A simple guide to cleaning your HDTV screen

If you’ve ever made the mistake of trying to clean your lovely new HDTV with the same kind of cleaning products that you used to clean your older CRT screen, then you’ll likely know that it can cause significant damage to the television. Whatever you do, don’t use general polish or window cleaning products on your TV as the excess liquid will seep into your screen and create permanent defects.

Before you begin, it’s worth consulting your television’s manual to see if the manufacturer has any specific cleaning recommendations – but generally you’ll be able to get the job done with a little common sense and dedication. Whether you’ve got an LCD TV , LED TV or plasma screen, the principle is the same; little and often is the way to go when it comes to cleaning your television. If you give your screen a quick dust over once a week then you won’t go too far wrong; it’s when you leave it for months on end that you’ll encounter more stubborn marks – especially if you have children in the house.

Whichever of those two categories you fall into, you’ll want to invest in at least one microfibre cloth, a product that is perfect for buffing up TV screens without causing the kind of abrasions that regular cloths or dusters have been known to be responsible for.If you do find that your HDTV has developed dirty marks that you’re struggling to get rid of, it’s time to invest in some specialist cleaning solution. There are many products on the market with a wide range of price tags attached, so be sure to do some research and get value for money.

If your TV is on, be sure to turn it off before you begin cleaning with any solution. Allow 10 minutes or so for the screen to cool down completely before you start the process. Dampen your microfibre cloth with your chosen cleaning solution ever-so-slightly – important: don’t spray it directly onto the screen at any time – and begin cleaning the screen.

Light, circular motions tend to work well here; don’t apply great pressure to the screen. If this part of the cleaning process leaves smudges on your TV then it’s likely that you applied too much of the cleaning solution to your cloth. Once you’ve finished dusting the screen with your slightly dampened cloth, go over the screen again with a separate, dry microfibre cloth to finish up.

Follow these simple steps and your TV will continue to look brand spanking new, allowing you to enjoy all of your high definition content without the frustration of smudges and kids’ handprints.