Best Screen Cleaner For Desktop Mac
Mar 29, 2019 How to Clean Up/Speed up Your Mac. Macbooks, Mac Minis, and Mac desktops are amazing computing devices made by Apple. However, these aluminum powerhouses are no different than any other personal computer- they accumulate files over the. Is a powerful nontoxic screen cleaner that'll keep the display of every gadget you own spotless. The odorless liquid is safe for all screens, while a bundled antimicrobial microfiber cloth ensures that you always make the most of every spray.
So you’ve had your Mac for a while and things don’t feel as fresh and clean as they used to? Like a car, phone, or watch, anything regularly taken care of will greatly extend the lifetime of it by years. Don’t worry; there are many things you can do to make your Mac run like new again. Once you clear out all the junk your computer contains, you’ll get a faster, healthy and more productive Mac. And here’s how to do that!
How to Clean Your Mac: An Easy Way
Here’s a simple diagram to explain the most common types of computer junk, sorted by size. Some of these, like Trash bin files are easily reachable, while others are stored away in hidden system folders. Sadly, there’s no easy way to clear them up without special skills.
If you don’t feel like spending the next several hours cleaning your Mac manually, you can use a powerful cleaning tool CleanMyMac X to find and remove all the clutter your Mac contains. It knows which files are useless, how to find them and remove completely. CleanMyMac has everything to finish the 3-hour task of a Mac cleanup in under 5 minutes. It will even clean up the junk you didn’t know about and give your computer a speed boost.
How to clean your Mac with CleanMyMac X:
- Download CleanMyMac X for free here.
- Run the app and click Scan.
- Then click Clean.
Done! Now your Mac looks much better!
How to Clean Mac Hard Drive Manually
If you never performed an automatic or manual system cleaning — it means that your Mac has been collecting unnecessary files and clutter for years. You can quickly clean up your Mac with these easy steps.
1. Clean up cache
You’ve probably heard “Remove your cache” as a web browser troubleshooting tip. In fact, your Mac stores a lot of information in files called caches, allowing the fast access to that data and reducing the need to get it from the original source again. Unfortunately, those files take a lot of space on your Mac, and instead of speeding the things up, they slow your computer down. Min max dnd dmg class. Therefore, if you want to give your system a boost, clean your Mac from the cache files.
There are two ways to do that: you can delete them manually or use a MacBook cleaner like CleanMyMac X to do the job for you. Of course, the second way is an easy and fast one. However, if you decide to clean up cache manually, check out a comprehensive guide on “How to Clear Cache on a Mac.”
2. Uninstall apps you don’t use
The applications you’ve installed on your Mac take up space, of course. And over time when your Mac becomes full of different apps, it may start running slowly. How to clean MacBook? In the first place, you need to remove the apps you no longer use or need.
You may be surprised to find out that sending an app to the Trash will not uninstall it completely because the app leftovers still remain on your Mac taking up a lot of storage. So, if you want to be a responsible Mac user, you need to uninstall applications the right way. Here’s a step-by-step guide on “How to Uninstall Apps on a Mac.”
Extra step: Trim down your login items
Login items are applications that run automatically upon startup. In 2019 every second app tries to become as prominent as possible and get into your Login Items. First of all, you may not even know what they are (not all of them appear in the Dock). Secondly, such apps consume memory. That's enough reasons to get rid of extra login items you don't need.
- Open System Preferences.
- Go to Users & Groups.
- Choose your nickname on the right.
- Choose Login items tab.
- Check startup programs you want to remove.
- Press the “–” sign below.
You’re done.
3. Remove old Mail Attachments
You get different attachments via email — PDFs, Word Documents, images, etc. Sometimes we all make a mistake of double-clicking the file. When you do that, the file saves itself to your Mail Downloads folder. Double click enough files and that folder can blow up like a balloon. That’s why you need to remove old Mail Downloads.
How to do that? How to clean my Mac? The easiest way is to use Spotlight. Press Command+Space to make the search field appear and type Mail Downloads. In the Folders section, you’ll see the Mail Downloads folder. Once you get to the folder, you can select the files and delete them. Make sure to check and empty it every year or so.
4. Empty the trash
Even though you’ve deleted the files, they reside in your Trash bin taking up a lot of storage on your Mac. They are just waiting to be removed completely. If you want your precious hard drive space back, you need to empty the Trash.
Here’s how to clean your MacBook from the trash:
- Click and hold on the Trash can icon in the Dock.
- Select Empty Trash from a popup that appears.
The process is quite simple, right?
5. Delete large and old files
It has always been a rule of thumb among computer geeks, that you should keep minimum 15-20% of free space on your main hard drive. This is just a rough estimation, but the more free space you have, the faster your Mac works. A computer magazine once performed a test on this, which concluded that the difference in speed can reach as much as 35%. If you work with heavy graphics or video rendering, even more free space is recommended.
How to have more free space? Delete large and old files.
