windex on lcd screen manufacturer

As the weather warms, it"s time for everyone"s "favorite" pastime: spring cleaning. While you"re dusting off the shelves and shoveling out a winter"s worth of detritus, spare a moment to check your TV. Dust and grime can accumulate there, and over time it can become more and more noticeable. And if you have children, there may be an array of fingerprints and other smears on the screen.

The short version? Don"t use liquids, don"t press too hard, don"t use any traditional cleaners. Microfiber cloths are good, but be gentle. Modern TVs are predominantly plastic and therefore far easier to scratch than windows or your phone.

Want the longer version? Here"s what the top TV manufacturers say about cleaning their screens:Cleaning your 4K, OLED, or LED TV screen with a soft, dry cloth is recommended. The goal here is to avoid scratching the screen. Gentle, circular motions tend to give better results, since the circular motion hits each area from several angles in a single swipe.

Caution: Don"t spray water or other liquids directly on the TV, as electric shock could occur.Turn the TV off and let it cool down for a few minutes before unplugging it.

To clean the frame and screen, gently wipe it with a microfiber cleaning cloth. Make sure to wipe the TV frame and screen as gently as possible. TV screens are fragile and can be damaged when pressed too hard.

Important: Never use any type of window cleaner, soap, scouring powder, wax, or any cleanser with solvents such as alcohol, benzene, ammonia, or acetone. Never use abrasive pads or paper towels. If you do, you can scratch the screen or strip the anti-glare coating off the screen and cause permanent damage. Never spray water directly onto the TV. Make sure to wipe the TV as gently as possible. TV screens are fragile and can be damaged when pressed too hard.Gently wipe the screen or the exterior with a dry, soft cloth, such as an eyeglass cleaner.

For inks from oil markers on the screen, soak a cloth in a non-soap synthetic cleanser diluted (by less than 1% ) with water. Squeeze the cloth tightly to eliminate excess liquid, then wipe gently to remove the ink. Use non-soap cleansers cautiously because it may cause environmental problems when disposed improperly.

So why not Windex? Regular Windex is formulated for glass windows, plus a few other surfaces. It contains ammonia and alcohol, not the friendliest of chemicals. S. C. Johnson doesn"t explicitly say not to use Windex on TVs, but it offers Windex Electronics wipes and cleaners, so infer what you will. The better screen cleaners will clearly state that they do not contain alcohol or ammonia.

At last count, I found a billion companies making TV screen cleaners. Almost all of these are something like 99 percent water, 1 percent other stuff. Years ago I tested a handful and found them, on average, to work well enough. If you don"t have luck with a simple cloth and possibly distilled water, a screen cleaner is worth a try, and as a bonus you can also use it for your laptop, tablet and cell phone screens. Plus, they come with a microfiber cloth. If they don"t clearly state they don"t contain alcohol and ammonia, however, I would skip them.

So yeah, cleaning your TV is a good idea. But just remember that they"re exceptionally fragile. Why risk marring their surface by using cleaning methods the companies themselves don"t advise? If you damage your screen with cleaners, you won"t be able to fix it.

My advice? Get a nice microfiber cloth (if your TV didn"t come with one), and use that. If that doesn"t fix your smudges, try a cloth moist with water. Don"t press too hard. There"s less than a millimeter between your finger and a broken TV.

Screen cleaning kits are fine, though most people won"t need them. Remember, like all TV accessories, the store is selling them because they probably make more profit on that $20 kit than on a $500 TV.

As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.

He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Screens can scratch easily, and even paper towels and tissues contain fibers that can do damage. “Your best bet is to use a soft, anti-static microfiber cloth—the kind used to clean eyeglasses and camera lenses—and wipe in a circular motion,” says John Walsh, who cleans more than 250 TVs a year in his role as a CR photographer. (Some TV manufacturers will include a cloth for this purpose.) “Gently wipe the screen with a dry cloth to remove dust and other debris, but don’t press too hard,” he says.

You may also want to wipe down the TV’s cabinet, and make sure dust isn’t clogging the vents that help dissipate heat. If the TV is on a stand and not tethered to the wall, Walsh suggests cleaning with one hand while supporting the TV with the other to prevent the set from tipping over. However, CR strongly recommends anchoring all stand-mounted TVs using anti-tipping straps designed for this purpose.

