Discover the top 6 best ways to clean a TV screen effectively with ReviewShopping. Learn how to maintain your TV‘s clarity and cleanliness with these essential screen-cleaning techniques.
4 Tools to Prepare Before Cleaning Your TV Screen
To effectively and efficiently clean your TV screen, it’s essential to prepare the necessary tools beforehand. Here are the tools you should have on hand before starting:
- Soft Cleaning Cloth: Prepare 1-2 soft fabric or specialized glass-cleaning cloths to ensure thorough cleaning. Avoid using regular fabric, old clothes, or paper towels as these materials may be coarse and could cause small scratches on the TV screen.
- Small Spray Bottle: Prepare a small spray bottle with the appropriate amount of cleaning solution, ensuring that the amount of liquid sprayed is neither excessive nor insufficient to prevent damage to the TV screen.
- Cleaning Solution: Depending on the method and the level of dirt on your TV screen, you can choose from various cleaning solutions, including a mixture of vinegar and water, plain water, distilled water, mild alcohol, glass cleaner, or specialized cleaning solutions. Avoid using solutions with strong cleaning or corrosive properties, such as baking soda, kitchen cleaning agents, gasoline, machine oil, nail polish remover, as these can damage the screen and reduce the TV’s lifespan.
- Soft Brush or Feather Duster: To brush off any loose dust before wiping, making the cleaning process more manageable, especially in cases of heavy dust. You can also use an electrostatic duster – a specialized tool for electronics components, which is both resilient and non-static, preventing scratches or damage to the TV screen.
6 Best Ways To Clean A TV Screen Using Household Materials
You can easily clean your TV yourself using common household tools, suitable for TVs with specific characteristics such as:
TV Design: Flat-screen TVs, like those from Samsung and Sony, with sturdy plastic frames and stands that are less sensitive to cleaning.
Dust Level: TVs with minimal dust buildup and no stubborn, dried-on stains.
Note:
- Avoid using excessive force when cleaning around the screen: The black layer on the surface can easily peel off, leading to color loss, affecting your TV’s appearance. Particularly, for Samsung or Sony TVs with HD resolution, ranging from 32 to 43 inches, made of LED panels with black-coated plastic frames and stands.
- Clean the surrounding areas: When cleaning flat-screen TVs, including Samsung and Sony models with frame designs, remember to clean the surrounding areas to prevent dust from returning to the screen.
6 Best Ways To Clean A TV Screen: Use a Soft Cloth and Distilled Water
Step 1: Turn off the TV and unplug it for at least 10 minutes
Before cleaning, turn off the TV to make it easier to see the dirt on the screen. Then, unplug it and wait for at least 10 minutes to allow the TV to cool down, ensuring your safety during the cleaning process.
Step 2: Clean the TV screen and frame
Before cleaning the TV with a cloth and solution, you should gently brush off any dust from the frame using a soft brush or a feather duster.
Step 3: Spray distilled water and wipe
Next, spray distilled water onto a clean cloth until it’s slightly damp, then gently wipe the TV screen. For a screen that’s lightly dusty, use a Z-shaped motion (zigzag) from the right edge to the left edge and vice versa. If there are smudges from fingerprints or uneven cleaning with a zigzag pattern, use a circular motion while moving from one side to the other and from top to bottom until the TV screen is clean. You may increase the pressure slightly to remove tough stains. Pay attention to cleaning the screen’s corners to avoid missing spots that may accumulate stubborn dirt. Subsequently, use another dry cloth to wipe the screen dry to prevent any streaks or residue.
If the screen isn’t as clean as desired, use a mixture of dishwashing liquid and distilled water in the following way:
- Step 1: Mix distilled water and dishwashing liquid in a 10:1 ratio and stir it thoroughly for 10 seconds until it dissolves.
- Step 2: Dip your cleaning cloth into this solution and squeeze it out until the cloth is only slightly damp. Continue to wipe the TV screen gently in circular motions several times.
Step 4: Let the screen and frame dry for 5 minutes
After cleaning off all the dirt on the TV screen and wiping it once more with a dry cloth, let the screen air dry for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Recheck the screen
Switch on the TV and verify if the screen is clean, bright, and without any obstructive stains or a hazy layer. Moreover, you can stand to the side and inspect the screen under the light to ensure thorough cleaning.
Note: Do not substitute distilled water with regular tap water, as the high calcium and magnesium content in tap water may not be entirely pure and could leave cloudy marks or residue. You can try cleaning with distilled water first on less important screens, such as old mobile phones or glass windows, to evaluate the results.