The first way is totally manual and requires you to find them one by one, while for the second way, you just need to make two clicks and CleanMyMac X will do the job for you.
Best Free Mac Cleaner
How to clean up Mac with CleanMyMac X:
- Download CleanMyMac X (a link to a free edition of the app)
- Launch the program.
- Go to the Large and Old Files section on the menu.
- Click Scan.
- Review the details, select what to clean and then click Clean.
That’s it!
6. Remove old iOS backups
Having your files backed up is a wonderful thing. But over time your Mac becomes overloaded with old backups that take gigabytes of storage on your hard drive. That’s why you should consider removing the old iOS backups you no longer need.
Each backup remains stored on your computer and is accessible via iTunes. To delete the old backups, you need to do the following:
- Launch iTunes.
- In the Menu bar, go to iTunes>Preferences.
- Click the Devices tab to find the backup list.
- Choose backups you want to delete and click Delete Backup.
That’s it! The backup files are gone from your Mac forever.
7. Wipe out Language files
Unused language localizations take up about 1 GB of storage space. Mac applications come with language files for every language they support. It allows to start using the app in that language immediately. Cool, right? Not always. Just consider: when was the last time you used the app in Bengali or Korean? Since you don’t speak that languages, such files just waste space on your Mac. You need to remove the unnecessary language files and clean MacBook from that clutter.
How to delete the language files? Go to Finder >Applications, then right-click the app which language files you want to remove and choose Show Package Contents. Open the Resources folder and then find folders ending with “.lproj.” Every folder contains language files for one particular language. Note that for every app you should manually find and select the files to remove. But there is an automatic way to delete the language files that will save you tons of time — CleanMyMac X. Just download the application (for free) and it will do the job for you.
8. Delete old DMGs and IPSW
Disk images (DMGs) and iPhone software bundles (IPSW) are often unnecessary and take up valuable space on your Mac. Get rid of them and do a Mac cleanup.
Deleting DMGs: Once you’ve mounted your disc image and installed an app, you are free to eject and trash your DMG. To do that, simply drag the mounted volume to the trash.
Deleting IPSW: Go to Library>iTunes>iPhone Software Updates and locate any unused bundles.
Keep in mind that you can save yourself from all of that by using a cleaning tool like CleanMyMac X. You won’t even need to bother how to get to Library Folder on your Mac. CleanMyMac has iTunes Junk module to help you get rid of such files quickly and easily.
9. Remove duplicates
Useless copies of your documents, files, and photos eat up your Mac’s precious space. Therefore, if you wonder how to clean up a Mac and boost its performance, try to delete the duplicates. Note that the process of finding and removing the duplicates requires either a lot of patience and time (if you decide to delete them manually) or a duplicate finder app. Whatever method you choose, make sure to check out this article on “How to Find Duplicates on Mac.”
10. Tidy up your desktop
Many people use Desktop as their primary destination for files. But this could be tricky because your OS treats every file on a desktop as an active window. When items on your desktop are too many, Finder gets substantially slower. This leads us to the most compelling advice in this article — cleaning up desktop does miracles!
Rather than just leaving every file on your desktop, organize them into folders. The latest macOS does that automatically thanks to the Stacks feature. You can also use Google Drive, Dropbox or any external storage device to save your files and keep your desktop tidy.
As always, be careful. Don’t let anything melt or screwed up. If you are not completely sure that you can manage the task by yourself, better use a smart utility like CleanMyMac X to get a fresh and clean Mac in just two clicks.
Happy cleaning!
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Apple has yet to release a MacBook with a touchscreen, yet none of us can ever seem to open the lid of our existing model and not notice a plethora of smudges and fingerprints.
It’s a continuous quandary — you can’t recall ever touching or poking the glass (even if accidentally!), but somehow the prints show up anyways, accompanied by dust specks, streaks, and all kinds of unwanted lint.
A dirty screen doesn’t just look unappealing — it’s also bad for your eyes that have to strain looking through a slightly distorted and cloudy glass at the pixels beneath.
In order to banish blurry screens once and for all, this article will show you some of the best cleaners available on the market and help you decide which is best for you.
Quick Summary
Mac Desktop Best Buy
Pressed for time? We understand — here’s a brief overview of the products we recommend.
- Screen Mom Natural Screen Cleaner — Completely odorless and with a plant-based solution, Screen Mom is kind to the glass of your MacBook while removing specks, dust, and prints. Comes in a large 16 oz bottle, you won’t be running out anytime soon.
- Bryson Screen Cleaner Kit — 16 ounces of fingerprint-eliminating genius and comes with a very large cloth for applying the solution to your screen. Can be used on devices besides your MacBook as well.
- EcoMoist Natural Organic Screen Cleaner — If you need something safe and portable, you’ll be covered with this 50mL powerhouse. It’s safe for kids or pets and will clean your screen without streaking or residue. Includes a microfiber cloth.
Who Should Get This?
Unless you’re some kind of electronics superhuman, we all watch the dust and dirt slowly collected on the screens of our MacBooks (and iPhones, and TVs, and iPads… basically anything with a glass panel and pixels).
