It's true you should exercise caution with most LCD screens, but the LCD screen on the TouchSmart desktops (IQ500 and IQ800 series for sure) is covered by glass, which means glass cleaner and a paper towel should be just fine (don't use paper on the plastic chassis though). As always, never spray directly on the screen. Only spray the paper towel.

The keyboard can be cleaned with a damp cloth. If needed, a mild soap shouldn't hurt it, but test a small innocuous area first.

Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.

DaveTN said: I have to disagree about the glass cleaner. I use a soft, damp cloth with a drop of dish detergent on it and wipe the screen and plastic bezel with it. Then I use anouther slightly damp cloth (both completely wrung out so they do not drip) to wipe off the residue. For quick clean ups of finger prints, I use the microfiber cloth that came with my TS. Also, you wnat to make sure your touchsmart is turned off when you clean the screen. For the keyboard, I use either a soft bristle paintbrush or my vacuum cleaner witht the soft bristle fabric brush. You can also use a slightly damp cloth. David

To each their own, I suppose. Glass is certainly more resillient, so the cleaning options are abundant. Of course, whenever I hear the phrase "dish detergent" I think of something like Cascade, which would contain harsh oxidants, acids, and caustic agents. Of course, if you're talking about something mild, like Dawn or Palmolive (oft called dish soaps), then I don't see any problem with your approach.

Since she asked specfically about the removal of polish overspray, I would think ingredients found in glass cleaner (like isopropanol or ammonia) would be more effective than dish soap, which would only contain a surfactant for cutting grease.

That said, I'd certainly avoid anything with harsh abrasives (ie Comet, Soft Scrub), and common sense as to what you use to wipe it down with... like no SOS pads.

In the end, whatever gives you a clean screen without damage is fine with me. :)

Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.

DaveTN said: Good point on my use of terms. I use dish "Soap", particularly Dawn. Its the ammonia in window spray that I worry about on the screen. I'm not sure if there are any coatings on it. EDIT: Matt, you are correct, you can use "Mild" glass Cleaner. Excerpt from IQ 816 Quick Start Guide: Cleaning the HP TouchSmart PC Screen To achieve the best touch sensitivity, keep the screen clean from foreign objects. Avoid excessive dust accumulation on all sides and edges of the screen. Before cleaning the touch screen, you must disable it by turning off the computer. If the computer is not turned off, the touch screen is enabled, and you could lose data while cleaning it. 1 Turn off the computer. Tap the Windows Vista start button, tap the Arrow button next to the Lock icon, and then tap Shut Down. 2 Disconnect the power cord from the wall. 3 Spray a small amount of a mild glass cleaner onto the cleaning cloth that came with your HP TouchSmart PC. You can also use a soft cloth or paper towel dampened with a typical household glass cleaner to clean the touch screen. 4 Wipe the surface and each side of the touch screen to remove dirt, fingerprints, or other debris. . Using the Computer with Safety and Comfort Before you begin using the computer, arrange the computer and your work area to maintain your comfort and productivity. Refer to the Safety & Comfort Guide for important ergonomic information:  Tap the Windows Vista start button, tap Help and Support, User Guides, and then tap Safety & Comfort Guide. Or  Type www.hp.com/ergo into the Web browser address box, and then press the Enter key on the keyboard. CAUTION: Do not spray or place the cleaner directly on the screen; spray the cleaner into the cloth, and then wipe the sides and surface of the touch screen. Do not use an abrasive cleaner or cloth when cleaning the sides or the surface of the screen, because this could cause damage to the touch screen. ************ David

You looked in the manual? Cheater! ;-)

I'll usually never recommend glass cleaner (ammonia free or otherwise) to clean any form of LCD screen for exactly the reason you mentioned (old coating-free CRT tube TVs and monitors are fine though),  but it would seem that the TouchSmart was designed to be cleaning product friendly (wisely so I would say given how often the screen needs to be cleaned and the particular room in the house the TouchSmart is commonly placed). I give it an exception, and since this is a TouchSmart focused community, I don't have any problem calling out that exception.

