How to Properly Clean a TV Screen

It is important to clean your TV every now and again to ensure the best picture quality. Flatscreen TVs are made from fragile materials that can be easily damaged by harsh chemicals like Windex. Here are some tips to clean your dirty or dusty TV screen without damaging it.

How to Clean Flat-Screen TVs

First, turn off your flat-screen TV and then unplug it. To remove dust and debris, use a microfiber cloth designed for electronics or glass. You can also dampen the cloth with distilled water and a little soap if you have stains that are difficult to remove.

These steps can be used with any LCD, LCD, OLED or plasma TV screen. If you don’t have your manual, you can search the internet for it. There are specific guidelines for cleaning certain TVs.

1. Unplug your TV. It is safer to turn off your TV. You can also see more dirt and smudges if the TV is not plugged in. This will allow your TV to cool down which will make it easier to clean.
2. Use a soft, dry, microfiber cloth to wipe the screen in circular motions to remove dust and debris. Many TVs have their own cleaning cloths. You can also use an anti-static microfiber cleaning cloth, such as the ones used for cleaning eyeglasses and camera lenses, computer monitors, vinyl records, and other electronic devices. To clean your TV screen, you should never use tissue, paper towels, or rags. These fibers can scratch your TV screen. Keep your screen from being pressed down too hard. Pressing down too hard on the screen can cause pixels to go black.
3. Use distilled water to moisten your cloth for stubborn stains. Do not apply any cleaning product directly to the screen. You can damage electronics by allowing moisture to penetrate the screen’s seal. Only use a clean cloth.
4. If all else fails, you can try mild dish soap with distilled water. There shouldn’t be much soap. Panasonic only recommends 1 part neutral detergent to 100 portions water.

Windex and Formula 409 can react with the material on the screen, causing permanent discoloration. You should avoid using any packaged cleaners that contain ammonia, alcohol or acetone. However, the majority of HDTV screen cleaners contain 99% water.

How to clean a tube TV screen

You can also use the same glass cleaner for older CRTVs or tube TVs. You will need to unplug the TV first. Next, use a microfiber cloth to remove any dust. You can also moisten the cloth using a 50/50 mix of water and rubbing alcohol.

1. Turn off the TV and unplug it.
2. Clean the screen with a microfiber towel to remove dust and other debris.
3. Wet your cloth with a 50/50 mix of water and rubbing alcohol.
4. Clean the screen with a dry cloth.

Mounting your TV can make it even more beautiful after you have cleaned it. To find the best mount for your TV, take our quick quiz.