If there are hard-to-remove stains, you can dampen the cloth slightly with distilled water and gently clean the screen. Don’t spray water directly onto the screen; that could cause a shock or component failure if water seeps into the inner workings of the set.

For the most stubborn stains, you can try using a solution of very mild dish soap highly diluted with water, once again applied to the cloth and not to the TV itself. (As a guideline, Panasonic used to recommend a 100:1 ratio of water to soap.) LCD screens, in particular, are very sensitive to pressure and can scratch easily, so don’t press hard.

Every movie looks outstanding when you purchase a quality TV. Sometimes, it feels like watching it in real-time. However, to keep the screen quality, you need to clean it. Can Windex help in this situation? We have the answers for you!

Windex is reliable when you want to keep glass squeaky clean. Unfortunately, it does more damage than cleaning regarding TVs. Cleaners like Windex contain alcohol and ammonia. When you use it on a TV screen, it leaves smears because of its acidity.

Since you can"t use Windex, it raises the question of what you can use to clean a TV. There"s a lot that goes on on TV screens. Some manufacturers use protective coatings. And, if you use Windex, it wipes them off. To learn more on this topic, keep reading.

TV screens are more delicate than you think they are. It doesn"t take much to make a quality screen look like a trainwreck. You will read most of the warnings in the user manual.

Most manufacturers will recommend against using any cleaners. The reason is that they can"t account for the chemicals the cleaners will use. Cleaners can contain ingredients that aren"t friendly to the screen.

It"s a problem because some manufacturers use anti-glare coatings. A few sprays of cleaner will be enough to remove it. In addition, there"s no way to regain the anti-glare coating.

As a result, you"ll have to deal with a screen containing dull spots. Alcohol and ammonia are two ingredients that aren"t friendly to the anti-reflective coating. Most Windex cleaning productsincludeat least one of these ingredients.

For this reason, it"s best to avoid using it on a TV. In general, it"s better to avoid using any cleaners. It could void your warranty. Check your TV"s owner"s manual, just in case.

If we can"t use cleaners like Windex, what can we use? Would a simple wipe with a paper towel do the trick? After all, most of the grime on a TV screen should be dust.

There should be no drinks, sauces, or other liquids on the TV screen. If there is, you might have put yourself in a tricky situation. In any case, you can"t use any random material on the screen.

Paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper are wood-based products. In other words, they contain tiny abrasive materials that aren"t obvious initially. However, each time you use one of these to wipe your TV screen, you leave micro-scratches.

As the scratches accumulate, it creates dull spots on the screen. As mentioned, TV screens are delicate. The same rules apply to any screen, for that matter.

TV, computer, and phone screens require specific tools and cleaners. Anything else will wipe off the protective coatings [oleophobic, anti-glare, anti-reflective coatings].

Some of us live by the cleaners. Cleaners are the only way to ensure all the muck and grime disappear off surfaces. If you must use one, Windex does have a line of electronic wipes.

Does it clean TV screens well enough without leaving streaks and smudges? The answer will depend on the brand of TV. These wipes include ethanol. Accordingly, ethanol isn"t friendly for most electronic screens.

You"ll have to rely on the manufacturer"s advice instead. The best cleaner to use on a TV screen is none. We can"t recommend a cleaner because there"s a risk of ruining your screen.

All you need is a microfiber cloth. Start by wiping the top of the screen. Then, work your way down. Of course, don"t forget to wipe the bezels. The back of the TV should receive some cleaning too.

It"s worth mentioning that you don"t need to apply any pressure. Wipe it with the cloth gently. Otherwise, you might mess with some of the electronic components behind the screen.Aggressively cleaning the screen can leave you with some dead spots or dead pixels.

Of course, we"re not always living in an orderly household. Children or maybe even adults might touch the screen with their bare hands. It"s a bad situation because it leaves fingerprints.

At worst, it leaves smudges that are hard to ignore. Since cleaners are out of the equation, we"ll need the help of water. However, we can"t use tap water.

Tap water contains minerals that also scratch your screen. So, you"ll need to use distilled water for this situation. Start by turning the TV off and unplugging it.

Next, pour distilled water into a spray bottle. You won"t spray it directly on the screen. If you spray directly, the water can seep behind it, damaging the components inside.

