First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Unplug the device and remove cables before you touch the stain.
- Blot any liquid with a clean, dry white cloth as soon as you see it.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden spot before using it on the visible area.
- Hold off on any drying with dryers, irons or hot air until the mark is gone.
Oil on electronics, from a laptop to a phone or TV, shows up as a greasy film on glossy surfaces, and it can smear further if you rub it with a dirty cloth. These devices are the hard part because they can't take much moisture, so soaking is off the table and every step stays light. Fresh oil usually lifts with a dry cloth, but an older mark that has set can need several passes before it's gone.
Use a soft microfiber cloth and keep it dry, since these devices can't take much moisture. Oil on a laptop keyboard or phone screen usually lifts with light, even wipes. If it's still there after several passes, stop and call a professional rather than reaching for a stronger product.
Before you start
What electronics & screens can take
Use with care2
- Water
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
Avoid4
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
4 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Soft, dry, lint-free clothLifts loose oil without scratching the surface or leaving fibers behind. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white clothBlots liquid so you can see how much is coming off. (opens Amazon)
- Screen cleanerA cleaner made for displays, applied to the cloth. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl alcoholFor smudges that stay on hard, nonporous surfaces, after a hidden-spot test. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Power down and disconnect
Turn the device off, unplug it, and remove every cable and external power source before you touch the stain. This keeps the cloth and any moisture away from live parts.
Step 2 of 7
Blot any liquid dry
If the oil is still wet, press it up with a clean, dry white cloth. Move to a clean section of the cloth as it fills, so the oil doesn't go back onto the device.
Careful. Don't rub; rubbing spreads the oil over a wider area.
Step 3 of 7
Dry-wipe the spot
Wipe the stained area with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth in light, short strokes. This lifts loose oil without adding any moisture.
Tip. Work from the edge of the mark toward the middle.
Step 4 of 7
Damp-wipe if the mark stays
Dampen the soft, lint-free cloth slightly and wipe the spot again. The cloth should be barely damp, not wet, so almost no moisture reaches the openings.
Careful. Keep moisture out of openings and never submerge the device.
Step 5 of 7
Use screen cleaner on the cloth
If the item is a screen, apply a cleaner made for screens to the cloth, then wipe the glass. Skip this step for keyboards, cases and other parts that aren't screens.
Tip. Finish with a dry part of the cloth so the screen isn't left wet.
Careful. Never spray cleaner directly on a screen.
Step 6 of 7
Try alcohol on hard smudges
For smudges that remain on hard, nonporous surfaces, dampen a cloth with 70% isopropyl alcohol or 75% ethyl alcohol and wipe gently. Test a hidden spot first and stop if color transfers or changes.
Careful. Use it only on hard, nonporous parts, and keep it off leather.
Step 7 of 7
Get help if liquid got inside
If liquid has made its way inside the device, stop cleaning and keep it unplugged. Take it to an authorized service provider rather than working on it further yourself.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for oil on electronics & screens
Look for a cleaner made for screens, and apply it to the cloth rather than the device. For hard smudges, the product you need is 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on electronics & screens, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The oil is gone when the spot looks even and reflects light the same way as the area around it. A dull patch or a faint ring means some oil is still there, so repeat the dry and damp wipes before trying anything else.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your electronics & screens
Laptops and computers
Oil on a laptop usually sits on the palm rest, the lid, or the area around the trackpad. Work from the edge of the mark toward the middle so the oil doesn't spread across the lid.
Stay with the dry cloth until the surface looks clear, then move to the damp cloth only for what remains. Keep the damp cloth away from the vents and ports, and use the alcohol wipe only on the hard lid.
Laptop and MacBook keyboards
Keyboard oil collects on the keycaps and in the gaps between them, so it needs a lighter touch than a flat lid. Start with the dry cloth on each keycap, going across the row rather than back and forth.
Use the damp cloth only on keycaps that still show a film, and keep the cloth out of the gaps. Skip the screen cleaner here, since it's made for displays, and use the alcohol wipe only on the hard keycap tops after a hidden-spot test.
Keyboards
External keyboards follow the same order, but unplug the cable first and keep it disconnected for the whole job. Oil under the keys is out of reach of the cloth, so focus on what you can see on the keycaps and case.
Light dry wiping goes first, followed by a barely damp cloth on any film that's left. If the oil has gotten under the keys or the keyboard feels wet, stop and have it checked rather than flooding it with cleaner.
Phone covers
Phone covers vary, so start by checking what the cover is made of. A hard, nonporous cover can take the dry cloth, the damp cloth and, after a test, the alcohol wipe.