NOTE: This advice is for the TouchSmart DESKTOPS only. Not the TouchSmart laptops.

My usual advice for cleaning flat panel display is Klear Screen, Monster ScreenClean, or similar product and a microfiber or soft (ideally lint free) cotton cloth. 

And Anita, it's my pleasure to help. Enjoy being a part of the TouchSmart Community! Don't be afraid to hang around and get involved in other discussions.

Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.

I really like using iKlear polish for all of my electronic devices. Not as cheap as water or glass cleaner, but what I like about it is that it leaves a nice smooth surface for touch based devices. I use it on my phone's protective screen, for example. It's also safe for LCD screens.

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Hey, I heard you guys had a girl in here...
Dave

Ha! I was just ROFLOL at you two guys and the advice on cleaning the touchscreen contest...
Like Brutus (or Bluto) and Popeye over Olive Oyl, if you can remember that; I'm an old fart, and that reference definitely dates me, but at least I was not alive when they first came out with that comic strip back in 1949. You and Dave were phenomenally helpful, I could not have improved on that advice one single bit. I do take shortcuts, and clean mine at the logon screen with the Fn+F9 combo to shut off the backlight so I can see the smudges. I turned off the touch a couple of months back, so I won't lose data or click on things I don't want to click on. I use my nano-rag "dry" until it is as clean as it was when I first peeled the film off after taking it out of the carton. NO ONE IS ALLOWED to touch my screen, as I am visually impaired enough wearing these WalMart readers in order to see, so the cleaning process does not happen very often, but this method seems to attract the least amount of airborne dust and whatnot. I am open to your critique if you have one for the "dry" method.
Dave

WaveRider said: Ha! I was just ROFLOL at you two guys and the advice on cleaning the touchscreen contest... Like Brutus (or Bluto) and Popeye over Olive Oyl, if you can remember that; I'm an old fart, and that reference definitely dates me, but at least I was not alive when they first came out with that comic strip back in 1949. You and Dave were phenomenally helpful, I could not have improved on that advice one single bit. I do take shortcuts, and clean mine at the logon screen with the Fn+F9 combo to shut off the backlight so I can see the smudges. I turned off the touch a couple of months back, so I won't lose data or click on things I don't want to click on. I use my nano-rag "dry" until it is as clean as it was when I first peeled the film off after taking it out of the carton. NO ONE IS ALLOWED to touch my screen, as I am visually impaired enough wearing these WalMart readers in order to see, so the cleaning process does not happen very often, but this method seems to attract the least amount of airborne dust and whatnot. I am open to your critique if you have one for the "dry" method. Dave

A dry microfiber rag is typically good enough for most cleaning jobs if we're only talking fingerprints. Mine is in a kitchen, so it occasionally gets a spray of whatever we're cooking or cleaning in the sink. For those jobs, I find a cleaning product is sometimes necessary to get it squeaky clean. Personally, I use a moist lint free flour sack towel most of the time, and occasionally need a bit of glass cleaner. Always works out fine.

Definitely wasn't trying to get into a Popeye vs Brutus contest. I'm passionate about giving sound advice, and proper care and cleaning of PC and TV displays is important. I've seen too many people attack their laptop screens or big LCD TVs with the wrong stuff and cause permanent damage.  Fortunately, the screen on the TouchSmart desktops is pretty forgiving.

Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.

Ha! I was just messin' with you, Matt on the "fightin over me goyl, Olive Oyl", the advice you gave was exceptional. I have used some quality kitchen paper towels (yes, I know!) pre-wet with glass cleaner for the times I have fried shrimp or chicken in my kitchen, and that works fine as well. Just make sure that the paper towels you use are not store brand 80 grit paper, you want as soft as you can get here.
BTW, what the heck is a "flour sack towel?" Like terrycloth?
Dave

Arf,arf, arf arf, arf!!! Waaal blow me down !
Quitcher grinnin' and dropsk me linens, I've got to go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond...eck, eck, eck...
D