How to Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen

Here is a simple way to fix a smudged or scratched monitor. It is necessary to have a clean display surface before attempting scratch repair.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Smudges and Other Residues

  • If you have scratches, avoid rubbing residues into them during cleaning.
  • Never use abrasive solutions
  • Never use solvents other than water on screens with ARAG coating/film.
  1. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 1
    1
    Take a soft cloth and wet a corner. (Do not use tap water, as it can leave a deposit or streaks from the mineral content - use Deionized water instead!)
  2. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 2
    2
    Gently wipe the screen in circular motions while the computer or TV is off.
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  3. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 3
    3
    Wipe it in up and down direction across the screen.
  4. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 4
    4
    Use the dry side of the cloth to dry it in circular motions.
  5. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 5
    5
    Repeat if necessary.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Fine Scratches in ARAG coating (most CRT and all LCD)

Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Scratches Deeper than Coating or On Non-Coated CRT (rare)

  1. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 6
    1
    If applicable,peel off, or scrub away, ARAG film. This is irreversible, make sure you can buy replacement ARAG film.
  2. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 7
    2
    Proceed with usual abrasive techniques (buffing). Glass repair resins may be more effective for very deep scratches.
  3. Image titled Repair a Scratched or Finger Printed Monitor Screen Step 8
    3
    If applicable, apply new ARAG film. Make sure the new film is similar in properties to the original. Be sure to check your gray scale tracking and adjust the display as necessary to avoid color and luminance distortion due to varied transmittance of new coating.
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About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 25 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 105,181 times.
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Co-authors: 25
Updated: June 4, 2020
Views: 105,181
Categories: Displays
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