best way to clean lcd screen in stock

Regularly cleaning your LCD monitor keeps it free of dust, smudges, and germs. Wiping with a dry microfiber cloth is the safest cleaning option and is surprisingly effective at removing germs. You may need to use a dampened microfiber cloth to get rid of stubborn smudges and stuck-on debris, though. If you"re worried about germs, consider using a vinegar and water solution or a Lysol wipe on the screen. Be sure to check the device’s user manual first to make sure it’s okay to use liquids!

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.

Even if you don"t have snot-nosed kids or wet-nosed pets, your computer monitor or HDTV panel will eventually accumulate a collection of annoying smudges and stains. My household happens to contain both of the aforementioned creatures and, thus, I"ve developed a method for wiping down the HDTV in the living room and the LCD monitor in my office, as well as the screen of my laptop and iPad.

If you take a quick survey of LCD or HDTV manufacturers about the recommended method for cleaning the surface of your monitor or TV screen, you"ll discover more don"ts than dos, often in conflict with one another.

First, attempt to clean your screen with a dry, lint-free cloth. If you can"t find the cleaning cloth that came with your screen in question, then it"s likely you have one laying around from a laptop, iPad, or iPhone purchase.

After removing any dust from your screen with a dry cloth, dip the other cloth in your dish soap solution, wring it out, and gently wipe your display. Next, rinse out your soapy cloth, wring it out again, and wipe your display to remove any soap residue. Finally, take your dry cloth and wipe the display to remove any streaking.

Editors" note:It"s time for spring cleaning! Week"s two"s theme: physical cleaning.Check backevery day this week to see how best to keep dirt, grime, crumbs, and other annoying bits off your devices. And be sure to return next week for more spring cleaning tips and tricks.

Keeping your computer clean is a necessary habit. Over time, your computer — especially your monitor — collects dust and debris, not to mention passing germs from sneezing and coughing. While fingerprints are bad enough, the eye strain from a messy monitor is even worse.

Cleaning your monitor is also a bit more involved than a simple wipe-down, and there are certain products you shouldn’t use. In this article, we’re going to talk about the right way to clean your computer monitor.

While it may be tempting to reach for a bottle of Windex or some other general cleaning product, don’t! Harsh chemicals may be fine for windows or countertops, but they can wreak havoc on computer monitors, wearing away coatings. There are many cleaning fluids on the market specifically geared toward computer monitors. While these products indeed work, you don’t need to spend money on them if you don’t want to; distilled water should work for most monitor-cleaning, and you can mix in some white vinegar for stubborn grime.

Additionally, avoid paper towels, rags, old T-shirts, or any of the usual materials you use to wipe down surfaces in your home. Monitors are more delicate than they look, and these fabrics — even paper towels — are abrasive enough to scratch your screen, especially if you have used them for other jobs where they might have accumulated grit. A microfiber cloth — the kind you might use to clean your glasses or vinyl records — is the safest choice. Just make sure it’s free of any dirt or grime before swiping across your display.

Step 1: Turn off your monitor. It’s easier to see smudges and stuff on a black screen, so turning off your monitor makes it easier to see what you are doing. It’s also safer for you and your computer. Cleaning your monitor while it’s on and the pixels are all fired up could damage your screen or potentially give you an unpleasant electrical jolt. Please turn it off!

Step 2: Wipe your monitor with a microfiber cloth. If dust is the only thing on your screen, a quick wiping should be enough to clean it. Take the microfiber cloth and gently brush the screen in long motions. We cannot stress enough that you should be gentle: Pressing too hard on the screen could damage the pixels within.

Step 3: If the thick layer of dust on your monitor has been slowly replaced with more questionable gunk — maybe some dried mucus from a sneeze that caught you off guard or mysterious specs of who-knows-what — then you’ll want to use cleaning fluid.

There are gentle cleaning fluids designed for monitors, but distilled water works well, as mentioned earlier. It’s important you only use filtered or distilled water, however, since tap water contains minerals and other substances that can harm the screen or leave annoying streaks. For especially stubborn grime, add a bit of white vinegar to the water. Just be careful not to spill any on your laptop.

Step 4: It’s important that you never spray water or other cleaning fluids directly onto your monitor, or it might trickle down to the edge of the screen and seep into the monitor itself and damage the electronic components within.

Follow the steps below to safely clean your flat screen monitor, TV, laptop screen, or other device in just a few minutes. This information applies to televisions from manufacturers including LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, and Vizio.

Turn off the device. If the screen is dark, it will be easier to see the areas that are dirty or oily. Turning the device off also prevents you from accidentally pushing buttons you don"t actually want to push, which happens a lot when cleaning touchscreen devices like tablets, iPads, etc.

