Edit: Solved! Read below
My SGS2 was sitting on a counter next to a lit candle. Someone blew out the candle and managed to get wax on the screen. I was able to get the wax off pretty easily but it left behind this residue that I cannot seem to get off, no matter how hard I try. When the screen is 100% clean you cannot see it. But after one wipe of your finger the smudges are blatantly noticeable and even have a texture to them.
I have tried everything from Windex to Goo-Gone and nothing works. At this point I'm thinking about treating it as a scratch and polishing the screen in an effort to remove the residue. I have looked at a few different techniques and I'm not sure which one to try.
I saw a thread on another forum mentioning using toothpaste and a paper towel to scrub the screen and polish it. I'd like to give this a try but I'm nervous about permanently damaging the glass by making it foggy.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks for any info!
SOLVED
Well after trying just about everything to get the wax residue off I finally resorted to what I feared the most, a razor blade. And much to my surprise it worked flawlessly. I held the razor blade at a 45 degree angle and just went to town scraping the screen. It was able to get underneath all the residue and any remnants of the wax. After scraping with the razor blade then wiping the screen with an alcohol wipe a few times my screen now looks and feels like it just came out of the packaging. And the razor blade didn't leave a single scratch on the screen.
What didn't work:
- Toothpaste and paper towel
- Alcohol wipes
- Dish soap and paper towel
- Damp paper towel heated in the microwave for up to 2 minutes
- 50/50 mixture of distilled white vinegar and water applied with paper towel
Tooth paste wont fog up your screen trust me i do it all the time. But what i do is use this spray you can buy at your local best buy called Monster
Sent From my Galaxy S II T-Mobile
Interesting.
I'll give it a try. Thanks!
sn0warmy said:
Interesting.
I'll give it a try. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let us know if Monster or the toothpaste works. This will be pretty interesting.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
sn0warmy said:
Interesting.
I'll give it a try. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that don't work, get a wet paper towel/shammy cloth. Wet and microwave it for about a minute, then vigorously rub the screen with the heated cloth. This will remove the wax residue.
How about using a hair dryer to melt it first, or at least make it pliable enough to remove?
I think I'm going to try the wet/heated paper towel trick first. If that doesn't work I will resort to the toothpaste/paper towel.
If neither of these tactics work I will just drink beer.
I'm going to give this a shot when I get home from work in 45 minutes. I'll keep yuo guys posted.
sixfoot7 - I'm hesitant to take extreme heat to my phone. Especially since I do not want to melt the glue holding the screen to the bezel.
Thanks for the input.
Microfiber cloth usually one that comes with a screen protector. 90 % isopropyl alcohol and distilled water mixture. Should give the screen a good cleaning. I think you can use and tv screen cleaner as well. Monster brand cleaner.
You needed 90% iso alcohol
just try
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
Most degreasers like dishwashing soap should remove it. Strips car wax like magic
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
UPDATE
I gave the hot/wet paper towel trick a shot but it did nothing. I tried this like 5 times with no positive results.
So I wiped the hell out of the screen with toothpaste and paper towel. At first I thought it solved the problem but after I cleaned it all off and dried the screen it was clear that all I did was smear this crap onto a bigger portion of the screen. Now the entire bottom half of the screen feels like it has one of those glare-free screen protectors on it.
It's strange because you can't see it at all. It looks 100% fine. But it's almost sticky to the touch.
Tonight I will try using 90% iso alcohol, distilled water, and a microfiber towel.
We have some dish soap here in the office so I will give that a try right now.
After spending about 5 minutes rubbing dish soap on the screen with paper towel, I'm happy to post that this has been the best solution so far. It appears to have gotten rid of a lot of the residue left from the candle wax. However, here is still a little bit caked onto the screen.
Tonight I am going to give the alcohol/distilled water/micro fiber cloth a shot to remove the rest. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.
It really is crazy to me how difficult this process has been.