Instead, spray a microfiber towel with it, using just enough to make the towel damp. It shouldn"t be soaking wet. Wipe the screen in a circular motion.

Water won"t do anything to clean up the TV screen if it has oil-based smudges. Fortunately, we can work around the no cleaner rule. Ajax dish detergent will remove the smudges with ease.

You"ll need three separate microfiber towels. One will stay dry, while the others will use cleaning solutions. Spray the first towel with the soap mixture.

Once it"s damp, use circular motions on the area with smudges. Afterward, you"ll need to clean the soap off the screen. So, come around with a towel dampened with distilled water.

It"s safe to say you"re not purchasing a random TV brand. The TV you have at home is most likely from one of the well-reputed brands. These include Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, and Panasonic.

Buying from a big brand means they"re more likely to have a support page. If we have questions, they"ll provide us with the answers. Let"s take a look at how to clean TVs from some of the big brands.

Samsungrecommendsusing a microfiber cloth and distilled water to clean their TVs. They don"t recommend using window cleaners, soap, wax, alcohol, benzene, ammonia, or acetone.

On the other hand, LGrecommendsonly using a microfiber cloth. Wipe the screen gently in a circular motion. Even if there are food or drink stains, LG doesn"t mention water usage.

Panasonic provides us with a clearanswer. They suggest using clean water or diluted detergent. You can use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the screen clean.

It should not drip because the screen is not watertight. So, water will make its way into the components inside. If it fries them, the warranty won"t cover the damages.

Sony follows the same procedure. You can use a dry microfiber cloth for general cleaning. If there are stains, water or a solution of mild soap and water will work.

Viziotakes a different approach than all the others. Instead of water and a microfiber cloth, they recommend using electronic cleaners for LCD screens. Follow the cleaner"s instructions to ensure the best results.

Sometimes we don"t have a clean microfiber cloth lying around. Maybe you use it to clean other areas. So, it"s safe to assume it won"t be safe to use on a TV.

Many households carry Swiffer dusters. It might seem like a good idea to use one. However, it can end up doing more damage than cleaning. Swiffer dustersusemineral oil. It can leave greasy blotches on your TV screen.

Basically, you only use the solution for what ever a brush or cloth won"t remove. Never used compressed air or solvent based solutions. Compressed air can blow the particles into the panel and under the film, and solvents can damage the AG coating or penetrate the film itself. Never put more pressure on the screen than is needed to remove the dust and other debris, just lightly wipe or brush the debris away.

For dust, I actually use those new duster cloths from Swiffer, and then a micro-fiber cloth for anything more stuborn, and the cleaning solution on any sticky stuff.

You spend a good amount of time looking at your TV screen, so it"s surprising when you don"t notice how dirty it is. However, dirt and debris have a way of building up on screened devices, and if you want the best performance, you have to clean your TV and other screens from time to time. Gunk and other accumulated detritus can be damaging to your precious TV panel, so it"s best to give your television a good cleaning. Fortunately, you only need a few products to get the job done, and it"s a fairly straightforward process. Read on to become an expert in cleaning your TV.

Step 3: When it’s 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.

Step 1: Mix the isopropyl alcohol with water in 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 could tarnish the display.

Step 4: 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.

Step 2: Once the TV has settled down to room temperature, grab that same microfiber cloth you used for your prized living room QLED and wipe away any dust on the tube TV’s screen. Once the dust has cleared, you may still have fingerprints and other gunk to contend with.

Step 3: To clear the rest of the mess, you can use the same solution you put together to clean your high-end TV. If you’re lacking the materials to create this concoction, you can use a regular glass cleaner instead. This is because most older tube TVs actually have glass screens.

Important note: Do not under any circumstances use regular glass cleaner to clean an HDTV. The harsh chemicals used in the cleaner will damage the TV screen.

Additional tipsIf your TV’s bezel makes it difficult to clean the corners and near the edges of the display, use a cotton swab 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.

Let"s be real: Your TV screen is probably dirty. Sometimes, the dirtiness of a TV screen can go unnoticed, particularly if you spend a good amount of time watching bright, colorful content that minimizes the appearance of smudges and grime.