If the dry cloth did not completely remove the dirt or oil, do not press harder in an attempt to scrub it off. Pushing directly on the screen can often cause pixels to burn out, especially on laptop displays, desktop monitors, and LCD/LED TV screens.

If necessary, dampen the cloth with distilled water or with an equal ratio of distilled water to white vinegar. Many companies also sell small spray bottles of special cleaner for flat screens.

Avoid using paper towels, toilet paper, tissue paper, rags, or something like your shirt to wipe the screen. These non-ultrasoft materials can scratch the display.

Avoid cleaning products that contain ammonia (like Windex®), ethyl alcohol (Everclear® or other strong drinking alcohol), toluene (paint solvents), as well as acetone or ethyl acetate (one or the other is often used in nail polish remover).

These chemicals can react with the materials that the flat screen is made of or coated with, which could permanently discolor the screen or cause other kinds of damage.

Never spray liquid directly onto the screen. It could leak into the device and cause damage. Be sure to always put the cleaning solution directly onto the cloth and then wipe from there.

These same cleaning "rules" apply no matter if your TV is 8K, 4K, or 1080p (HD). Those differences don"t mean the display is necessarily made out of anything different, requiring different cleaning, it"s just a measure of how many pixels per inch they shoved in the same space.

Want to buy your own cleaning products to clean your TV screen and other electronics? See our Best Tech Cleaning Products list for some of our favorite picks.

If you"re cleaning your TV because it appears dirty, but then find that the screen is actually physically damaged, you might be ready for a new HDTV. See our Best TVs to Buy list for our top suggestions, or this Best Cheap TVs list for some budget-friendly HDTVs.

Plasma TVs are glass, as are many touchscreens, but often also have very sensitive anti-glare coatings applied. Take the same special care with those types of displays.

We"ve all had that moment: You"re sitting at your computer or laptop and the light hits your screen in a way to reveal an unsightly accumulation of streaks, fingerprints, and dust.

To help, we round up the most important things to know about cleaning your computer screen, whether it"s a Mac or PC. While it"s a simple process, there are a few important rules to keep in mind to make sure you"re doing it safely.

Computer screens are not all made the same, and thus can"t all be cleaned the same way. You"ll want to be careful no matter your screen type, but it"s helpful to know that displays come in two categories:Glass-coated screens: The screens on newer iMac displays and MacBooks have a glass overlay. Glass displays are a little less delicate than LCD or LED screens, and mild cleaning solutions, like rubbing alcohol, are generally safe to use on them.

LCD or LED screens:Windows computers and most touchscreens and matte displays are typically not coated in glass. Extra care should be taken with these screens so not to damage the pixels that make up the display.

Since there are so many computers, laptops, and monitors out there, each with their own set of variables and specificities, it"s smart to just simply err on the side of caution.

To clean a computer screen, you really just need two things: A microfiber cloth and filtered or distilled water. That"s to say you don"t need a special store-bought cleaning solution.

If you"d like some extra sanitation power, an equal parts mixture of water and vinegar is safe no matter your screen type. If you know that your display is glass-coated, you can also use an equal parts mixture of water and 70% rubbing alcohol.What you needTwo lint-free microfiber cloths

d3sign/Getty ImagesTurn the computer or laptop off.For safety reasons, begin by letting the device cool down completely. Dust, fingerprints, and smudges are also easier to spot on a black screen.

Wipe off dust with a dry cloth. Use a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth to gently wipe away any visible dust and dirt. If necessary, apply gentle pressure to remove surface-level smudges.

If any marks remain, wipe with a lightly moistened cloth.For glass-coated screens, you can use a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar or rubbing alcohol. For LED or LCD screens, use only water. Spray or lightly dab the solution directly onto the cloth and carefully wipe the screen from left to right.

Buff with a dry cloth and air-dry.If any streaks remain once the screen dries, gently buff them with the dry cloth. Before you turn your computer or laptop back on, allow the screen to dry completely.Note:Apple claims that you can use 70% isopropyl disinfecting wipes to clean any Apple product. Just remember not to get any liquid into the device"s ports or openings — to avoid this, you might want to wring out the wipe to remove any excess liquid before using it.

For the best advice for cleaning your screen, it"s a smart idea to check your owner"s manual, which provides the manufacturer"s specific recommendations. But since screens are especially susceptible to damage, there are a few general guidelines that apply, no matter the type of screen you own.

Turn off your computer before cleaning the screen. This is just safe practice where any amount of liquid is involved, but more specifically, any static on the screen could create a shock and damage the internal components.

Do not use abrasive cleaning solutions. This includes bleach (or any products containing bleach), hydrogen peroxide, or all-purpose spray cleaners. Using an abrasive cleaner can ruin the finish of your screen.

