Yahoo Lifestyle8 Best Screen Cleaners for Phones, Tablets, Laptops and More
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8 Best Screen Cleaners for Phones, Tablets, Laptops and More
We updated this article in January 2023 to add more frequently asked questions about screen cleaners based on extensive testing done by the Good Housekeeping Institute. Our original top-rated picks, selected by the GH Cleaning Lab remain the same.
In recent years, we’ve all become more acutely aware of just how many germs are out there. And, as a result, we've all adopted practices to help keep high-touch surfaces around us clean. And is there anything that gets touched more than the phones, laptops and other gadgets we use to stay connected to the world around us? They are essential lifelines, so it's no wonder they get assaulted with dust, greasy fingerprints, grime and germs — lots and lots of germs.
Regularly cleaning your phone and laptop is important not only to keep your gadgets looking great but for your personal safety and to help your devices work better, too. When the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab tests screen cleaners, we first evaluate items for safety, ensuring any products we’re considering don’t contain potentially gadget-damaging chemicals like ammonia. Then, we test all screen cleaners on a variety of devices, both large and small, to measure efficacy. Our top picks for screen cleaners include top-performing products from our latest tests and those highly rated in online consumer reviews.Our top picks:
Below our picks, you can read more about how we evaluate screen cleaners in our Lab — plus learn all about how to shop for screen cleaners and find out whether or not it’s safe to use disinfecting wipes on phones. Check out our guides to cleaning your laptop the right way and the best way to clean a TV screen.
bestbuy - Getty Images - 2/10
1) Anti-Static Electronic Cleaning Wipes
Weiman
amazon.com
$7.89
Weiman's wipes earned our Good Housekeeping Seal because this pre-moistened and ready-to-use product allows you to remove dust, fingerprints and other greasy smudges and smears without any harsh ingredients that could damage delicate screens. Its new formula kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria after allowing surfaces to remain wet for just four minutes. In our Cleaning Lab tests, we found they were well-sized for both large and small devices, plus worked quickly and cleaned well. Screens dried fast and without leaving any excess moisture, streaks or residue behind. As a bonus, Weiman pre-moistened wipes are great for removing grime from keyboards and for spot cleaning, too, though the container is too bulky to carry on the go.
Weiman - 3/10
2) Personal Electronics Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
E-Cloth
amazon.com
$7.95
Sometimes you don’t need much more than a basic cloth to wipe away greasy smudges on your phone, laptop or television screen. E-Cloth’s Personal Electronic Cloth is made of microfiber that picks up and locks in dust and dirt particles within its microscopic structure. It won’t scratch the surface and doesn't require liquid cleaner, so it's a safe bet for any device. For devices that can withstand moist cleaning, the E-Cloth can be dampened with water before wiping for even better results. 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. We have tested many E-Cloth microfiber cleaning cloths in the GH Cleaning Lab on glass, appliances and countertops, and we are big fans. Note that if you’re looking for something to kill germs on your electronics, this cloth won’t do that on its own.
E-Cloth - 4/10
3) Screen Cleaner
Insignia
bestbuy.com
$9.99
While we haven't tested this spray ourselves, Insignia is Best Buy's private label brand screen cleaner. It’s a consumer favorite — users praise it for cleaning all types of screens quickly and thoroughly and without damage. Most say it zaps streaks well and it gets bonus points for coming with a washable microfiber cloth. Though it’s a bit small, it can be stored neatly with the spray under the cap. The 5-ounce bottle of cleaning solution goes a long way when you spray the cloth, then wipe, making it handy for homes with lots of screens to clean.
Insignia - 5/10
4) Good Grips Sweep & Swipe Laptop Cleaner
OXO
amazon.com
$11.95
Keep this ingenious little tool from OXO in a desk drawer or near your desktop to clean your laptop with little hassle. It’s exceptionally easy to use — just 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. Then, do a deeper clean with the soft-bristle brush that gets gently into crevices, ports, openings and keys to whisk away crumbs and dust. When done, simply snap the cover back on and retract the brush to keep it clean and in good shape. Larger screens (like your TV screen) might be too big to cover with this small, but mighty tool.
OXO - 6/10
5) Mobile Screen Wipes
Zeiss
amazon.com
$10.87
Anyone who uses high-end cameras, binoculars or microscopes, will 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. They’re great for on the go since they’re compact and 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. Keep in mind that you’ll likely only be able to clean one small screen before the wipe is completely dry. They can be used to clean eyeglasses, too.
Zeiss - 7/10
6) Pro UV Smartphone Sanitizer & Universal Charger
PhoneSoap
amazon.com
$79.95
There are lots of devices that use UV-C light and claim to kill bacteria and germs on surfaces, but it's difficult to determine efficacy without the assistance of a microbiology lab. That said, PhoneSoap Pro impressed us enough to include it here. In conversations we had with the manufacturer, we learned that the PhoneSoap Pro is EPA-registered even 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, the PhoneSoap Pro was easy to use, too. 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. It has uses beyond your favorite gadget, too. Use it for sanitizing small items like eyeglasses, keys and credit cards. Just note: 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.
PhoneSoap - 8/10
7) On-the-Go Smart Cloth
Toddy Gear
toddygear.com
$9.99
These cleaning cloths are a Cleaning Lab favorite not only for how hefty and durable they are but also for their dirt-trapping dual-sided cleaning and polishing fabrics. They’re colorful and perfectly sized for stashing 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 between uses, and it's machine washable and dryable if it ever gets overwhelmed with dust. Pair it with your favorite germ-killing screen cleaning spray to remove smudges and germs at once.
Toddy Gear - 9/10
8) Screen Cleaner Kit
WHOOSH
amazon.com
$16.99
A consumer favorite with over 10,500 five-star reviews on Amazon, Whoosh claims to be the screen cleaner of choice at Apple stores. Our testers understand why — in our experience, it only takes seconds to make screens squeaky clean and shiny. We love that it comes in a pack of two, as well. The small spray is great to tuck into a purse while the larger one stays in a desk drawer or TV stand. The included 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.
Whoosh - 10/10
9) How we test screen cleaners
When we test screen cleaners in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we are first and foremost concerned with 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.
Carolyn Forte, Good Housekeeping Institute