Like sunglasses, mirrors, and windows, TVs are best left free of smudge, spots, and fingerprints. Unfortunately, there"s a ton of misinformation out there about the best (and safest) ways to wipe away the blemishes on a TV. After all, these aren"t just any old surfaces—they"re expensive and often delicate pieces of technology.

Here"s the good news: Once you understand the basics, freeing your spot-covered TV of your kid"s oily palm prints couldn"t be simpler. Just remember: a clean screen means a clean scene.

Window cleaners contain harsh chemicals (like alcohol, ammonia, and lauramine oxide) that can do damage to LCD and OLED panels. One reason people assume that surface cleaners are still copacetic for TVs is because old-school CRT TVs could stand up against Windex, thanks in part to their glass screens. These days? The less liquid you use, the better.

Always use a microfiber cloth or towel—like the ones that come with a new pair of glasses—to clean your TV screen. Avoid using standard tissues or paper towels. Go to work on the problem areas with gentle, circular motions. Avoid applying too much pressure to the panel. If you"re dealing with some stubborn, oily stains that just won"t cooperate, resist the urge to exert more force. Instead, try moisturizing the cloth with a small amount of warm water.

Generally speaking, dedicated screen-cleaning solutions are OK for LCD/LED and OLED TVs, but if you decide to use screen cleaner, make sure the formula does not include alcohol or ammonia.

If you decide to use water or some sort of cleaner, do not spray the screen directly. Instead, lightly moisten your microfiber cloth before wiping the your TV screen.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.

Most Americans spend about four hours watching TV each day, according to California State University, Northridge. The same source reports that 66% of U.S. households have three or more TV sets. Regardless of the time spent watching TV, dust can accumulate on its screen, air vents, and speakers. If you have children, you may also be dealing with fingerprint smudges and food stains.

Modern TVs have sophisticated screens that require special care. They are a lot more sensitive than old-school TVs, which had glass screens. For starters, it"s not necessary to turn off and unplug your flat-screen TV before cleaning it. However, doing so will eliminate the risk of static shock and make it easier to spot stains. Next, check the user manual or visit the manufacturer"s website to download it.

Sony, for example, recommends unplugging the power cord prior to cleaning your OLED or LCD TV screen, and then wiping the display with a soft, dry cloth. Dilute a non-soap cleanser with water, soak the cloth in it, and then gently clean the screen to remove stubborn stains, such as ink. Samsung, on the other hand, suggests using a dry microfiber cloth to get rid of dust. If there are any stains or fingerprints left, spray distilled water onto the cloth and then gently wipe the TV screen.

So I let my mom watch a DVD on my notebook computer. It is a Inspiron E1705, Intel Core DuoProcessor T2300E with a 17 inch UltraSharp TrueLife Wide-screen WUXGA, for Inspiron 9400/E1705.

Somehow, she sprayed Coke on the screen either opening a bottle; either not noticing or not cleaning it up thoroughly. So when I got back to school this past week, what I thought was mold growing on the right side of my screens were dried up drops of Coca-Cola, very small, but you could see them when the screen was on.

Now, I want you to know that this is my first real notebook, so I had no idea (I mean, my old desktops had those durable and heavy glass screens). But I took some Windex and sprayed it on a paper towel (the kind that comes from a dispenser at school) and use that to try to get the spots off. It did the job, although some spots I had to gently rub with my fingernail to get the sticky off while putting as little contact as possible on the screen. Now I just have bits of dust on my screen, mainly from the paper towel. (You know, the ones that are at all colleges and feel like sandpaper somewhat?) Mind you, there was no scrubbing or anything, just gentle, almost "not-touching" of the screen.

Well, I soon realized by mistake when I was consulting the manual and it said not to use a glass cleaner. I then took some more of those paper towlels and dampened them lightly with water and wiped down the screen again. I am so worried that I have ruined this screen. So I just have some simple questions:

As with other electronic items, televisions can attract dust and get marred by blemishes, such as children’s fingerprints. Fortunately, cleaning your flat-screen TV is a straightforward process that doesn’t require any pricey special chemicals.

Another item that should get some regular attention: the remote controls you use with your TVs, cable boxes, and streaming players. These get handled much more than TVs, and are more likely to harbor pathogens, including the virus that causes COVID-19. We have advice for cleaning both TVs and remotes below.