But one key takeaway that I think everyone should know is that after using the streak free dish soap, I'm finding it nearly impossible to leave any fingerprints or marks on the screen after using it. So for those plagued with finger prints and smudges on your screen, I recommend giving it a good scrub with some dish soap and you'll find that the screen will look spotless even after heavy use.
sn0warmy said:
After spending about 5 minutes rubbing dish soap on the screen with paper towel, I'm happy to post that this has been the best solution so far. It appears to have gotten rid of a lot of the residue left from the candle wax. However, here is still a little bit caked onto the screen.
Tonight I am going to give the alcohol/distilled water/micro fiber cloth a shot to remove the rest. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.
It really is crazy to me how difficult this process has been.
But one key takeaway that I think everyone should know is that after using the streak free dish soap, I'm finding it nearly impossible to leave any fingerprints or marks on the screen after using it. So for those plagued with finger prints and smudges on your screen, I recommend giving it a good scrub with some dish soap and you'll find that the screen will look spotless even after heavy use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
make sure you get a screen protector as well it could of been worse than what you had and actually damaged the screen.
I actually found some 80% iso alcohol wipes in the first aid kit here in the office. I wiped the screen with 3 of them until each of them were completely dry. This appears to have finally solved the problem.
Killbynature said:
make sure you get a screen protector as well it could of been worse than what you had and actually damaged the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I've never been a fan of screen protectors but after this nightmare I'll be picking one up tonight.
Just thought I'd add that it's standard practice to remove things from glass with a razor blade. One of those standard flat ones. Razor blades work for removing stickers from windows or mirrors and any other crud or buildup. They work quick and very well. Also, they don't scrach the glass unless you hold them at 90 degrees and scrape.
AdamOutler said:
Just thought I'd add that it's standard practice to remove things from glass with a razor blade. One of those standard flat ones. Razor blades work for removing stickers from windows or mirrors and any other crud or buildup. They work quick and very well. Also, they don't scrach the glass unless you hold them at 90 degrees and scrape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this is true for standard glass. I used a razor blade to remove the tint from the windows of one of my cars and it worked well without showing any scratches.
But is the Gorilla Glass true "glass"?
UPDATE
Well now that the phone has been sitting for a bit, I went to use it again and the screen is back to having a sticky feel to it! Now the texture is just more spread out across the screen. I am truly stumped at this point. I am close to shelling out for a damn screen replacement.
Final update: the razor blade did the trick. I have updated the OP with the solution and the tactics that failed in hopes that it might help someone with similar issues down the road.
Learned. Thanks.
Not sure if we have an oleophobic coating on our screens, but any alcohol solution would remove that coating. I would avoid putting alcohol on the screen as well as ammonia based solutions such as Windex. Just a heads up.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Related
Hey guys. About 5 minutes ago I scratched up my Droid incredible screen with my Longboard griptape cause my mom called as I was loading my board in the car. I'm extremely pissed off as I've been working so hard to keep this phone in new condition and that tomorrow I was getting a case and a screen protector for Xmas. Is there any way to get these scratches out that people have tried to make my phone look new again? I'm sick over it.
Sent from my Droid Incredible using the XDA app.
If they are very shallow scratches maybe try a little bit of alcohol on a microfiber cloth but if they are deep I see no possible way to restore them. I've never seen this question asked before though so I really don't know and you may want to confirm with someone else about using alcohol on the screen. Alcohol + Microfiber polishes out CD's though so I figure if they are shallow enough it just might work.
best of luck to you man.
morph3k said:
If they are very shallow scratches maybe try a little bit of alcohol on a microfiber cloth but if they are deep I see no possible way to restore them. I've never seen this question asked before though so I really don't know and you may want to confirm with someone else about using alcohol on the screen. Alcohol + Microfiber polishes out CD's though so I figure if they are shallow enough it just might work.
best of luck to you man.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried it before. No dice. Thanks for the support though man.
Sent from my Droid Incredible using the XDA app.
