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Clorox / Lysol wipes bad for your screens?

Wayne Orwig

Active Member
OK fair enough, but would you recommend it for cleaning a screen used neat? It seems that it needs some water added to help kill the bacteria anyway.

The screen is glass. What do you use on a household glass windows.
And in this case, this glass is hardened to make it even more durable that basic household window glass.
The end.
 

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
The screen is glass. What do you use on a household glass windows.
And in this case, this glass is hardened to make it even more durable that basic household window glass.
The end.

But the screen isn't just glass... this has already been discussed once in this thread. The screen has an oleophobic coating which could be damaged. It even says in the Microsoft Q&A about cleaning that the screen has been coated "to make it easier to clean" and "Not to use window cleaner or other chemical cleaners"

Specifically here the OP is asking about disinfection from bacterial/viral contamination. As I said before the Surface was advertised even in the keynote as a device that healthcare workers could use, there must be some guidance somewhere on what is suitable perhaps from people who are already using them in this way, alcohol based cleaners are probably the most likely option.
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
OK fair enough, but would you recommend it for cleaning a screen used neat? It seems that it needs some water added to help kill the bacteria anyway.
Um, water doesn't kill bacteria. you just can't drown them in water, it wont work :) that's why you hear about boiling water or adding chlorine to make it safe to drink. and bacteria can live in a pool for several hours or even days.
 

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
Um, water doesn't kill bacteria. you just can't drown them in water, it wont work :) that's why you hear about boiling water or adding chlorine to make it safe to drink. and bacteria can live in a pool for several hours or even days.

I didn't say water could kill the bacteria I said isopropanol needs to be mixed with water which makes it more effective. I read in the link provided by the other poster about Isopropanol (yes I did go and read about it, I'm not a chemist but I do work with bacteria!) that it actually more effectively kills bacteria when mixed with water as it needs the water to help it to penetrate the cell membranes.

Perhaps these are some links that might help the OP - but he'd need to determine if the disinfectant might damage the Surface.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinfectant#Alcohols
http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/disinfection_sterilization/6_0disinfection.html
 
a) adding water to isopropanol certainly will improve the effectiveness of the cleaning. Pure Isoprop will leave streaks, probably some insoluble salts, fatty acids left from the grease that is on there. Together with water it's much better and also reduces the problem of possibly dissolving out plasticizers from the rubber surrounding the screen that holds it in place (although this would really only happen over prolonged times). It is very unlikely it will affect the coating that Moonsurface emphasizes (I'd be more concerned with solvents/cleaners that release ammonia).

b) the ILUV cleaner in combination with a protection screen is probably the best solution, although pretty expensive. I'd try to find out whether the employer reimburses for the costs if I used the SPro for work. Just make sure the liquid doesn't enter the gap between the plastic/rubber seal it is sitting in in the housing to often.

If you ever change the screen protector you will certainly find out whether there is a difference in the glass in the area that was protected compared to the part of the glass that wasn't.
 
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