How to clean a TV screen the right way _ Avoid damage to your 4K flat screen!

The Importance of Proper TV Screen Cleaning: What to Use and What Not to Use

When it comes to cleaning your TV screen, many people are left mystified by what ends up on their screens. In this video, we'll explore both what you absolutely shouldn't do and what you should do in order to clean your TV screen properly.

What You Shouldn't Use to Clean Your TV Screen

It may seem counter-intuitive, but household cleaning products like glass cleaners and all-purpose cleaners are not suitable for cleaning your TV screen. The reason is that these products contain alcohol, ammonia, and other chemicals that can damage your screen's anti-reflective layer and other coatings. Even if you have a glass screen on a plasma TV or one of the handful of OLED models, it's still best to avoid using Windex or similar products.

Wood-based products like paper towels, facial tissue, and toilet paper are also not recommended for cleaning your TV screen. While they may be fine for wiping countertops and wiping your face, the tiny fibers in these products can end up scratching your screen, creating micro-scratches that can eventually lead to dull spots on the surface of your screen.

Why Are These Products a No-Go?

The reason why these products are not recommended is because they can damage your TV screen's coating. When you use a product like Windex or glass cleaner, it may seem like it's just a quick wipe, but the chemicals in those products can seep into the coating and cause damage over time. Similarly, wood-based products like paper towels and toilet paper have tiny fibers that can scratch your screen, even if you don't see any immediate effects.

What Can You Use Instead?

If you want to buy products specifically designed for cleaning electronic screens, there are many options available. You can get wipes or sprays made from materials like microfiber cloths and distilled water. However, these products can be costly and wasteful, which is why I prefer to use a simple solution.

My Go-To Cleaning Solution

For me, the simplest and most effective way to clean my TV screen is using microfiber cleaning cloths, distilled water, and a little spray bottle. This method may not be the most exciting or high-tech solution, but it's surprisingly effective and won't break the bank.

The Three Levels of Cleaning You May Need

When it comes to cleaning your TV screen, you may need to use different methods depending on what's stuck to it. There are three levels of cleaning: dry cleaning, wet cleaning, and chemical cleaning.

Dry Cleaning is for Dusty Screens Only

If your screen is just dusty, all we need to do is dust it. I prefer using a microfiber cleaning cloth with bigger loops in the fabric, which gives us more dust retention. Simply wipe the screen gently with the cloth, making sure to cover the entire surface. This method is especially effective for screens that are prone to dust accumulation.

Wet Cleaning for Smudges and Stains

If there's a smudge or stain on your screen, you'll need to use a wet cleaning method. In this case, I recommend using a microfiber cloth dampened with just water. Make sure the cloth is not soaking wet, as this can lead to drips and damage to the screen.

Gentle Circular Motions are Key

When cleaning a smudge or stain, it's essential to use gentle circular motions. Apply enough pressure to remove the stain, but avoid using too much force, which can damage the LCD cells in the panel.

Sometimes, Not All Cleaning Methods Work

Unfortunately, there may be cases where no amount of cleaning seems to work. Sometimes, nasty stuff like oil-based residue from an exploding pizza or hot wings incident will stick to your screen. In these situations, a separate bottle of water with just a tiny drop of dish detergent can come in handy.

Using Dish Detergent to Tackle Tough Stains

When it comes to tackling tough stains, a little bit of dish detergent can go a long way. Mix a tiny drop of dish soap with a small amount of water in a separate bottle, and use the resulting solution to clean your screen. Remember to use gentle circular motions and avoid applying too much pressure.

The Importance of Streak-Free Cleaning

Finally, it's essential to remove all water from the cleaning process to ensure a streak-free TV. Use a dry spot on your cloth or a separate microfiber cloth to wipe away any excess moisture. This may take a little extra effort, but it's worth it to achieve a clean and streak-free screen.

