How to clean a flat screen TV or Monitor
Materials needed:
Distilled water ($1-$2 at your local market or dollar store.)A few microfiber cleaning cloths or lens cloths ($4-$7 for a multi-pack)A squeeze bottle or spray bottle ($4-$5.50)Optional: Mild dish soap ($2-$3 at your local market)
Estimated time: 15 minutes Estimated cost: $11-18 for dozens or hundreds of cleanings Watch our step-by-step video below and skip ahead to read instead.
Is it safe to clean my TV or monitor while it’s plugged in?
Yes. The reason why we specified that you should only very lightly dampen your cleaning cloth is to prevent any drips or droplets from entering your TV or monitor. At no time should you see any drops rolling down your screen. If you do, immediately use your cloth to absorb them and unplug the unit. To do this, turn off your display and grab one of your clean microfiber or lens cloths and apply the minimal amount of pressure necessary to wipe away any loose dust. Don’t press too hard, and don’t scrub at any stubborn spots. Doing either could damage your display. Instead, brush across the display beginning at one and and moving across, making sure to reposition the cloth to a clean spot if it becomes noticeably soiled. It’s also important to use distilled water here. This type of water has had the impurities and minerals that exist in most locations’ tap water removed, prevents any haze or residue from lingering on your display after cleaning. Never use any harsh chemicals like window cleaner or lens cleaner. They’re not necessary, and could actually damage your display. Work you way across your display, making sure to get every bit of the screen. If you come across a stubborn spot, gently hold your dampened cloth over it for a few moments, then wipe again. If it still won’t come clean, see our note below. Don’t forget to re-wet your cloth as needed. For stubborn spots: If distilled water alone can’t get off a particularly resistant smear, you can add a tiny amount of very mild dish soap to your water before dampening your cloth. Most manufacturers advise using a 1:50 or 1:100 ratio of dish soap to water, but even just a drop or 2 in a full spray/squeeze bottle should do the trick. Remember to be patient and keep your cloth damp. It might take some time and a few passes, but it’s best to always be gentle to avoid damage. It can sometimes be helpful here to turn the monitor back on and put something bright white on the screen. The “rainbow” effect you see will show you where any wet spots might be. Distilled water is pure enough that either air drying or cloth drying should never leave any residue behind. If you notice any spots you missed, head back to step 3. You could just as easily clean the display with it turned on as well, but the darkened black screen makes it easier to see the dirt without the backlight and on-screen images interfering.
Can’t I just buy a TV or monitor cleaning kit?
Only if you like overpaying for things. Most cleaning kits come with a cleaning cloth and a bottle of solution that is, itself, mostly water. While some will likely due a decent job of cleaning your display, you can’t always be sure what goes into the provided solution, and could risk damaging your display by using a product from a less-than-trustworthy manufacturer. Even if it works great, you’re still likely to pay $10-$20 for way fewer cleanings than you’ll get out of a single gallon jug of distilled water that can be had for $1-$2.
Does this process work for glossy flat screen displays, like OLED TVs?
Absolutely! Just be even more careful with the extra delicate OLED panels. The technology they use is even more fragile than other LCD displays due to the thinness of the panel. Taking your time and using a very light hand will still produce great results on whatever type of flat panel display you might have.