A leather cover gets only the dry cloth, since alcohol isn't safe on leather and oil can stain it. If you don't know the material, stick to dry and damp wiping only, and see the Leather guide for a leather case.
Laptop touchpad
A touchpad picks up oil from every fingertip, so the smear is often a thin film rather than a single spot. Use the dry cloth in light, short strokes, and check the surface at an angle to the light before you go further.
Move to the damp cloth only if the film is still there, and keep the moisture off the edges where the pad meets the body. Use the alcohol wipe only if the film survives both, after a hidden-spot test.
TV screens
TV screens are displays, so they get only the screen cleaner, applied to the cloth. Unplug the TV before you start and wipe in gentle, straight strokes from the top down.
If a mark stays after the screen-cleaner wipe, leave it alone for now rather than reaching for a stronger product. Check it again once the screen is fully dry, because a film can look different when it's wet.
Speakers, controllers, and laptop cases
Speakers and controllers have grilles, buttons and seams where oil collects, so use the dry cloth first and the damp cloth on flat surfaces only. Press lightly and don't work the cloth into the grille.
Laptop cases vary, so if you can't tell whether the case is fabric or hard shell, use only the dry cloth. For fabric bags and sleeves, the Bags, Purses & Backpacks guide covers that material.
Mac computers
Mac computers follow the same order: power down, dry-wipe the case, then damp-wipe only the parts you can reach easily. Keep the cloth well away from the vents and ports.
Use the alcohol wipe only on the hard metal or glass parts, after a hidden-spot test, and skip rubber feet and any soft trim. If the oil has soaked in or the spot still shows after both wipes, stop and get it checked.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old oil is harder to remove than fresh oil, so a smudge that has been sitting for days needs more passes rather than stronger products. Start again with the dry cloth, then the damp cloth, and check the spot after each pass.
Dried oil can leave a film that doesn't lift in one go, so repeat the alcohol wipe on hard, nonporous parts only, after a hidden-spot test. Keep heat away while you work, because heat sets the oil deeper into the surface.
If the mark is still there after several passes, it may be discoloration that cleaning can't lift, and more cleaner won't fix that. Stop there and take the device to an authorized service provider rather than trying something stronger.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on oil on electronics & screens?
Many home remedies for grease aren't safe for electronics, so this list is shorter than you'd expect. Few household remedies are safe on electronics, so most of the ones people try should be skipped.
Works1Skip3Avoid2
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use bleach or peroxide
Chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide are off the table for electronics, and that includes oxygen-based cleaners. A stubborn mark is still safer handled with the steps above than with either.
Don't reach for household cleaners
Window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, ammonia, solvents and acetone-based products don't belong on displays. Stick to the cleaners named in the steps, even if something from under the sink looks like it would work.
Don't grab paper towels or scrub pads
Paper towels and abrasive cloths can scratch a screen or leave lint behind, and abrasive cleaners are off the list too. Use a soft, lint-free cloth for every pass, including the blotting.
Don't use heat to speed up drying
Dryers, irons and hot air can set the oil into the surface, so keep the device away from all of them until the mark is gone. Let any damp spot air dry on its own before you judge the result.
When to call a professional
Once liquid is inside, the cleaning steps can't reach it, and only an authorized service provider can check the internal parts. Keep the device powered off while you arrange that.
Questions
Can I use white vinegar on electronics?
No. Vinegar isn't among the cleaners this surface can take. A dry or damp cloth does the work instead. The dry and damp cloth steps do the work instead.
Is rubbing alcohol safe on a phone screen?
It can be, on hard glass, but only after the dry, damp and screen-cleaner wipes have failed and a hidden-spot test passes. Use 70% isopropyl alcohol on the cloth, gently, and stop if you see any color transfer.
Will the oil leave a permanent mark?
Usually not when it's fresh and you treat it lightly. Old or dried oil can leave a discoloration that cleaners won't lift, and that's the point where you should stop instead of trying stronger products.
Why does the stain come back after I wiped it?
Loose oil that wasn't fully lifted can spread back across the surface as it dries. Dry-wipe first, damp-wipe lightly, and check the spot once it's fully dry.
Can I wipe the ports and vents?
Only with a dry cloth. Keep any damp cloth well away from ports and vents, since moisture in openings is the thing to avoid.
Can I use screen cleaner on a keyboard?
Screen cleaner is made for displays, so it doesn't belong on keys. Use the dry cloth on the keycaps and the damp cloth for anything stubborn, keeping moisture out of the gaps.
Oil on other materials
Other stains on electronics & screens
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.