet, the suede takes time to dry. The other issue we had with the design was cleaning the suede. You can’t wash it. That means there’s potential for buildup over time. However, it might run out of solution before you reach that point.
Get the YTT screen cleaner at Amazon.
Best Spray Kit
Eveo Screen Cleaner Spray
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5; Effectiveness 5/5; Versatility 5/5; Convenience and Portability 4.5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Kit: Yes
- Reusable: Yes
Pros
- Bottle and microfiber cloth sizes are ideal for larger screens and cleaning multiple small devices
- Machine-washable microfiber cloth performed well on all kinds of debris
- The combination of the large bottle and large cloth makes it an economical choice for those with large electronics
Cons
- Large cloth can be awkward for cleaning small, phone-size screens
This screen cleaning kit from Eveo comes with a large 16-ounce bottle of cleaner and an 11.5-inch-square microfiber cloth. The cloth is specially designed for gentle use on electronic screens. We found this solution to be one of the best at removing all types of tested debris, which included dried food, greasy fingerprints, and dust. It took very little wiping to clean the screens to a streak-free shine.
We used this cleaner on a laptop, mobile phone, and 70-inch television screen. It worked well on all types and made quick work of even the largest screen. The cloth picked up dust well without leaving a dust trail behind.
The cloth is machine washable in cold water, but we hand-washed it with several of the other microfiber cloths from our testing. The solution easily came out, and dust and debris fell away. But due to the large size and highly absorbent surface, it did take some time to dry. If you wash this cloth in your washing machine, make sure to put it in a load that’s free of items with sharp debris or other particles that could stick to its surface and scratch screens.
Get the Eveo screen cleaner at Amazon or Eveo.
Jump to Our Top Picks
What to Consider When Choosing a Screen Cleaner
Electronic devices have different screen materials and protective coatings, so it’s best to check the manufacturer’s recommendations when choosing a screen cleaner. In general, steer clear of abrasive cleaners or harsh chemicals. Using the wrong cleaner can cause cloudy patches, scratches, or other damage. The best screen cleaners won’t damage the screen’s anti-glare, waterproof, or fingerprint-resistant coating.
Type
Screen cleaners come in various forms, including premoistened wipes, sprays, and treated cloths. Wipes of all sizes offer ease of use and convenience. However, they’re often small, so they’re better for phones and tablets than they are for televisions.
Sprays may or may not come with a cleaning cloth made of microfiber or a similar soft material. Some have antibacterial fibers or special design features to protect screens. Read the directions on the spray, as most (but not all) should be applied to a microfiber cloth rather than directly to the screen.
It’s best to steer clear of screen cleaners with harsh ingredients that can damage delicate screen coatings. Cleaning ingredients like ammonia and bleach can damage anti-glare, waterproof, or fingerprint-resistant coatings.
Pretreated screen-cleaning cloths are usually used (no liquid cleaner necessary) to wipe fingerprints and dust from smaller devices like phones and tablets. They’re usually washable, but read the directions carefully. Some can be washed in a washing machine on a gentle cycle, while others are hand-wash only to protect the fabric fibers or coatings.
It’s best to avoid all-purpose cloths, rags, paper towels, and other abrasive fabrics. Although these may feel soft to the touch, they can have a rough texture that can scratch or damage screens. It’s best to have a designated screen cleaning cloth to prevent picking up sharp debris that can damage the screen.
Reusability
Disposable screen cleaners might be great while you travel, but the costs stack up if used for everyday cleaning. These types of cleaners typically come in single-wipe packets you can toss in a backpack, briefcase, or purse. These are best left to screen cleaning when you don’t have another option.
Screen cleaners with spray bottles offer some of the most economical cleaning options. You can reuse the microfiber cloth they come with and wash it as needed.
Some screen cleaners come with no solution and are meant to be used dry. The cloth may have a highly absorbent surface or protective coatings and fibers to help remove greasy fingerprints and dust. These portable cloths typically needed to be stored in a plastic bag or other container to prevent them from collecting lint and other debris from their storage area. However, they’re inexpensive, portable, and reusable.
Size
Screen cleaners come in a range of sizes and formats, from travel-size wipes and pens to large spray bottles with large microfiber cloths. Consider the size of the device you clean most often. A small wipe might be the right size to clean a phone screen but too small to clean a flat-screen TV. The size of the microfiber cloth may matter, too. A large cloth might be unwieldy when cleaning a phone but perfect for cleaning your large-screen TV.
Portability is another aspect to consider. If you clean your screens on the go or want a space-saving option to keep at work, look for compact or individually wrapped screen cleaner packets. There are also travel-size bottles that weigh under an ounce and are ideal for slipping into a carry-on, work bag, or purse.
FAQs
Screen cleaners provide a simple and affordable way to rid your devices of fingerprints, dust, and smudges. They clean effectively without damaging the fragile screen or screen coating. A proper screen-cleaning method can prolong your device’s screen lifespan and keep it looking like new. Here are a few questions to consider when using a screen cleaner.
It is best to check with the device manufacturer to confirm which options are safe for your device. Some disinfecting wipes may be safe to use, but it’s not wise to assume they all are.
Liquid screen cleaners are water-based and often include a surfactant to remove smudges from screens. Fabric screen cleaners are most commonly made of microfiber.
Cleaning wipes, dry cloths, and other cleaning devices can be used alone to gently wipe the screen. If using a spray cleaner, spray the solution on a screen cleaning cloth and then wipe the screen.
Vinegar may cause damage to some protective screen coatings. Though vinegar is undoubtedly a great option for other household chores, such as scrubbing surfaces and window screens, it is best to avoid using vinegar on electronic screens.
Avoid harsh chemicals like ammonia and alcohol when cleaning delicate LCD screens. Also, avoid using abrasive cloths. It is best to use a soft, lint-free cloth (like a microfiber cloth).
If using a liquid cleaner, ensure that the cloth or wipe is not too wet. A dry microfiber cloth can be used after the initial clean to gently polish out any streaks.
Why Trust Bob Vila
Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series including “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” he popularized and became synonymous with “do-it-yourself” home improvement.
Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists.
Meet the Tester
Stacey L. Nash has written about home and garden products, home design and decor, and general indoor and outdoor home improvement for 5+ years. She’s passionate about research and hands-on testing to find the products that add true value to homeownership and daily life. She lives on 12 heavily wooded acres, where she and her family put home and outdoor products to the test while avoiding bears and cougars.
Additional research provided by Jasmine Harding.