Fingerprints, food and who knows what else always find their way onto your TV screens. When you’ve finally had enough of watching your favourite show through smudges, you know it’s time to get cleaning. In years gone by you could spray almost anything directly onto the glass screen of your television and rub it off with newspaper or a paper towel. Not any more.
Plasma and LCD/LED TVs need a lot more care and are far easier damaged, permanently! Most modern panels are made of a plastic and have special coatings on their surface that is easily damaged by chemicals or materials which would have been first choice in the past. So here are some tips in 5 easy steps to get your screen all clean and sparkly without damaging them.
Remember that each television is different, and they will always include directions as part of their user’s manual. The tips we explain here should never take the place of your user guide and the method used should suit your TV.
- 1. Turn the TV off
Sounds logical doesn’t it, however many people don’t think that it matters. It really does, because as well as making it easier to see the dirt because the surface is dark, you don’t want to interfere with the pixels while they’re still working. Let the TV cool down a bit for 10 minutes or so before cleaning.
- 2. Use a microfibre cloth or wiper with alcohol free cleaning solution
Microfibre cloths and wipers are soft and are ideal for cleaning TV screens because they won’t leave lint. Never use paper towel, old clothes or baby wipes which used to be common go-to materials. They are more abrasive and can leave small scratches in the screens surface and also leave unsightly residue.
Use together with an alcohol free cleaning solution. It is very important to make sure that the solution doesn’t contain any alcohol as this can interfere with the integrity of the screen. Never spray this solution directly onto the screen. Follow the instructions on the bottle, by spraying onto the cloth before gently wiping the screen.
- 3. Wipe the Screen
Using the microfibre cloth/wiper to gently wipe of visible dirt and dust, taking care not to press hard on the screen. There is only millimetres between your fingers and what’s behind your screen.
- 4. Check your screen
If you are happy with how the screen has come up, then brilliant! If you still have some stubborn dirt or other, then repeat the process to ensure a streak free result.
- 5. Don’t forget the Frame
This will not be necessary for those with frameless TVs, but don’t forget to wipe over the frame (often called the bezel) to finish the job. This will see your TV looking sparkly new again.
