iMac Cleaning Question

[Ellen]

Sorry for such a mundane question from a newbie, but everyone here has been so helpful to me.

I've had my new iMac (I love it) for 2 weeks and have been dusting the monitor with the Apple cloth. I've dampened the cloth at times and it's left streaks on the glass which leads me to rub harder which makes me paranoid - so I was wondering if there is a particular cleaner that people use. I realize the cover is glass, so pressing on it should not be a problem, but maybe not all glass is created equal. My bedroom tends to accumulate dust each day, no matter what I do, and I've noticed a few specks under the glass - I hope that they were there originally and are not new (the case is sealed, right?), since a dust-free environment is going to be impossible.

Thanks again.

 

[Phtosynthesis]

I just bought a LCD/Plasma Screen Cleaner by GM, from Target, for $7.99. I can't seem to find it online, but I know they have it in-store. It includes a retractable dust/particle brush, a microfiber cloth and a decent size bottle of the cleaning fluid. It works great though and it isn't that expensive.

 

[cleanglass]

Cleaning iMacs and Plasmas

Ellen,
I can well understand your trepidation at not wanting to damage or scratch the glass on your iMac. One of the best things you can do for it is to stay away from ammonia and acid based cleaners - even vinegar is an acid.

Have you ever seen an old mirror that has had the silver plating on the back of the mirrior eaten away by mom's home-made formula of vinegar or soda? That's what I am talking about.

Sadly, about 90% of the cleaners on the market use this as a base, mostly because it's easy to manufacture. It's easy to see what is used in the cleaning formula by reading the label and reading whether natural-based or chemical-based compounds are used.

One of the best organic, natural cleaners for glass (and my MacPro laptop - I love that machine) I have ever found has been Glare-X-Plus (dot com). The reason- it does not use any harsh abrasives (the usual formula if they don't use acid based solutions), nor does it add more toxins to your environment.

By that, I mean that you could accidentally swallow it and you might get the runs - if that (the state approved MSDS safety sheet states this clearly). Its natural base is also interesting in that it does not create any static (totally inert formula), which may be why some dust spots are showing up. I am also a professional picture framer and clean a lot of glass - sometimes that dust comes from out of nowwhere! But it is usually because some static charge has been built up. That's why an inert formula is an absolute must for tv and computer screens.

Another great plus that you won't find with ANY other cleaner on the market - it does not allow human oils (from hands and fingers) to adhere or bond to the glass anymore. So all future cleaning is done with ONLY clean water (damp cloth) and a lint free clean cloth to buff dry. Remember, the formula is ineert and does not allow build up of static.

I apologize for making this reply so long, but 1) scratching the glass, 2) dulling it over time with acid based cleaners and 3) creating static charge with non-inert cleaners is simply not good for oyur new iMac/Baby. I wish you much joy with it! I have been using Macs since they were invented and this cleaner has been around for almost 20 years now. I've never used anything else.
Sincerely,
CleanGlass