How to Clean a Plasma TV Screen
At first, turn off your television in order to ensure no moisture enters its seal and causes irreparable harm to electronics.
Use a microfiber cloth to gently wipe away any loose dirt and dust from the screen surface, using either commercial cleaners or creating your own DIY mixture using white vinegar and water.
1. Microfiber Cloth
If your plasma TV screen has become dirty, the first step should be to power off and use a microfiber cloth to wipe down its screen. These delicate yet dry materials resemble those found with eyeglasses and cell phone screens; microfiber cloths can often be found for only a few dollars in stores and they’re suitable for cleaning delicate surfaces such as your laptop or iPad as well.
Microfiber cloth is superior to paper towels or rags because of its soft fibers that won’t scratch your screen’s surface. If your screen is especially susceptible to fingerprints, consider investing in an electrostatic duster to zap away fingerprints more effectively. If the dust persists despite repeated attempts at dust dispersion using either switching the direction of rubbing with the microfiber cloth, or investing in another cleaner.
Plasma screens can be very fragile and should never be cleaned with harsh cleaners or strong chemicals, even using gentle techniques such as wiping down with a soft rag. A rough brush stroke could damage pixels and leave behind noticeable marks – so always use caution when wiping down your screen!
After giving it a quick wipe, your screen should become much clearer. For tougher stains or streaks, wet your microfiber cloth with distilled water but be wary about spraying directly onto the screen; doing so could damage its seal and harm its internal components of plasma TVs.
Distilled water does not contain minerals or impurities that could leave residue behind on the screen, so if cleaning solutions don’t remove streaks completely, use dampened microfiber cloth and distilled water to wipe the screen in wide motions again.
Whenever there are streaks or stains on your screen, a small amount of mild dish soap diluted in water may help clean them away. Be sure to follow manufacturer guidelines regarding dilution and don’t apply too much pressure as doing so could scrub away its surface and leave behind residue behind. For those struggling to find a liquid cleaner that won’t leave behind a residue residue behind, isopropyl alcohol or another alcohol-based screen cleaner may provide the solution.
2. Distilled Water
Commercial TV cleaners contain harsh chemicals that may damage the anti-glare coating on your screen, including abrasive pads. Instead, try using distilled water or highly diluted dish soap with mild ingredients instead. For stubborn stains add a drop of mild detergent. Do not spray liquid directly onto the TV as this can cause shocks and other internal component failure that will render it inoperable.
Most screens only need light dusting with a microfiber cloth to remain looking their best. For heavier grime build-up, however, use some drops of distilled water on a cloth to clean away debris that has settled on its surface; just be careful not to immerse too deeply as that can result in unsightly water spots on the screen!
If your screen has stubborn smudges or stains that won’t budge with just plain water alone, try mixing equal parts distilled water and white vinegar into a solution to give a deep clean without damage to its screen, according to The Kitchn. Simply pour this solution into a spray bottle, add water for diluting purposes and spray onto an antilint microfiber cloth, spray on screen in an S-shape pattern then wipe down to finish before rinsing out cloth and wring before reuse.
At most computer and electronics stores, you can also purchase multi-purpose screen cleaners that do not contain isopropyl alcohol for plasma screen televisions. Look for brands specifically advertised as safe to use; while they will cost slightly more, their use will ensure maximum safety on such an expensive flat panel television screen.
Paper towels, toilet papers or anything with abrasives such as rough fabric should never be used on your plasma screen as this could scratch it and lead to permanent damage. Also avoid any cleaning products containing ingredients like ammonia, acetone, ethyl alcohol or benzene which contain such harsh ingredients that could scratch it further.
3. Mild Dish Soap
If stubborn stains don’t respond to distilled water alone, try switching over to mild dish soap in an extremely dilute form instead. Remember not to spray too much directly onto the screen itself or it could shock and break internal components, rendering your TV nonfunctional indefinitely.
Care should always be taken when cleaning a plasma screen as its technology is delicate and can easily be damaged. You can prevent further harm by keeping it as dry as possible and only using gentle products to avoid anything with sharp edges or coarsely woven materials that might scratch or damage its surface. In addition, make sure your television is off before doing more than basic dusting to avoid accidental damages from sudden spikes of electricity in its display screen.
Even though it might be tempting to reach for Windex or another household cleaner, most plasma screens contain special coatings that can be damaged permanently by harsh chemicals and any water dripping onto internal parts can potentially spark fires and cause other serious electrical problems.
In most cases, using a dry microfiber cloth to wipe down your TV screen should suffice in keeping it looking clean and operating smoothly. If there are stubborn stains or fingerprints which won’t disappear with quick dusting alone, use a slightly dampened microfiber cloth instead to gently wash them away.
Before undertaking this task, however, check your TV’s owner manual as this should contain instructions for cleaning its screen. Most manufacturers recommend against the use of harsh chemical cleaners that can scratch the surface and cloud its image.
For optimal results, use a soft, dry microfiber cloth dampened with distilled water and mild dish soap. To do so, soak it briefly in water, wring it out until only barely moistened, and use that dampened cloth to wipe your screen in circular motions. When your screen has dried completely be sure to use another microfiber cloth to wipe away any leftover soap residue for optimal dust-residue removal – this will prevent further dust accumulations on it!
4. Isopropyl Alcohol
As is usually the case, power down your TV before cleaning its screen. Doing otherwise can result in irreparable damage – particularly if using liquid-based cleaners on plasma TVs which run down onto speakers and ports, as well as leaving behind dust. Dust off all other areas of your television before beginning so all dust has been eliminated and there are no smudges or stains along its outer edges or bezel.
First, obtain a microfiber cloth designed specifically for electronic screens. Some newer TVs come equipped with such an item; otherwise a cloth designed for eyeglasses or camera lenses should do just fine. You could also purchase a microfiber cleaning kit which contains several cloths with various sizes and textures to meet this task.
Next, immerse a cloth in distilled water and be sure to wring it out thoroughly so there is no excess moisture remaining on it. Never spray cleaning solutions directly onto the screen as this could potentially damage it and even cause an electric shock hazard.
If a dry cloth does not remove all smudges and marks from your plasma screen, a mild dish soap solution might do the trick. Be wary, as many TVs feature special coating that can be damaged by certain chemicals; in such a case, be sure to consult the manufacturer’s guidelines as to how diluted the dish soap solution should be.
If the mild dish soap solution doesn’t do the trick, a higher concentration of isopropyl alcohol may work to remove stubborn spots and stains on your plasma TV screen. Just be wary when applying too much; too much could damage or even break apart liquid crystals inside. When applying high concentrations of isopropyl alcohol use small amounts on a dry microfiber cloth in a circular motion for best results and never scrub too hard, or else risk ruining your screen!
