So you decided to clean up the screen of your LCD television. However, everyone hesitates because they know how delicate and sensitive the screen is and often worry about damaging it or leaving streaks behind. They can ruin the display and make watching anything quite annoying.
Fortunately, it is possible to avoid leaving those streaks and not damage the display of your precious television by maintaining some guidelines and following some tips.
This article will tell you how to clean a TV screen without streaks and avoid some common mistakes many people make when trying to clean their television.
Cleaning Tools
Before making your television screen squeaky clean, you will need to stock up on some essential cleaning supplies. There aren’t that many, but most of them are needed as they can be used to clean the screen without leaving scratches or streaks. The tools you should have in your checklist are:
Micro-Fiber Cloth
A micro-fiber cloth is recommended above other types of cleaning cloths because they leave little to no scratches due to their thinner texture. There are also much better variants called an electrostatic cleaning cloth that you can use if you want. They work similarly with the electrostatic cleaning cloth being a dust remover.
Most television sets come with an accompanying micro-fiber cloth, but it also helps to replace it after using it for a long time. It is also recommended to have two of them. Use one soaked with water for the initial cleaning and then one to wipe the screen with.
One thing you should do is wash and dry the micro-fiber cloth in between your uses. They can also pick up dirt and using a dirt coated cloth to clean your big size HD television is more likely to damage it then clean it. Remember to wash the dirt and grit before using it.
Feather Duster
A feather duster is very helpful, especially if you don’t own electrostatic cleaning cloth. They are used to remove the initial layer of dust from a TV screen, and due to their soft nature, they don’t leave any scratches when doing so.
An initial wiping with a good feather duster (preferably made out of ostrich feathers) will make the cleaning process incredibly smooth and effective as a lot of the cleaning procedure involves removing the build-up of dust on the screen.
Cleaning Solution
This is probably the most essential and a big point of contention on what type of cleaning solution to use. You will need to make use of a cleaning solution if you want to effectively clean your TV screen.
The problem lies in the fact that cleaning solutions contain many different chemicals that can affect the television screen, especially if it is an LCD or LED screen. This is mainly due to the sensitivity of the screen, and thus, you might end up doing more damage than actually cleaning it.
Also, this might surprise you, but distilled water works better than most screen cleaners. There are no chemicals in it that might ruin the screen and will work to give it a good polish. An alternative solution might be a vinegar and water mix, but there is a risk of danger involved if you use it carelessly.
Though some may suggest using specific gels and then a gel remover, it is best to only reserve them if you need to remove scratches. Otherwise, the residual gel might damage the display.
Cleaning Procedure
Once you have your cleaning supplies ready and some gloves fitted on, you can begin cleaning your television. The steps you should follow are:
Step 1: Turn Your Television off
Cleaning with your television switched on both pose a risk to your display as well as make it difficult to perform the task. Working on a black screen makes it easier to spot the dust particles and messy bits.
It is also important to understand where the television is. If it is mounted on the roof, the procedure is a little different than it is on the wall.
Step 2: Take Your Feather Duster and Begin Dusting
Make gentle strokes using the duster against the television screen and make sure you are thorough. A little dust can impede your cleaning process and leave a lackluster finish. Continue dusting until there are no dust trails left. If you haven’t, then it is recommended to put your cleaning solution into a spray bottle.
Use the spray bottle to spray the solution on to your cleaning cloth. This ensures an even spread and yields better results than soaking it in the cleaning solution. You do not want to apply too much cleaning solution to your screen.
Step 3: Begin Wiping the Screen with Your Cloth
Wipe using repeated circular motions and make sure to be careful around the edges. Do not press your cloth around the edges as you might cause some water to seep inside.
Step 4: Use Your Second Dry Cloth to Gently Wipe the Residual Water
Do not press the screen. Simply polish it until the residual water is gone. In the case of scratches, you might want to apply a small amount of gel or petroleum jelly on only the affected area. Then proceed to gently wipe the gel off.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now have a good idea of how to go about cleaning your television screen. Remember to keep these tips in mind and be careful when cleaning, and you’ll get the best results.
Leave a Reply