Everyone will benefit from having a screen cleaner on hand in the office, at home, or on the go to remove annoying smudges from the otherwise pristine screen.
You won’t have to worry about your two years old who pokes the glass when he’s excited or the coworker who sneezed when they walked by, and you’ll also give your eyes a break from sorting through all that nasty and distorting residue. A screen cleaner is an all-around champion when it comes to helping your laptop live its best life.
Buying a Screen Cleaner: What to Look For?
Volume & Value
When buying a cleaner, make sure to consider exactly how much you plan to purchase. While a larger product may seem like the most logical choice, it’s a waste if you plan to only clean a single screen once a week — the solution will expire before you ever make it to the bottom of the bottle! In addition, if you plan on taking the solution with you, a larger bottle is going to make transportation difficult. On the other hand, if you plan to clean multiple laptops or other screens or only keep it in one place, you should be perfectly fine looking at larger models.
Effectiveness
Are your toddler’s fingerprints your biggest problem, or does your screen just seem to collect dust like a magnet? Generalized products are usually pretty effective, but certain products are formulated to address specific issues, and you might be better served by looking for one of these. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure the spray doesn’t have too many special instructions to follow, and that if it does you are able to carry them out without much trouble.
Kit Components
Most kits will come with a cloth of some kind to apply the spray, but if you’re buying a refill bottle or just the cleaner, it may not — so make sure you have something at home that will give you that streak-free finish. Always check to see if a kit comes with any extras such as an extra cloth.
The Best Screen Cleaner for MacBook in 2019: Top Picks
Note that all the cleaning items listed below are chosen based on the criteria above (plus our own personal preferences). They are not however intended to rank in this order.
1. Screen Mom Natural Screen Cleaner
If your laptop might as well be your baby, then this screen cleaner kit is the best choice. The kit includes a large bottle of spray and a microfiber cloth for wiping it on the screen. It’s also useful for more than your MacBook and is great for TVs or iPhones — which is useful since the 16oz bottle is much more than you’ll ever need for just your MacBook.
- Pros: Streak-free solution will have your screen looking brand new in no time at all. The included microfiber cloth is large and easy to use, and the bottle includes 16 oz of cleaning spray. Odorless solution is plant based and natural.
- Cons: None. You can’t go wrong with this cleaner’s versatility and value.
2. Bryson Screen Cleaner Kit
Are fingerprints your biggest gripe? Maybe you can’t stand microfiber and much prefer the smooth material of an eyeglass cloth. Planning to clean things besides your MacBook? Regardless of your situation, Bryson’s Screen Cleaner Kit comes through. The 16 oz bottle will last you ages, the no-spill trigger keeps things clean, and the special formula works to remove fingerprints once and for all.
- Pros: Large 16 oz bottle won’t run out anytime soon, and the cloth it comes with is very large at about 15″ x 15″ (not microfiber). Streak-free and ready to work, this cleaner is specially made to attack fingerprints and make sure they don’t come back.
- Cons: Known to have an unpleasant smell that may linger for a bit after you use it.
3. EcoMoist Natural Organic Screen Cleaner
Small in stature but mighty in power, the EcoMoist screen cleaner kills germs and removes grease in no time. The bottle is fairly small, but this means it will pack well into your laptop case or bag for spur of the moment cleaning needs. Spray bottle depresses vertically rather than with a handle like some other models.
- Pros: Friendly to the environment and to your screen, the ingredients in EcoMoist won’t cause any harm or spur an allergic reaction. Great if you have children or pets in the vicinity on a regular basis. The small, slim bottle is incredibly portable and comes with the microfiber cloth wrapped around it.
- Cons: The 50 mL bottle will run out of juice faster than larger competitors and may, therefore, decrease its value.
Additional Tips & Resources
The screen isn’t the only part of your laptop that collects dirt, dust, and oils. The keyboard is also a common victim of crumbs and dirt, while the exterior of your laptop takes the brunt of the force from the environment.
You can address these problems by purchasing a keyboard skin or a hardshell case for when you’re on the go, or a MacBook sleeve to keep your laptop in good shape while you aren’t using it.
But sooner or later, the dust is going to sneak its way in — so how do you clean your MacBook then? This all-encompassing article from CNET will show you exactly what it takes to deep clean your computer and have it looking good as new in no time.
If you just want to focus on cleaning the screen properly, most of the products we’ve mentioned will come with their own instructions for use. But you can also reference this DigitalTrends guide to using different types of cleaning methods on your screen if you’re ever in doubt.
Last but not least, make sure to check out Apple’s tips and tricks for taking care of the amazing products they’ve produced.
Final Words
Dirty screens begone! Everyone can use a screen cleaner to reduce eye strain and keep their laptop in the best possible shape. A clean display is a refreshing change, and can really breathe some life back into your computer.
Do you have a preferred brand of cleaner? Drop a message and let us know.