Proper Screen Wipes

[JorgeA]

Hello,

A well-meaning person gave me two packs of 50 "TV & Monitor Wipes" for my PC's LCD screen, but before using them I'd like to check on the forum with those who know about these things.

The ingredients are listed as:

Diazolidinyl urea (0.15%)

Methylparaben (0.05%)

Prepylparaben (0.05%), Dmdmh (0.1%)

Propylene glycol (0,15%), Water (60.5%)

Polypropylene (39%)

Is this mix safe to use for cleaning LCD and/or CRT screens? I'm a little suspicious (of the product, not of the person who gave it to me) because I looked up the supposed manufacturer's website and the product is not listed, despite the package carrying a date of 2010. Moreover, the instructions warn to, "Before using ensure that this product is compatible with your TV or screen." (How would I know that, except by using it... or asking around?)

I know that there are other alternatives for cleaning screens (a lint-free cloth has done well for me), but since this is a gift I'd like to know what I can say about these wipes in particular.

Thanks for your help!

--JorgeA

[Guest]

I've had no problems using regular glass cleaner. Obviously, nothing abrasive should be used. What I find interesting is the "urea," which is synonymous with animal cellular waste excreted through the skin. It is a component of natural sweat, and of urine which is excreted elsewhere.

Edited August 14, 2010 by 5eraph

[JorgeA]

I've had no problems using regular glass cleaner. Obviously, nothing abrasive should be used. What I find interesting is the "urea," which is synonymous with animal cellular waste excreted through the skin. It is a component of natural sweat, and of urine which is excreted elsewhere.

Yeah, I'd wondered about the urea too.

I'll look up these ingredients on the Web, and see what turns up.

--JorgeA

[CoffeeFiend]

I wouldn't be worried about the diazolidinyl urea. It's only a tiny amount (0.15%), and it's just a (fairly common) anti-microbial agent that's in pretty much every wet wipe out there (controlling bacterial growth in wet stuff kinda makes sense).

My main concerns would be:

-something soft enough i.e. cloth-based, not wood-fiber based

-something that won't leave a ton of dust or lint behind

-something that will be streak-free

-something that has no harmful chemicals (such as ammonia) in elevated concentrations

-a lot of glass cleaners will mess up the finish of the plastic (ammonia being a common cause), so bad idea there too

Most of the time I just use a damp cloth. If it's really coated with a thick layer of grime then I also use some isopropyl alcohol.

If you look again at the list of "ingredients" you listed:

Polypropylene (39%) <- that's the "cloth" itself

Water (60.5%) <- that's the other main component

This accounts for 99.5%, the rest being things like preservative chemicals and such (sometimes fragrance too). You're really just buying fancy damp cloth here.

[JorgeA]

Thanks, CoffeeFiend! This is a big help.

Yup, they're made out of cloth. I'm glad to hear that it's pretty standard stuff. Normally I don't use anything like this, but it was a mail gift from a family member and I needed to know if it was any good so that I could respond the right way.

A couple of weeks before I got these, I used a dry facial tissue to wipe the dust off the screen of an old CRT monitor. It's amazing what a minute's worth of cleaning will do -- it looks so bright now!

--JorgeA

[iamtheky]

in my concern too wiki has told me that:

Diazolidinyl urea = chemical reaction of allantoin and formaldehyde in the presence of sodium hydroxide solution and heat.

Allantoin is present in botanical extracts of the comfrey plant and Chemically synthesized bulk allantoin is nature-identical

so I can only hope they are not opting for the oxidized uric acid found in the waste of lower mammals.

Edited August 16, 2010 by iamtheky

[JorgeA]

iamtheky,

Wow, thanks for digging up this information.

If I decide to use these wipes, I'll make sure to wash my hands afterwards!

--JorgeA

Edited August 18, 2010 by JorgeA

[puntoMX]

If I decide to use these wipes, I'll make sure to wash my hands afterwards!

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

[JorgeA]

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

O.K., that's one way to look at it!

--JorgeA