So, my computer monitor is looking a bit grimy, and I would like to clean it, however I assume spraying it with furniture polish and wiping it with a damp cloth is not going to do it any good, so can anyone suggest how to clean it without destroying the screen?

I've just used soap and warm water and several microfibre cloths for both LCD TV screens and monitors, but I'm a bit wtf'd about grime on the monitor trying to envision the severity of what you're talking about. If it's as bad as it sounds it really shouldn't ever get like that.

I just get a damp soft cloth (bottled water might be better than tap water, no minerals or particles) and gently wipe the screen. Wipe it all in one direction, and either dry in one direction or let it air dry to prevent smearing. I don't clean my monitors often though, so I don't have any strict science behind it.

Maybe dust it first too.

If you know what the moist towelette wipes are, that you get from alot of take aways or you can buy and pull out the top of the container they work just as well, they sell them as monitor cleaners., Please for no reason spray it with furniture polish, or you can get liqiud hand pump window cleaner spray that on a cloth and wipe your monitor never ever spray it directly onto the screen.

Here is the thing with Monitors.

1. Use mild detergents (dish soap), don't use Windex or Window Cleaners

2. Use a dry microfiber cloth first, then the soapy water if needed. Remember, a damp cloth, not a wet one.

3. The biggest problem, besides using too much liquid or too harsh a chemical, is to put too much pressure on the screen. There is a structure in the screen that bounces and reflects light and if that gets crushed, you can get dark spots in the screen. Just don't apply a lot of pressure and don't apply pressure to anyone small spot and you will be OK. To know how much is too much, gently push against the screen with your finger until you see it getting a bit dark under your finger. That is too much pressure.

You can also use something like this, there are dozens of different kinds of these things to clean the screen

http://www.amazon.com/BELKIN-LCD-Display-Cleaner-F8E404/dp/B000653KL0

Dust it first with a soft brush (like a clean, new soft bristle paint brush) and then just a damp soft cloth to clean with very light pressure. Wipe dry with another clean cloth.

I just use a microfiber washcloth and warm water that I put in a spray bottle. Usually it takes about two or three attempts to get all the grime off, but at least I'm not using any chemicals that could accidentally scuff the screen. I'm not saying that windex, window cleaners or soap are guaranteed to do that, I just don't want to take the risk.

You should never need anything more than the aforementioned microfiber cloth, water, and/or vinegar for the greasy/oily stuff.

If water is not enough, just add some vinegar.

And I'll reiterate what CCNA touched on. DON'T press hard on LCD screens. Take a bit longer (with softer wipes) on the hard to get stuff rather than power wiping it with a lot of force.

So the general consensus is, use a dry or damp cloth, don't press on too hard or use harsh chemicals? I thought it would be more complicated than that.

I dust mine off with a 2" paint brush, then clean with distilled water and a microfiber cloth. I smoke, so mine (laptops, monitors, and TVs) get grimy. If it's really bad, I'll lay it down so a spray of water will sit on the suface rather than run down inside the lower bezel. Light rubbing with the cloth will remove everything....eventually.

lens cleaner. what you would use to clean your glasses with. i dont wear glasses fyi

I clean my glasses with a dry cloth.

buy lens cleaner spray, and a furniture polish cloth. works like a charm

edit: got a credit card? http://www.shaggymac.com/optimist-prime.html

problem solved

Or just use vinegar. Works just like the lens spray, and most people have it sitting around already.

As an aside, Ivory Dish Soap has no moisturizers or other things to cause smudge to get left behind.

A spray bottle with water, a bit of vinegar and a squirt of Ivory Dish Soap is the best Window Cleaner possible. Still, for LCD'sspritz it on the microfiber cloth then wipe the screen.

Two Notes:

If you are going to use this solution on glass, use Newspapers to dry it off, the best glass polish out there.

Do not use newspaper on LCD screens, that will scratch them.

I dust the screen with a soft brush first, then I use a microfiber cloth sprayed with a weak mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol. Works well.

I got a box of about a thousand pre-packaged LCD screen wipes when my dad left his old work.

I'm not sure that helps your situation any, but I thought it was pretty funny when I opened the box expecting something AWESOME.