When many of us purchase a brand-new flat-screen TV, we set it up and forget about it. As time goes on, you might notice a smudge here and a fingerprint there, all of which can interfere with your viewing experience. No matter how much you try to avoid it, at some point, your flat-screen TV is bound to need some cleaning. You may be tempted to whip out a glass cleaner like Windex, spray away, wipe down the screen, and call it a day. However, doing so could do more harm than good. While this strategy worked for older tube TVs, flat-screen TVs are more fragile and require a more sensitive touch.

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That means avoiding products like window cleaners, soaps, detergents with abrasives, or cleansers with alcohol, benzene, ammonia, or acetone. The harsh chemicals in these products can strip or damage a flat-screen TV’s screen, electrical components, and surface coating. It may seem like eliminating all those options doesn’t leave you with much to clean your TV, but in many ways, that’s a good thing. When cleaning a flat-screen TV, it’s best to keep things simple to protect the screen from damage. While there are many types of flat-screen TVs — such as LCD, OLED, and QLED — from the various major brands, the same cleaning rules generally apply to all of them.

Whether you own one of the best budget-friendly TVs or a high-end model, the good news about cleaning a flat-screen TV is that it’s relatively easy to do. You probably have most, if not all, of the items you need to get the job done lying around your house. For the most part, you won’t need to purchase any special products. A small duster can come in handy for cleaning the areas between the TV and the stand, and you can use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust that gets stuck in your TV’s vents. 

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You’ll need a soft cloth for cleaning the screen; a microfiber cloth is a good choice. Keep warm or distilled water on hand to get rid of any smudges or fingerprints that won’t budge with gentle wiping. If your screen ends up with something like ink stains from an oil-based marker in the hands of a creative child, it probably won’t come off with just water. In that case, you can mix a non-soap cleanser with water (less than 1%) to make a gentle cleaning solution to remove it. Soak a cloth in the mixture and wring out as much of the liquid as possible before using it to carefully clean the ink off the screen.

Once you’ve gathered your supplies, you’ll be ready to clean your flat-screen TV. As you clean, take care not to touch the screen’s surface with your hands, and avoid applying too much pressure because that could damage the screen. You should never use paper towels or abrasive pads on your TV. These items can damage the screen by stripping off or scratching the anti-glare coating. If you don’t have a microfiber or soft cloth, wait until you can buy one before cleaning your screen.

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Follow these steps to clean your flat-screen TV:

1. Turn off your TV and give it a few minutes to cool down.
2. Unplug your TV.
3. Gently wipe the screen with a microfiber cloth to remove loose dust.
4. Clean the TV using light circular motions; don’t apply pressure.
5. If fingerprints or smudges are left on the screen, dampen the microfiber cloth with warm or distilled water.
6. Use the dampened cloth (be sure to avoid excess moisture) to gently wipe away fingerprints and smudges.
7. Use a dry microfiber cloth to remove any residual moisture on the screen.
8. Make sure the screen is completely dry before plugging it back in and turning it on.

You should avoid spraying liquids directly onto the TV screen because they could seep into the device and cause it to stop working. After you’ve finished cleaning the screen, use a soft cloth to clean the TV frame and stand. When you’ve finished cleaning your TV, you’ll be ready to optimize it for watching movies and other activities.