Maybe a screen protector and hope it looks decent? Mine usually cover up a few scratched
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
What about that stuff that you see on TV for clearcoat scratches on cars? Again, if they're shallow enough....
You could buy a new screen online and replace it, then put a protector on it.
Like an idiot, I dropped my phone this morning flat on its screen. :thumbdown::thumbdown:
First, has anyone replaced just the glass? was it hard? tips? tricks?
Second, can anyone recommend a site to buy just the glass?
I have faith in you XDA to help me out. Thank you so much!!!
Sent from my Incredible 2 running Zeus 1.3
There are a few vids on youtube that show the process. It's pretty straight forward. The only hard part looks to be heating the glass to remove it.
The new digitizer is fairly cheap though. I've seen them at a few online stores such as Amazon, click me.
YouTube Vid, click me
PacerguyDon said:
There are a few vids on youtube that show the process. It's pretty straight forward. The only hard part looks to be heating the glass to remove it.
The new digitizer is fairly cheap though. I've seen them at a few online stores such as Amazon, click me.
YouTube Vid, click me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info. I did do some research for a quick bit but I've been at work all day so I can't do much till I get home.
I've taken apart a few phones in my lifetime so I'm not too worried. Plus my deductible is 100 so if it doesn't work out I'll be out 20 something dollars + deductible if it does work out, I save 80 and don't have to use my last insurance claim
Sent from my Incredible 2 running Zeus 1.3
also, does anyone know how to glue the new digitizer on?
I'm gonna bump this since I just did this yesterday. I'll post more details on it but as of now all I have to say is that heating the glass and screen isn't as easy as the video shows.. Its a pain in the rear and I thought I broke my screen a few times. Also from the heat my lcd separated in 5 layers.
Only tip I have for others is take your time. This process should take about 3 or 4 hours for someone doing it the first time.
Also the video doesn't show it but when disconnecting the ribbons, they have a yellow tape over them that you have to remove first and the screen has a silver tape on the back that you have to remove.
Taking apart the phone is really simple, like I said the only hard part was heating the digitizer and lcd screen.
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask
Sent from my Incredible 2 running Zeus 1.3
Thanks for the follow up. I thought heating the screen was going to be the hard part. Did you use a heat gun or a hair dryer? I have a heat gun, but I'm almost afraid that it may be to hot, and melt something that it shouldn't
Guys I have done many screen repairs. Please just make sure you can do this in the most sterile area. The last thing you want is dust under the screen after all your hard work. Also I recommend gloves or finger tip covers so you do not get finger prints in between the screens.
Sent from my Incredible 2 using xda premium
zax10 said:
Guys I have done many screen repairs. Please just make sure you can do this in the most sterile area. The last thing you want is dust under the screen after all your hard work. Also I recommend gloves or finger tip covers so you do not get finger prints in between the screens.
Sent from my Incredible 2 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done many HTC 6800's and it went quite well.
If I had a screen shattered as bad as the one in the U Tube vid, I would put some high temp heat glue on the worst parts BUT avoid getting any of it near the edges or where it might run through the cracks onto the digitizer.
Use the hot air blower on low or a hair dryer on high and blow away from the middle in long even strokes.
An old metal serving turntable would help or a lazy Susan made of wood NOT plastic.
And like zax10 advised, keep it clean and avoid getting any skin oil from your fingers on the surfaces.
Most kits include the adhesive for re assembly.
Enjoy...
PacerguyDon said:
Thanks for the follow up. I thought heating the screen was going to be the hard part. Did you use a heat gun or a hair dryer? I have a heat gun, but I'm almost afraid that it may be to hot, and melt something that it shouldn't
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used a heat gun but I think a hair dryer would work better.. The heat gun heater up the metal a little too hot and the glue wasn't even that soft yet.. A hair dryer would probably take longer but soften up the glue faster.
cac2us said:
I have done many HTC 6800's and it went quite well.