When it comes to TVs, the current TV market is dominated by superbright, big-screen LCD (LED) and OLED TVs. However, many of us still have older sets, including plasma TVs, which companies stopped manufacturing in 2014, and even CRTVs—also called tube TVs—which started disappearing around 2008.

If you’re cleaning an older tube TV, you have a bit more flexibility because its screen is made of glass and can be cleaned like other glass items in your household. In this—and only this—instance, it’s okay to use a window cleaner, such as Windex.

LCD TVs are far more sensitive and need to be cleaned carefully to keep the screens from getting scratched or damaged. Plasma TVs also have glass screens, but manufacturers often applied a sensitive anti-glare coating, so they should be treated like an LCD TV rather than a CRTV set.

If you have any doubts about which type of TV you have, you can always consult the owner’s manual. Most manuals and manufacturer websites have instructions for the best way to clean their sets. Doing something the owner’s manual forbids is a good way to void your warranty.

Screens can scratch easily, and even paper towels or tissues contain fibers that can do damage. “Your best bet is to use a soft, anti-static microfiber cloth—the kind used to clean eyeglasses and camera lenses—and wipe in a circular motion,” says John Walsh, who cleans more than 250 TVs a year in his role as a CR photographer. (Sometimes TV manufacturers will include a cloth for this purpose.) “Gently wipe the screen with a dry cloth to remove dust and other debris, but don’t press too hard,” he says.

You may also want to wipe down the TV’s cabinet, and make sure dust isn’t clogging the vents that help dissipate heat. If the TV is on a stand and not tethered to the wall, Walsh suggests cleaning with one hand while supporting the TV with the other to prevent the set from tipping over. However, CR strongly recommends anchoring all stand-mounted TVs using anti-tipping straps designed for this purpose.

If there are hard-to-remove stains, you can dampen the cloth slightly with distilled water, and gently clean the screen. Don’t spray water directly onto the screen, which could cause a shock or component failure if it seeps into the inner workings of the set.

For the most stubborn stains, you can try using a solution of very mild dish soap highly diluted with water, once again applied to the cloth and not to the TV itself. (As a guideline, Panasonic used to recommend a 100:1 ratio of water to soap.) LCD screens, in particular, are very sensitive to pressure and can scratch easily, so don’t press too hard.

Alcohol and ammonia, found in window cleaners such as Windex, can wreak havoc on your expensive flat-screen TV, so don’t use cleaners that have them. If you decide to use a packaged “screen cleaner”—which you don’t really need (see below)—choose one that doesn’t contain alcohol, ammonia, or acetone. Also, don’t use any cleaners that contain an abrasive that can scratch the screen.

Some of these kits cost $15 to $20 for just a microfiber cloth and a small bottle of cleaning solution, which is probably mostly water. Instead, buy the cloth at an office supply store or online and use distilled water, or a solution of your own making per our advice above. If you opt for a kit, make sure it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals.

Remote controls can not only get dusty but also harbor a fair number of germs. (Think of how many fingers have pressed the buttons on that remote recently and whether all of them have been squeaky clean. Then there’s the issue of coughs and sneezes.)

Remove the batteries before you start cleaning. Then start by turning the remote upside down so that the buttons are facing downward, and tap the remote against your palm to dislodge any debris that might have fallen between the keys or buttons. Wipe down the entire remote with a soft cloth that has been sprayed with a tiny bit of alcohol diluted with water. The cloth should be damp, not wet.

To clean in and around the buttons, you can use a cotton swab dampened with the alcohol/water mix. More stubborn debris lodged deeper into the keys can be dislodged with a dry toothbrush or wooden toothpick.

Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

A couple of decades ago, glass cleaner was a relatively safe product to use for many household cleaning chores, including cleaning the family television set -- well, the screen, anyway. The belief that glass cleaner is benign and a great option for getting grease, grime buildup and fingerprints off all the surfaces you might like to see through is probably a holdover from those simpler times. There are a couple of problems with that notion when dealing with modern electronics, like laptop monitors and flat screen TVs. Modern electronics are very different from simple windows. Actually, there are even window styles these days that you shouldn"t treat with conventional glass cleaners.

