Apple’s popular new iPad is the latest, and one of the most exciting, developments in personal computing. It combines high functionality with a sleek design and an engaging interface that’s fun and easy to use. But with a lot of use comes lots of fingerprints, leading to dirty and grimy screens. There’s even an app that pokes fun at the problem!

So what’s the best way to keep your iPad screen clean and clear? There are a lot of ideas floating around the internet: using your t-shirt, water, even household glass cleaners. But let’s take a look at how they really work:

1.   Your t-shirt: While it’s not a bad way to wipe off bigger items, clothing isn’t formulated to actually remove oils or clean anything (c’mon, it’s clothing), so you end up just pushing grime around and possibly adding more germs depending on where your clothes have been.

2.   Water: Really? Water? On an electronic device? Okay, we’ll address it anyway. First off, as anyone who has tried to clean a greasy dish without soap should know, straight water won’t clean. And let’s face it, there’s a bigger risk here. Water drips…fast. You run the risk of floating around on a device, eventually finding its way into any crevices. That’s what water does: if it comes up on an opening, like Luke Skywalker, it’s going in. It can quickly ruin connections destroying the device. Apple probably won’t be too anxious to replace an item you’ve let water in.

3.   Household cleaners: What’s great for your kitchen counters or windows is generally not good for your electronics. Even alcohol and ammonia free cleaners tend to be more abrasive than you may think and can ruin the sensitive coatings on electronics.

So when you do select a cleaner, you’ll want to look for something specifically designed to clean your touchscreen device without damaging the device. 

Once you have your cleaner in hand, it’s important to use it on a regular basis. Applying a microfiber cloth throughout the day can help reduce fingerprints with more extensive cleanings daily, or as needed, depending on how much time you spend touching your screen. 

Or, if you’re looking for more, Monster takes cleaning a step further: we partnered with AEGIS to utilize their antimicrobial technology on our Monster Clean Cloth, helping reduce up to 99% of germs and microbes. This result is something you definitely want to think about as you pass your iPad around the office.

Want more info on ScreenClean from Monster? Click here.

And here’s a little demonstration of how well our ScreenClean solution cuts through grime and fingerprints.