6 Best Ways To Clean A TV Screen: Use Toothpaste
Toothpaste containing just the right amount of baking soda is an ideal abrasive cleaning agent for removing dirt and minor scratches effectively from the TV screen. Here’s how you can use toothpaste to clean your TV screen:
Step 1 + 2: Turn off the TV and clean the TV screen and frame
Similar to the water cleaning method, you should gently brush off any dust around the TV frame using a soft brush or a feather duster.
Step 3: Wipe the screen
Take a small amount of toothpaste (about 1 gram equivalent to a pea) and place it on your toothbrush. Then, use gentle strokes to clean the TV screen from top to bottom or in circular motions to remove dirt.
Next, use a damp cloth to wipe off the toothpaste residue on the TV surface. If the screen isn’t entirely clean and there are stubborn stains, you can gently scrub with toothpaste once more.
Step 4: Let the screen and frame dry for 5 minutes
After thoroughly wiping off all the dirt on the TV screen and wiping it with a dry cloth, let the screen air dry for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Recheck the screen
Turn on the TV and check whether the screen is bright, clear, and free of any smudges or a hazy layer. You can also check from the side and under light to ensure that it’s clean.
Note: When using toothpaste to clean, avoid getting toothpaste into the gaps around the TV, as it may be challenging to remove.
6 Best Ways To Clean A TV Screen: Using Vinegar
Vinegar is a natural cleaning agent readily available in your kitchen, safe, and with mild acidity. This solution has medium corrosive properties, so it won’t harm your Samsung or Sony TV screen.
Steps 1 + 2: Turn off the TV and clean the screen and frame similarly to the previous sections.
Step 3: Clean with vinegar
Spray vinegar onto a clean cloth until it’s damp. Then, gently wipe the screen in a Z-shape (back and forth) or in a circular motion to clean the entire surface.
For stubborn dirt, you can let the vinegar sit for a while and wipe repeatedly until it’s completely clean. Finally, wipe the screen with a dry cloth to remove any remaining moisture.
Step 4: Let the screen and frame dry for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Recheck the screen.
Note when using vinegar: Do not spray vinegar directly onto the glass surface; the liquid can seep into the gaps around the TV’s edges and potentially damage internal components. Instead, wipe the screen with a dry cloth to avoid leaving small water stains that might affect the aesthetics.
6 Best Ways To Clean A TV Screen: Using 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
Using commercially available isopropyl alcohol for screen cleaning is not recommended by TV manufacturers. However, if you dilute it according to the right formula, it won’t harm your Samsung or Sony TV screen.
Quick Guide on Cleaning the TV Screen with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
Step 1: Turn off the TV and unplug it for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Clean the frame similar to previous sections.
Step 3: Continue cleaning
First, dilute the alcohol with water in a 2:1 ratio and then spray the solution onto a soft fabric until it’s slightly damp. Then, gently wipe the TV screen and let the TV screen dry for 5 minutes. You don’t need to wipe it again as the alcohol will dry without leaving marks like water or vinegar might.
Step 4: Check the screen again.
Note: Do not pour alcohol directly onto the TV screen; you should dilute it before using it.
6 Best Ways To Clean A TV Screen: Using Glass Cleaner
Glass cleaner is a common household cleaning agent. You can clean your TV using this substance with the following instructions:
Quick Guide on Cleaning the TV Screen with Glass Cleaner
Step 1: Turn off the TV and unplug it for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Clean the frame similarly to the previous sections.
Step 3: Continue cleaning
Spray a damp cloth with glass cleaner and gently wipe the TV screen from left to right or in a circular motion until it’s clean. Then, wipe the screen with a dry cloth to ensure all the cleaning solution is gone. For more stubborn, long-standing dirt, you can wipe several times to remove it.
Step 4: Check the screen again.
Note: Do not use glass cleaner that contains alcohol or ammonia, as both of these can be corrosive and cause discoloration on your TV screen.
6 Best Ways To Clean A TV Screen: Using a Dusting Brush
An electrostatic dusting brush is commonly used to clean electronic components. The soft bristles are effective at removing dust without scratching the TV screen.
Quick Guide on Cleaning the TV Screen with a Dusting Brush
Step 1: Turn off the TV and unplug it for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Clean the frame similarly to the previous sections.
Step 3: Continue cleaning
Use the dusting brush to gently clean the edges and the main screen area of your Samsung or Sony TV.
Notes when using an electrostatic dusting brush:
Adjust the brushing force lightly and evenly across the screen to avoid causing damage. Lightly brush and evenly cover all areas of the TV to remove dust from any vents, ports, and cable connections.
Additionally, you can use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt behind the TV. Use low suction force and vacuum slowly in every gap, especially the plug and socket area.
In conclusion, maintaining a clean TV screen is vital for a crisp viewing experience. By following these 6 best ways to clean a TV screen you can ensure your TV screen remains pristine and free from smudges or dust, allowing you to enjoy your favorite shows and movies without distraction.