If I had a screen shattered as bad as the one in the U Tube vid, I would put some high temp heat glue on the worst parts BUT avoid getting any of it near the edges or where it might run through the cracks onto the digitizer.
Use the hot air blower on low or a hair dryer on high and blow away from the middle in long even strokes.
An old metal serving turntable would help or a lazy Susan made of wood NOT plastic.
And like zax10 advised, keep it clean and avoid getting any skin oil from your fingers on the surfaces.
Most kits include the adhesive for re assembly.
Enjoy...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that isn't acomplishable, you can use a soft glass cleaning cloth and a compressor/air blower
Sent from my Incredible 2 running Zeus 1.3
I was checking my phone today when I got home and noticed that the bezel at the top was all murky, greasy, like dirty.
So I grabbed the alcohol and pour some on a clean hankie, rubbed all around.... screen is clean...bezel is clean....wtf...the top still fuzzy....if i pass the wet alcohol it becomes glossy again but as soon as the alcohol evaporates the surface becomes fuzzy again....
Tried several times to no avail....I wonder if anybody has any ideas on what could be done to fix the problem....
Try nail polish remover.
Do not use solvents on plastic. It will etch the finish.
djy said:
Do not use solvents on plastic. It will etch the finish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This...
Your ruining your phone using alcohol on it
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
Could try damping a cloth (corner) in viniger and wiping wit it, don't go crazy just c if it helps
That ****s awesome, I use it for everythkng from cleanin my microwave to cleanin glass/counters etc, n just a fyi, its the best for microwaves, put just a lil bit in a bowl n microwave it for bout min n a half to 2min n wipe out the remains it lifts everything off, shouldn't harm the bezel n should help wit a lil bit of a shine
Try a little car wax. Not polish!
Honestly if you have used alcohol or other similar solvents in the past then thats your problem.
I have never used anything more than a screen wipe and my bezel is shiny..
PJcastaldo said:
Honestly if you have used alcohol or other similar solvents in the past then thats your problem.
I have never used anything more than a screen wipe and my bezel is shiny..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, using the alcohol wipes probably evaporated the clear/shiny varnish on top of the plastic bezel, maybe even the actual paint.
Let is all take a moment of silence as another SGSII gets it's polish tarnished.
I would be careful too for the screen.. I wonder how much the glass can take
Just got off work and took my phone out of my pocket and
Chewing gum is mushed all over the screen.
I've managed to get the big wobs off but sill lots on there.
I don't want to wet the screen much...helpz
Glass/multipurpose cleaner should cut away at it, provided nothing goes thru your speaker or any crevices on the side of ur phone your screen shouldn't be damaged by wetness or anything. If that were the case I woulda been plenty screwed when I used to wash dishes at a restaurant.
And that's why I never have ANYTHING in the same pocket as my phone.
You can try rubbing alcohol on a q-tip WITH THE PHONE OFF AND THE BATTERY PULLED.
I would try this
Purchase a multipurpose stain remover that dissolves glues and adhesives from your local home-improvement center or hardware store. Popular brands such as Un-Du, Goo Gone and Goof Off are solvents that safely eliminate glue from clothing and fabrics, among other surfaces.
2
Follow directions on how to apply the solution by referring to the product label. If you are instructed to spray or pour it onto a cloth, use a material that is gentle enough for your LCD screen, such as terry cotton or microfiber. Applying the solution with a cleaning cloth is recommended over spraying the screen directly and is less likely to make a mess.
3
Dab the glue residue with a cloth until the solvent begins to soften it. Wipe the area using moderate pressure and notice the glue loosen from the screen with ease.
4
Do not hesitate to allow the solvent to dissolve the residue longer if any stubborn film persists. The petroleum- or limonene-based solutions safely remove residue without harming the surface.
I would think because of the gorilla glass's chemical resistance the goo gone solution would work to dissolve the gum from any area's, yet maintain the integrity of the glass or surrounding area....
