Televisions are the centre of any home entertainment experience, and taking care of it is something that most people neglect doing. In order to maintain the life of your TV, learning proper care and maintenance tips are a must! At the very least, you will have to get rid of a layer of dust every now and then, and if the screen does get touched, there will also be fingerprints to deal with. That is why it’s very important to know the proper way of cleaning, since there are some things more humbling than damaging something while trying to properly maintain it.

To many people, cleaning means water, but water and electronics do not mix. Not at all. What you need are proper TV cleaners and cleaning kits.

• Turn off and unplug your TV.
• First try using a dry, anti-static cloth and rubbing gently.
• Use water to lightly moisten a clean, soft, dry cloth, and then rub the screen gently. Do not let water run down screen or enter behind screen frame. Wipe with dry cloth after cleaning.
• Make sure to rub as gently as possible. LED screens can be damaged if you press too hard.
• Let the screen dry completely before plugging the TV back in.

Removing Fingerprints from the Screen

Greasy fingerprints can ruin the appearance and view of your TV. While the fingerprints probably won't damage the screen, just a few grimy prints can make it difficult to see the screen clearly. Since LCD screens are fragile, it is important to know the correct cleaning method before attempting to remove fingerprints. Below are the steps on how to remove fingerprints:

1. Make a mixture of rubbing alcohol -- also called isopropyl alcohol -- and water. The mixture must not contain more than 50% alcohol. Also, the concentration can be less if the fingerprints aren’t sticky.

2. Turn the TV of and unplug it from its power source before you start cleaning.

3. Get a soft cloth and dampen it with the alcohol and water mixture.

4. Wipe the cloth gently across the screen. To completely remove particularly grimy areas, you may have to make more than one pass with the cloth.

5. Wipe the TV screen using a dry, soft cloth to remove streaks. Don’ plug the TV back in until the screen is completely dry.

Things That You'll Need

• Water
• Soft Cloth
• Rubbing Alcohol

Tips

• Each TV manufacturer may have different methods so it’s best to always refer to the owner's manual. Never ever spray a solution directly onto the screen or use paper towels to clean the TV screen. These 2 methods can damage the fragile screen.

Word of Caution

• Never use any type of window cleaner, alcohol, soap, scouring powder, or any cleanser that contains solvents on your flat screen. Most of these contain alcohol or ammonia, which can discolor or damage the screen. New TV sets have plastic screens, not glass. Water (like a damp cloth) isn't dangerous to your TV, but will leave streaks and water spots.
• Never use abrasive pads or paper towels also as this is one of the quickest routes to permanently damaging your flat screen or LCD with thousands of little scratches. These can scratch the screen (and even dissolve special coatings on it) causing permanent damage.
• There are several brands of screen cleaner solutions and cloths out there that are of good quality. If you clean your screen weekly or more often, a microfiber cloth is sufficient. If less often, or you live in a high dust environment, you'll want some solution. Some are also anti-static, which repels dust as well as cleans the screen.
• While pure water can do a decent job in a pinch, it still has some weaknesses: it will usually have the tendency to leave streaks and extra static. Compared to a specially-formulated solution for your television, water will also not provide any anti-static properties to the surface, which means that fibers and dust will quickly accumulate on your newly cleaned TV screen. Static, heavy dusts and unattractive streaks on your screen require for a proper cleaning kit.
• Never clean the TV while it is on. Do it before turning your TV on, or make sure that the TV is off for about 15 minutes and completely cooled down before you start cleaning it. Otherwise, you’ll deal with evaporation issues with your cleaning solution and notice that it’s very hard to stop the streaks from forming.
• Do not spray your LCD screen directly with cleaning solution. The ultimate sin would be to over-use a cleaning solution. Too much liquid often means streaking. Make sure you don’t over-saturate your cleaning cloth either. Just a few gentle sprays will be enough to make your television shine like it’s brand new.

Remember, in cleaning your TV, it’s worth spending a little time getting things right in order to avoid making things a whole lot worse permanently.

Pros and Cons of TV Cleaners

PROS:

With TV screen cleaners and cleaning kits, there’ll be no more streak, no static or dirt smudges on your TV screen. Also, screen cleaners will make it very easy to keep your expensive TV screen looking its very best. After all, what’s the point of high def if it’s covered in dust?

CONS:
One disadvantage to using screen cleaners is that it may damage your TV screens especially if the cleaner is made of harsh chemicals. These chemicals are going to mess up the protective layer on your fancy TV screen. Also, when using cleaners, the liquid may drip down to the bottom of your screen which can damage electrical wirings.

Proper TV cleaners and cleaning kits make it very easy to keep your expensive TV screen looking its very best. After all, what is the point of high definition if it is covered in dust from your dirty house? You don’t want to