My favorite screen cleaner banishes fingerprints from your displays (and is only $15)

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Whoosh 3.4 fl oz cleaning spray and cloth kit is available on Amazon for $15.
• In my experience, it’s the best kit for cleaning displays, large or small. 
• Some users report concerns that the cloth could scratch displays, but in my testing I did not experience this.

We’re surrounded by screens. Some sit in one place, collecting dust and grime, while others get touched and pawed at frequently, accumulating oils from our skin and anything else hitching a ride on our fingers. For me personally, a dirty screen is a major distraction, as my eyes are inevitably drawn to the specks and smears.

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The problem is, wiping down screens with most cloths just ends up leaving streaks and smears. I’ve tried numerous methods, from proprietary wipes to specialized cleaning cloths, and some have provided passable results, but none have felt quick and easy. Until now.

A few weeks ago, a reader recommended a product called Whoosh, claiming that “this is the stuff that Apple uses.” After consulting a few acquaintances who work at Apple stores, it appears that while it’s indeed used, its adoption isn’t universal. Whether Apple uses it or not isn’t my concern. What matters to me is how effective it is.

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The Whoosh kit I chose was the 3.4 fl oz screen cleaner spray with microfiber cloth. There are bigger and smaller kits, but the medium-sized one seemed a good place to start.

In the spray bottle is a milky liquid which is odorless and non-toxic, and according to the packaging doesn’t contain alcohol or ammonia. I checked out the US MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet) and EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) data sheets, and these conform the claims on the packaging, but do not shed light on the ingredients, with the MSDS listing it as a “trade secret.”  

Along with the spray bottle, the kit comes with a microfiber cloth and instructions. The instructions give a overview of how to clean your screens, and are quite comprehensive, so I recommend you read them.

The cloth is double-sided — one side is textured cleaning side, the other the drying and polishing side. As microfiber cloths go, it’s excellent quality, and doesn’t shed fibers.

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I’ve also read some concerns online about the label on the cloth being abrasive and able to scratch displays — personally, I doubt it — but this is something easily remedied by simply removing the label from the cloth. 

I’ll add a few more tips that can also apply more generally:

• Don’t spray the liquid directly onto the display — spray it onto the cloth. 
• If there are abrasive materials on the screen — such as sand — use a soft brush to remove it.
• Work slow and methodically.
• Don’t be tempted to use a fingernail to remove stubborn dirt — put some spray on the cloth, apply the damp patch of cloth to the stubborn spot and wait 10 seconds for the cleaner to loosen it up.
• Store the cloth in the bag so it doesn’t pick up dirt. 
• Wash the cloth regularly so it retains its microfiber magic. 

I’ve tested this on smartphones (with and without screen protectors), tablets, laptops displays, and TVs, and was blown away by how well it worked at keeping displays clean. The winning combination here is the cleaning formula that cuts through grease and grime, and the quality microfiber cloth that effortlessly lifts this dirt off the display.

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You can also use the solution to clean devices in general, not just the screen. Just apply a few sprays on the cloth and give the gadget a good wipe. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

My advice is simple — buy a kit! Once you see your clean, streak-free screen, you won’t regret it. I’m so impressed that I’ll be picking up a 16.9 fl oz spray bottle and a 12-pack of microfiber cloths.

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