Plasma and LCD TVs are made of a very delicate and flexible material that is all too easily damaged. Applying too much pressure, using an abrasive cloth, or applying the wrong type of chemicals can easily ruin an LCD or plasma TV screen. If you have a really old TV with a glass display, cleaning it will be a little bit easier, as they’re much tougher than their newer counterparts.
First things first, never spray any liquid directly onto your TV. This can be damaging to the display and, in the worst of cases, can even cause a fire.
What You Need To Clean Your TV
To properly clean your TV screen in a way that won’t damage it you only need four essential items:
- A microfiber cloth or a soft cloth that will not leave behind any residue.
- Dish soap
- Water
- A spray bottle
Seriously, that’s all that’s required. There’s no need for fancy chemicals that are marketed online at exorbitant prices. Everything you need to properly clean your TV screen can be found in your home.
Steps For Properly Cleaning Your TV
1. Make sure your TV is off
Of course, this one goes without saying, but we’ll mention it anyway. Before you start any kind of cleaning, ensure your TV is completely powered off. Not only is this a safety precaution, but it will also be much easier to see dirt, debris, and dust on the black screen than when it’s turned on.
2. Wipe the screen with a dry cloth
Use a lint-free or microfiber cloth to wipe the screen to remove dirt, dust, or lint. Ensure you do this as gently as possible. Even a soft microfibre towel can cause damage to the screen of a plasma or LCD TV. If you press too hard on the screen, tiny liquid crystals inside the TV can burn out or become unaligned. Any type of soft cloth will do for this step, but whatever you do, avoid paper towels. They leave behind microscopic scratches and residue.
3. Get rid of surface stains
Remember that time you dropped a glass of wine on the floor and it splattered all over your TV? Those types of tougher stains that may be sticky or difficult to remove with a dry cloth will require, well, a wet cloth. Greasy smudges won’t be removable using a dry cloth either, so if there are fingerprints on the screen a wet cloth will be necessary. Use a spray bottle to spray water directly onto your cloth and then simply wipe the TV just as gently as you did with the dry cloth.
4. Use dish soap
You can use a little bit of dish soap for the really tough stains that won’t budge even with water. This won’t damage your screen as long as you apply it gently and with a soft cloth. Add about 1/4 Cup of water and no more than a teaspoon of dish soap and apply that directly to your cloth, then wipe over the screen to make sure that the toughest stains are removed.
While you’re at it you might as well clean the rest of your entertainment system, like the remote or speakers. Dust and debris that aren’t cleaned off of your electronics regularly can damage them in the long run. You can use the same basic materials to clean speakers or remote controls, but make sure you wipe them just as gently as you did with your TV screen. Regularly cleaning our entire entertainment system is the best way to make sure that it performs the way it’s supposed to.