In conclusion, proper TV screen cleaning is not as complicated as you might think. By using the right products, techniques, and tools, you can keep your TV looking its best for years to come. So go ahead, grab a microfiber cloth and some distilled water, and get cleaning!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enSo your tv screen is dirty it happens in this video i'm going to talk about  both what you absolutely shouldn't do and what you should do in order  to clean your tv screen and while we're at it we might as well clean  other parts of the tv as well so stick around i'm about to make this very easy for youhey everyone i'm Caleb Dennison and if you're as mystified as i am by what ends up on your tv  screen leave me a comment about that down below and while you're there if you like this video  please click like so we can get this helpful info out to more people and you might want to subscribe  if you like hearing about the latest in tv tech and tips on getting the most out of your tv also  i've got some links to some products down below that will help you get your tv cleaned up the  right way all very affordable and easy to order all at once thanks so much here we go so let's  start with what you should not use to clean your tv screen it may seem counter-intuitive but you do  not want to use household cleaning products like glass cleaners and all-purpose cleaners the reason  why is that these products contain alcohol ammonia and other chemicals that can damage your screen  maybe not instantly but eventually they're going to cause damage to the anti-reflective layer  and other coatings so even if you have a glass screen say on a plasma tv or  one of a handful of oled models stay away from the windex the other stuff you want to stay away  from are these wood-based products like paper towels facial tissue and toilet paper these are  fine for wiping your countertops wiping your face and well other things you need to wipe  but the tiny fibers in these products will end up scratching your screen again you may not see  the effects right away but in time all those micro scratches are going to end up creating dull spots  on the surface of your screen so that's what you shouldn't use what can you use well if you want  to buy products that are made specifically for cleaning electronic screens those do exist you  can get wipes like these and there are some screen cleaning sprays you can use but i find these tend  to be costly and a little wasteful so here's what i use microfiber cleaning cloths distilled water  and a little spray bottle yup that's it in most cases this is all you need i have one more trick  up my sleeve that i'll tell you about in a moment but right now let's look at the three levels of  cleaning you may need to do the first is dry cleaning if your screen is just dusty then all  we need to do is dust it you could use a can of compressed air and this could come in handy later  but i prefer to use a microfiber cleaning cloth like this that has some bigger loops in the fabric  that gives us more dust retention area and you can usually get even the dustiest screens cleaned off  with just one cloth just start at the top and work your way down and while you're at it dust the  bezels and the back of the tv if you can get to it because electronics like to attract us thanks to  the wonder of static electricity but they don't function so well with lots of dust in and on  them if however you somehow have fingerprints or hand prints or some other form of smudges  who knows how that happened i blame the kids then you will want to fill a little spray bottle with  distilled water and distilled water is key because your tap water is full of tiny minerals and other  particles that can and will scratch your screen turn off your tv maybe even unplug it if you can  then you want to spray your cloth and i'm using a very fine microfiber cloth here  just until it's damp you don't want this thing soaking wet or it will drip and that could be  bad news depending on where it drips then use a gentle circular motion to get rid of the smudge  it's important not to use too much pressure or you could do some damage to the lcd cells in the panel  then go back with a dry cloth or maybe a dry spot on the cloth you already have and make  sure everything's nice and dry that should do it for most jobs but i have seen cases in which  some nasty stuff somehow gets on the screen and water and microfiber may remove some of it but  then there's some residue left behind that isn't coming off these tend to be oil-based i don't know  maybe there was a horrible exploding pizza or hot wings incident recently anyway it's okay to have  a separate bottle of water with just a tiny drop of dish detergent in it you don't want too much or  you'll have soap streaks but a tiny bit will be enough to tackle the toughest stuff sticking to  your screen again keep with the small circular motions then come back around with another  microfiber cloth dampened with just water then use a dry spot on your cloth or a separate one to  remove all water for a streak free tv and that's it simple tools used in a smart way is really all  it takes to keep your tv looking its best now go clean that screen thanks so much for watching i  hope you found this video helpful and if you did another quick reminder to click like and subscribe  it really helps this channel out and while you're here here's two other videos i think you'll like\n"