Look around your living room and take a quick inventory of all your furniture and entertainment devices. Most likely, your flat screen TV is not only the one devices you use more than anything else on a day-to-day basis, but it’s probably also the most expensive and most delicate. When you bought it, you not only invested a large amount of hard earned money but also a great deal of time and effort in selecting a good model that will fit your budget and complement your home for years to come.
It goes without saying that your flat screen TV deserves proper care and maintenance to ensure it continues to bring you years of the vibrant colors and clarity you’ve grown to love. Regular cleaning of the display surface is absolutely necessary to remove dust or any foreign matter that will accumulate over time and disrupt your viewing experience. While that sounds like a relatively elementary process, without the proper technique it very easy to cause permanent damage to the display surface in the process of cleaning it.
The first thing to remember is that modern flat screen TVs (LED, LCD, or Plasma monitors) have a very different display surface than older CRT monitors. Older devices generally had a very thick glass surface which could be safely cleaned in much the same way as window could. This is no longer the case. Modern flat screen TVs have a much more thin and sensitive screen which needs to be handled with more thought and care to prevent damage.
The following steps will walk you through how to clean your flat screen TV quickly and safely.
- Turn the TV completely off. When the screen is black you can more easily see any dust or debris stuck to the surface.
- Select a very soft cloth or towel. The best option is a micro-fibre type towel which is generally sold for cleaning eye glasses.
- Very gently wipe the screen surface with the towel to remove any debris.
- If any foreign matter is remaining on the screen, do not add additional pressure in an attempt to remove it. This kind of action can damage the screen. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with either plain water, a half and half mixture of water and vinegar, or a cleaning solution designated as monitor safe.
A few more take-aways to keep in mind when caring for your TV are as follows:
- Paper towels or tissue paper should never used to wipe the TV screen. They are not soft and can scratch the surface.
- Cleaning solutions that contain alcohol, ammonia, acetone, or chloride, should be completely avoided. They can wear down the surface of the screen and cause discoloration.
- It is even advised to check the ingredients of products labeled as monitor safe and avoid anything containing these compounds.
- Water or cleaning solutions should never be sprayed directly onto the screen as it can drip down to the edges and get inside of the device causing damage.
Your flat screen TV is likely one of the largest investments you make in the livability of your home. Following these simple steps will ensure that it stays clean and clear for years to come. Now that your TV screen is nice and clean, the best thing you can do improve your viewing experience is to place it on a beautiful flat screen TV stand.