If you own a TV of any kind, be it a souped-up 8K TV, a modern 4K TV, or an aging HDTV, one thing’s for sure: It’s going to become infested with dust and household debris, and possibly even bodily fluids (you have your children to thank for this), at some point or another. Heck, you’re here, researching how to clean your TV screen, so we’re guessing it’s already covered in gunk.
But before you go after it with a bottle of Windex and a scouring brush, you should know how to clean your television without doing permanent damage and effectively rendering it useless (hint: definitely do not use a scouring brush). Some manufacturers suggest using custom-made cleaners to touch up the screen, but these are often just as unnecessary as they are expensive.
Instead of forking over your hard-earned cash for a lackluster potion, we suggest making your own cleaning solution. Using a simple and affordable mixture of store-bought ingredients, including distilled water and isopropyl alcohol, the method detailed below is the cheapest way to get your television sparkling clean — and just as importantly, it does a fantastic job.
What you’ll need
- Two pieces of soft, lint-free cloth (preferably microfiber)
- Distilled water
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Measuring cup
Cleaning the display
The first thing you’ll want to do is turn off your television and make sure it has a chance to cool down. Wait until it’s no longer warm before proceeding with the following steps. Fail to do so and you could do some damage.
When it is cool to the touch, dust the screen to remove any dirt particles, then wipe it over with your soft, lint-free cloth to remove any residual dust. If you can’t see any visible smudges after you’re done dusting, stop here.
If your screen is still covered in muck, it’s time to make up your batch of cleaning solution.
First, mix the isopropyl alcohol with water using a measuring cup, ensuring the solution is equal parts water and alcohol. If you don’t have a measuring cup, try using a shot glass to measure quantities before mixing. In any case, just make sure you’re not overdoing it with the alcohol — the resulting solution shouldn’t be more than half alcohol or it can tarnish the display.
Next, dip your cloth into your freshly mixed solution and ring it out to remove excess moisture. You want the cleaning cloth to be damp, but not wet. Afterward, gently wipe the damp cloth across your display. Then, finally, use the second lint-free cloth to dry your display. Don’t leave any moisture on it — you’ll want it to be completely dry before turning the TV back on.
Additional tips
- If your TV’s bezel makes it difficult to clean the corners and near the edges of the display, use a Q-tip dampened with your solution to get to the hard-to-reach areas.
- Make sure you’re using the right chemical. Don’t use ethyl alcohol, acetone, toluene, ethyl acid, ammonia, or methyl chloride — only isopropyl alcohol.
- Always use a clean cloth, as hard particles can get trapped in cloth fibers and leave unwanted scratches.
- Ensure your cleaning cloth is damp, not wet. You don’t want drops running down your display with each wipe.
- Do not use Windex or other glass cleaners! Said solutions generally contain ammonia and will hurt your TV screen.
- Do not use paper towels; they leave behind tiny bits of paper that can mess up your display.
Now your TV is like new, why not give your earbuds a cleaning?
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