And I suppose a WHITE one would be better.

If it were me, I'd wash it with soap and water, rinse, rub dry with a bath towel. THEN cover it with clear glass. Glass and mirror companies can cut this to size for you. You only need to use something such as Windex on the glass.

Anything with a shiny surface (especially those that are dark) shows smears because of body oils coming in contact with them. The only thing you can do is clean your desk frequently. A glass top will keep the desk smear free, but you will still need to clean the glass.

I seal mine with Gel Gloss every 6-8 months or so because I am anal retentive and hate smears and oils accumulating on the surface. Mine is a laminate, however. You can find the spray on application can at the home improvement centers. You spray it on, let it dry to a haze and buff it off for lasting shine and protection.