Although ammonia is often cited as the principal ingredient that makes glass cleaner a bad choice for cleaning electronics, there may be any number of compounds in glass cleaning products that can damage delicate electronic equipment, especially screens and other displays. Even some late model CRT televisions sported glass treated with anti-glare film that was prone to yellowing and cracking from repeated exposure to glass cleaner.

One problem with getting the word out about how harmful glass cleaner can be is that it may take multiple applications for a user to start to see the damage, which presents as a yellowish tint or fogging effect. Screens and monitors may also become brittle and start to crack in places. The damage is cumulative, and over multiple applications, anti-glare and anti-static coatings as well as other synthetic surface materials will begin to break down.

Check the operating instructions for the recommended cleaning methods for all of your electronic devices and particularly those with screens or displays. If the directions say you"re free to use glass cleaner, fine. Chances are they won"t, though.

When operating instructions aren"t available, clean electronics with a slightly damp, soft, lint-free, cotton cloth moistened with distilled water or a 50 percent solution of water and white vinegar. Never use paper products like paper towels. Paper can scratch coated glass and some plastics. It also leaves small particulates behind that can be hard to get off later.

If water on a soft cloth isn"t strong enough to remove smudges and grime, try using a microfiber or optical cloth instead. Microfiber has dense hairs that grab and hold grease and dirt for those occasions when a cotton cloth isn"t getting the job done.

To avoid scratching your laptop, make sure any cloth you use is clean and soft, and always rub gently. If you apply too much pressure to your laptop screen, you may create dead spots, or non-functioning pixels, so take your time and be gentle. Once the screen is clean, avoid touching it with your fingers.

If you"re using a manufacturer"s approved cleaning solution like isopropyl alcohol on your laptop or other electronic device, never pour or spray liquid directly on the case, keyboard or screen. Dab a little on a clean cloth and wipe. The cloth should be moist, not wet.

Some manufacturers advocate cleaning monitors and flat screens from left to right and then from top to bottom in overlapping strokes. However you get the job done, keep moisture away from speakers, vents and keyboards, and wipe everything dry afterward.

Ammonia isn"t the only cleaning solvent ingredient you should avoid when taking care of your electronic devices. Unless your equipment manufacturer indicates otherwise, steer clear of:

The television screen is what everyone sees first, but don’t forget these other key areas, not to mention the area around your unit. “It can also help to clean the furniture and carpets around the TV to prevent dust and hair from getting into it,” says Williams.

The remote control is handled regularly. This is the one time when harsh chemicals can be used sparingly. Follow the manufacturer owner’s manual instructions first, but if sanitizing is needed, use a cleaner that’s at least 70 percent alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations. (Basic drugstore isopropyl alcohol works well for this.)

Start the remote control cleaning by removing the batteries. As with the TV screen recommendations, you’ll want to avoid spraying directly onto the surface, as this could cause the device to malfunction. Dampen a clean microfiber cloth and rub gently on the top and the underside of the remote control. For hard-to-reach gunk that’s jammed between the buttons, try a cotton swab dipped in a small amount of the cleaning solution. Make sure to let it dry thoroughly before replacing the batteries and using it again.

When figuring out how to clean a TV screen, selecting the safest cleaning solution is key, but it’s also important to know what cleaning products to avoid. Keep in mind that not only should you skip cleaning with certain products, you should also avoid spraying them in close proximity to the TV.

Both Panasonic and Samsung both have lengthy “avoid” lists that include harsh chemicals such as wax, cleaning fluid, acetone, benzene, alcohol, thinner, mosquito repellent and insect spray (really!), lubricant, solvent and undiluted mild dish soap. These can, as Williams says, “cause clouding and can wear away your TV’s anti-glare coating.”

In terms of what to use, Samsung recommends “monitor cleaner only” (also called TV screen cleaner). Panasonic suggests “one part mild liquid dish soap diluted by 100 times the amount of water.” To make this cleaning solution, add a scant teaspoon of liquid dish soap to two cups of water, stirring well to dissolve.

Williams likes TV cleaning kits for their ease of use. “A TV kit will be your safest option for cleaning a TV,” he says. “These kits will come with everything you need to get your TV looking new, like screen-cleaning solvent and a fast-drying microfiber cloth.” You can find TV cleaning kits and cleaning products designed for flat-screen TVs at electronics stores or on Amazon.