Solve
Go to Wal-Mart and but something called Goo-Be-Gone it is in a clear bottle and it is orange. Now just spray it on a rag and wipe, it will remove like butter.
nail polish remover
PEANUT BUTTER..
...and no, I'm not joking.
I heard of sticking it in the freezer til the gum is hard enough to pick off...but dont know if it would affect the internals. Works on jeans and tshirts though!
Dfjcisnv
Dude for your phones safety please do not try rubbing alcohol nor nail polish... Smh lol
sarni84 said:
Dude for your phones safety please do not try rubbing alcohol nor nail polish... Smh lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not putting any chems on he screen.
Managed to rub some off but still too much...
JaZart said:
Not putting any chems on he screen.
Managed to rub some off but still too much...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alcohol would be Ok, Though I would try glass cleaner on a cloth first...
Nail polish remover is a huge NO! That will also slightly eat the surface of the screen resulting most likely in swirl marks, alcohol will not do this.
Just Sayin'...
-DeeX
julez456 said:
PEANUT BUTTER..
...and no, I'm not joking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the first thing I thought of. Expect probably not the best in this scenario.. Hairspray also works
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-5
Post a picture, I gotta see this.
badaphooko01 said:
Post a picture, I gotta see this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just spread gum all over your screen man, then you'll see.... I'm sure he doesn't think his situation is funny, get a clue man.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
New razor blade at near 90 degree angle really really carefully.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
racerx250 said:
New razor blade at near 90 degree angle really really carefully.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was gonna suggest that. I use razor blades to scrape sticky crap off of car windows daily, I figured it would work the same on our screen..
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
Well most of it is gone after rubbing some alcohol
but still have a few pink streaks.
Think I may just lick it off(how i got big wobs off first)
Did you try a very small amount of olive oil on a cotton ball?
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Seriously, put a tiny bit of tooth paste on a wash cloth and rub it into screen. Used this in my vibrant and thus phone to remove surface scratches multiple times
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using XDA
clemsonboyz said:
Seriously, put a tiny bit of tooth paste on a wash cloth and rub it into screen. Used this in my vibrant and thus phone to remove surface scratches multiple times
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That can scratch the screen even worse depending on the type of tooth paste.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Just saw this over at LifeHacker. Basically, align the protector on the device. Next, tape one side onto the device. Then, raise the protector and lift the back off. It should, in theory, lay back down perfectly aligned.
Original Article: LifeHacker
P.S.: Thanks, zmore for the embed tip.
Risky. It may line up, but it has a higher chance of getting dust under it that way.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
Maybe, but you could easily spot-remove with tape or wipe it down and keep the alignment perfect.
Install it in the bathroom with a hot shower running.. the condensation will knock the dust out of the air. This has always been my screen protector install method and it always works out well. Takes most of the dust risk out of the equation so you can just focus on lining up the protector.
pdykstra said:
Install it in the bathroom with a hot shower running.. the condensation will knock the dust out of the air. This has always been my screen protector install method and it always works out well. Takes most of the dust risk out of the equation so you can just focus on lining up the protector.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I do.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
Aquila76 said:
Just saw this over at LifeHacker. Basically, align the protector on the device. Next, tape one side onto the device. Then, raise the protector and lift the back off. It should, in theory, lay back down perfectly aligned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMPqDwVZzz
Original Article: LifeHacker
P.S.: If someone can PM how to properly embed the YouTube video in posts, I'd appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To embed, select only the video ID then click the YouTube button to surround it with tags, so it looks like this: {YOUTUBE}PMPqDwVZzzM{/YOUTUBE}
Cool trick I guess: Tape the protector to the phone as a hinge, wipe once more to remove dust, peel the back off, and apply. Might try that... since I mostly end up with dust due to multiple attempts at getting in on straight.
Thanks for the Embed steps. I'm gonna be trying this out tonight putting an SGP Nano Clear on. I currently have a Zagg HD, but it is still too "orange peely" even after nearly a week. Still a lot better than their standard screens, though. At least it didn't cost me anything (Best Buy gift card).