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Retina Display Stains

S

salthustle

Guest
Original poster
Jul 11, 2012
19
0
Hi,

So someone went ahead and used tap water to clean my screen without my knowledge today, as they had left fingerprints on it whilst i was out - its left smears and smudges all over it. Like a foggy, whitish layer over the whole screen, that is really obvious when its turned off.

This is a brand new MBP 15" Retina, how do i go about getting rid of them?

I'm really anxious they have permanently messed the screen up.

Please help!

Thanks
 
Try some filtered water with a spash of vinegar mixed in :) (white vinegar or distilled)
 
Just take a microfiber cloth and rub the white smears away. That normally works for me.
Don't worry, your screen is fine ;)
 
salthustle said:
Hi,

So someone went ahead and used tap water to clean my screen without my knowledge today, as they had left fingerprints on it whilst i was out - its left smears and smudges all over it. Like a foggy, whitish layer over the whole screen, that is really obvious when its turned off.

This is a brand new MBP 15" Retina, how do i go about getting rid of them?

I'm really anxious they have permanently messed the screen up.

Please help!

Thanks
Click to expand...

It is highly unlikely that tap water would have created any permanent stain on a glass surface.

Take a soft, clean microfibre cloth and lightly wipe back and forth on a section of the "stain". I bet you it disappears.
 
I've got a micro fibre cloth and a special screen cleaner but that doesn't seem to have done anything to help :(

Water can't permanently damage it can it?!

Thanks
 
It still looks like this, now i am really worried!

img2012071100021.jpg

Shot at 2012-07-11

img2012071100023.jpg

Shot at 2012-07-11
 
Try what I have suggested to you. Typically nivegar will neutralize hard water stains. Rubbing a hard water stain with a dry microfiber is more likely to leave permanent marks. If that doesn't work a very mild plastic polish from the auto care section at walmart (like a 3m product) will remove the stains. It is a result of hard water slightly etching into the surface.
 
I use 3M LCD screen wipes; they get most of the junk off but still leave a slight haze and smudges, like your picture shows.

A final polish with a dry microfiber towel does the trick. Then again, my MBP is an older one with the glass in front of the screen.
 
Guys I can't see the pictures because I am at work on a government connection. But I imagine he has some hard water stains on there. screen cleaning fluids are simply nowhere near abbrassive enough to remove that. Hell, even though I would not normally advise using a little windex with amonia in it, it can't hurt to use it one time and will almost for sure remove the stains. The stains he is talking about are similiar to water spots on your car after it sits in the sun after being rained on.
 
01mggt said:
Guys I can't see the pictures because I am at work on a government connection. But I imagine he has some hard water stains on there. screen cleaning fluids are simply nowhere near abbrassive enough to remove that. Hell, even though I would not normally advise using a little windex with amonia in it, it can't hurt to use it one time and will almost for sure remove the stains. The stains he is talking about are similiar to water spots on your car after it sits in the sun after being rained on.
Click to expand...

+1 on the Windex. Usually, I use the Zeiss tissues you purchase at Walmart for glasses but when there's lots of smudges and fingerprints, Windex works great.
 
Best window cleaner I have ever used was told to me by a professional tint installer. 1 oz rubbing alcohol, 2 oz vinegar, 13 oz distilled water, 2-4 drops mild detergent (baby shampoo recommended, do not use dawn).
 
Not sure if it'll work on a comp screen, but mild dish soap is great for washing windows and stuff. Way better than even windex.
 
Is that a bottle of windex in the picture? I've always been told to NEVER use a chemical agent on the screen, though that was largely for plastic LCD screens rather than glass. Hopefully it was just water that was used. If so, a microfibre cloth and the 'ha' method (breathing out of your mouth onto your screen) should clear that up. That's always worked for me. But if it's a chemical that's on there...different story. The rMBP doesn't use that extra layer of glass we found on the older MBPs, so I'd worry a bit about what could have happened permanently to the glass. My wife bumped her MacBook screen with fingers that had a bit of fingernail removal still on them and those marks are still there. Ate me up inside! Good luck to you!
 
Window cleaner looked like it had worked but now its dried off I don't think it has. Its still just smudged, so bizarre I really have no idea what has happened. How can just water do this?? So annoyed. Any more thoughts anyone?

----------

I'm dreading having to get the bloody screen replaced, is that possible under warranty? Or am i looking at a humungous cost?
 
salthustle said:
Window cleaner looked like it had worked but now its dried off I don't think it has. Its still just smudged, so bizarre I really have no idea what has happened. How can just water do this?? So annoyed. Any more thoughts anyone?
Click to expand...

Try mild dish soap, then clear water then dry with a smooth dish towel or cotton t-shirt for that matter. Make sure there is nothing on the screen that can scratch it.
 
Here's a question. If you weren't around to see this person 'clean' the screen, how do you know it WAS just water and not something a bit more...corrosive?
 
salthustle said:
Window cleaner looked like it had worked but now its dried off I don't think it has. Its still just smudged, so bizarre I really have no idea what has happened. How can just water do this?? So annoyed. Any more thoughts anyone?

----------

I'm dreading having to get the bloody screen replaced, is that possible under warranty? Or am i looking at a humungous cost?
Click to expand...

The smudging in the images you posted is insane :O

DO you live in a hard water area?
Try a drop of something acidic on the screen, like diluted vinegar as has been suggested. It won't do anything to the glass, and you can just wipe it off. Should remove the calcium deposits.
 
salthustle said:
I've got a micro fibre cloth and a special screen cleaner but that doesn't seem to have done anything to help :(

Water can't permanently damage it can it?!

Thanks
Click to expand...
water should be fine, it's screen cleaner that's actually really bad for a lot of screens, so you might not want to use it.
 
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