Andrew, I won't comment on cleaning the "plastic" parts as I don't know. Some liquids that clean well can also ruin some plastics. The aluminum case of our MacBook Pros is much easier to clean than whatever the black case is on our various ThinkPads :-)
As for cleaning the screen, it depends on the coating(s) and on the material. I haven't looked real hard but so far I haven't found any good descriptions of the screen surface of a typical TP (or other notebook for that matter) screen. In the optics world, if the base material is glass or many (but not all) plastics, "clean" isopropyl and ethyl alcohol are used for cleaning after the big stuff is removed with a water rinse. Be VERY carefully rubbing, especially with any paper-based wipe (you can easily scratch many coatings such as the anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings on lenses and displays and soft plastics). If you want really clean and streak-free results, use really clean (semiconductor grade for example) alcohol, diluted as desired with distilled water. When I was measuring the transmittance of a large, high quality optical window that was installed as part of the NASA ISS (space station), NASA people used very clean isopropyl cut with distilled water for cleaning. For preparation for a space sensor component we recently measured in my lab, we first used deionized water, then pure isopropyl, and then 200 proof (pure) ethyl with special low residue (clean room) wipes made from some synthetic fiber, not paper. Everything in the lab, including the flat screen computer monitors, was sparkling clean and streak-free. So were my glasses :-) Clean, pure ethyl is expensive (about $50 a pint!), isopropyl less so. For cleaning screens (and eyeglasses), I'd recommend pure (99% or higher) isopropyl cut to 50% with distilled water. Spray it on and use a clean, scratch-free cloth or wipes specifically made for cleaning plastic lenses. High quality anti-reflective eyeglass lenses usually come with a cleaning cloth - they work nicely with a flat display also. Just make sure any cloth is clean (run it through the washing machine regularly - don't use fabric softener). If there are spots from soft drinks or sugar based liquids on a screen, clean first with pure water and then the alcohol and water mix. Stuart On Feb 27, 2011, at 4:31 PM, Andrew Webber wrote: > Can I use Goo Gone (R) on the palmrest of a T41p? I've seen it > recommended but don't remember for sure what models, and I worry about > the material. > > I also have 70% rubbing alcohol (and 50% from the dollar store) if > either of those is better. > > And is 50% or 70% recommended for cleaning the screen of the T41p (and > the X300)? > > Thanks! > > > -- > Andrew _______________________________________________ Thinkpad mailing list [email protected] http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