Some people swear that only distilled water is useful as cleaning spray for their delicate electronics. Although Williams does not necessarily recommend using distilled water, if you know for a fact you have hard water in your area, you may want to try the distilled water route and see if you notice a difference. Hard water, which has high levels of calcium and magnesium, may leave a film or residue when it’s used for cleaning. Before you spray water to clean TV screens, try experimenting with tap water on a less-important screen, like an old cell phone, to assess the results.

If you can picture the hulking tube TVs (also known as CRTVs) of yore, you may also remember how delightfully easy they were to clean—a few spritzes of window cleaner and some wipes with paper towels and you were good to go—no special microfiber cloth required. But modern TVs with fancier technologies like LCD, OLED, and plasma call for gentler techniques. “Avoid using chemicals like alcohol, ammonia or acetones when cleaning your TV. These cleaners were safe to use for previous generations of TVs with glass panels, but as the hardware changes with time, the cleaning methods do too,” says Williams. Since some multi-purpose and glass cleaners are made with ammonia, skip the Windex.

Modern TVs are often smart TVs but the cleaning tips are the same as the ones for LCD, OLED and plasma TVs. The microfiber cloth is your TV screen’s best friend. “The majority of TVs you purchase today will be smart TVs, and the cleaning process is the same as TVs without smart capabilities,” Williams says.

When it comes to cleaning, flat-screen TVs and LCD screens require special care and a gentle touch. With the wrong technique, you can easily scratch the screen or damage the surface"s antiglare coating. Even rubbing too hard can cause pixels (the tiny dots that compose images on computer monitors and TV screens) to burn out and stop working permanently. Most household cleaning products are too harsh to use on electronic devices with LCD or OLED screens, so choose your TV cleaning strategy carefully. These tips on how to clean a TV screen will help protect your device while ridding it of dust, smudges, fingerprints, and streaks.

To avoid damage to your TV while cleaning, only use gentle products. Never wipe the screen with paper towels, abrasive sponges, or coarsely woven rags, which can cause scratches. Instead, use high-quality, finely woven microfiber cloths to clean TV screens, recommends cleaning expert Leslie Reichert.

You should also avoid cleaning products that contain alcohol or ammonia. These types of cleaners can remove antiglare coatings and cause images to become cloudy or distorted. A simple swipe with a microfiber cloth ($9 for 5, Amazon) is typically all that"s needed to remove dust and other debris from the screen"s surface. When more than a light dusting is required, however, use the guidelines below for the best way to clean a TV.

Practice preventative measures so you won"t have to clean TV screens often. Keep food, drinks, and kids away from TV and computer screens to eradicate risks of messy splatters and fingerprint smudges. During your weekly house cleaning, lightly dust the screens with a microfiber cloth to prevent dust buildup.

Wondering how to clean your computer screen or flat screen TV? Windex Electronics Wipes are an effective and safe screen cleaner you can trust on even your most valuable devices. The advanced cleaning formula gently removes fingerprints and dust without damaging your screens or leaving any residue behind. Perfect for that traveling tablet or that shiny new phone. Use them to clean smartphones, tablets, e-readers, laptops, cameras, televisions and more. Carry the pouch in your purse, backpack, briefcase or laptop bag so you can brighten your screen at any time. Give Life a Sparkle with Windex!

DIRECTIONS FOR USE: Pull wipe from pouch and use to clean surfaces such as LCD screens, plasma screens, cell phones, touchscreens, keyboards, remotes, electronics, glass, and metal. If using on electronic equipment, follow manufacturer instructions. Before using on an unknown surface, test on an inconspicuous area.

USES: Cleans the following surfaces: Flat screen TVs: Plasma screens, LCD screens, LED screens, Computer screens, Laptop screens, Netbook screens, Tablet screens, E-reader screens, Cell phone screens, iPhone and other smartphone screens, GPS navigation systems, DVD and Blu-Ray players, Mp3 players and other mobile music devices, Gaming consoles and video game systems, Digital and SLR cameras, camcorders, webcams ,Keyboards, Remote Controls and more.

WARNINGS: Do not use with other household cleaners. Not suitable for unsealed wood, marble, or granite. Note: Unplug electrical appliances before using. When cleaning wipe gets dirty or dries out, discard in trash. Do not use for personal hygiene or as a baby wipe. Keep out of reach of children and pets.