Use filtered or distilled water. Especially in areas with hard water, water containing minerals like calcium and magnesium can damage your screen or leave even more streaks.

Use only soft microfiber cloths.Even a fabric as soft as a cotton shirt has snags and uneven particles that can scratch a computer screen. For this reason, avoid T-shirts, towels, and paper towels. The exception is the Apple Pro Display XDR or iMac, which requires a special polishing cloth.

Never spray cleaning solution directly onto the screen. To avoid any risk of damage from excess moisture, mist the solution directly onto the microfiber cloth instead.

Do not wipe in circles. Wiping in circles can create uneven pressure and ultimately lead to screen damage. It"s also more likely to create streaking. Wipe in tight, Z-shaped motions, or in broad strokes from side to side.

Do not scrub.Apply gentle pressure only. Hard scrubbing can damage the internal components of the screen and could leave scratches or spots of discoloration or dead pixels that won"t go away.Melanie Weir

Melanie Weir is a freelance author for Insider, mainly focusing on the Tech Reference section, but occasionally contributing to Lifestyle and Entertainment topics as well. She is also a freelance writer for ScreenRant, and is the Lead Weekend News Editor at TheThings.com. In her spare time she writes plays for both stage and screen. She can be reached at melanie.weir1008@gmail.com, or through LinkedIn.

You’re on your computer A LOT. If you’re like most people, you’re on it anywhere from 3 to 7 hours a day. And the screen is REALLY close to your face, like 12 inches or so.

Which means all that coughing, sneezing, coffee sipping, and touching is inevitably leaving behind a trail of gunky, oily, germy messiness. Most visible when the screen goes black, sure, but sitting there, staring back at you the whole time. What to do?

The sleeve of your shirt won’t cut it this time. It’s time for a computer screen intervention (aka a helpful cleaning guide) to bring the dignity back to your monitor.

Don’t directly wet the screen. That means never spray it. If you’re going to use a cleaning solution, spray your cleaning towel, and then wipe the surface of the screen. When you spray it directly, you risk oversaturating the pixels, which can cause component failures, electrical problems, and even fire.

Don’t use regular cleaning supplies. Using multi-surface or glass cleaning products is a big no-no. The chemicals in these products are too strong for your monitor. Even regular soap and water is too harsh of a solution for your computer screen.

Don’t press too hard. Use a gentle circular motion to clean your screen and never apply too much pressure. Doing so can cause permanent damage, and is a major bummer when all you were trying to do was remove that coffee splatter.

Turn your computer off. A black screen makes spotting smudges and oil schmears easier, but merely putting your computer to sleep isn’t enough. Powering your computer down ensures you don’t damage its pixels while they’re still firing electricity and also eliminates the risk of electric shock or even fire.

Use a microfiber cloth. Never use a paper towel, old t-shirt, or napkins to clean your computer monitor. At worst, the fibers in these materials may scratch the surface of your screen and at best, they’ll leave a trail of lint. Instead, use a microfiber cloth, which is made up of a super soft synthetic material that won’t cause any damage to your screen, and will wipe away debris beautifully.

Wipe gently. Use a gentle, circular motion to wipe your screen clean. For any tough food particles or debris, a repeated circular motion may help do the trick. If not, skip to the next method which will show you how to make a homemade cleaning solution. It bears repeating, never spray your screen directly with cleaners, or soap and water.

Clean the frame and base. The only areas of your monitor that can withstand multi-purpose cleaners are the frame and base of your computer. Very carefully, lightly spray a paper towel with the cleaner (don’t soak it!) and run it along the frame and base. Never apply the paper towel to the actual screen of your computer.

Turn your computer off. For this method, the first step is to again power down your computer so that you can easily see all the debris on its screen AND so that you don’t inadvertently cause damage or burnout to the pixels.

Make a cleaning solution. The first and easiest cleaner you should try is distilled water, which doesn’t contain any chemicals. If your screen needs something stronger, mix ¼ cup distilled water and ¼ cup white vinegar in a spray bottle. If you don’t have white vinegar, a ¼ cup of distilled water and a ¼ of rubbing alcohol will do the trick, too. This simple solution can be used on many household items, from windows to shower doors .

Spray the microfiber cloth. Spray your cleaner onto a clean microfiber towel. Never spray the screen directly or you risk component failure or electrical shock.

Cleaning your computer screen will provide the much-needed physical (and mental!) cleansing you so desperately deserve. If you’re on a laptop, you can rest assured you won’t offend anyone at the coffee shop or in the conference room with splatters from last week’s roast beef sandwich. If you’re on a desktop computer, a clean screen could be just what you need to feel at home in your home office. And if that doesn’t do the trick, hey, maybe try washing the walls. Either way, cleaning your monitor is a win-win.

Use a non abrasive cleaning solution, diluting isopropyl alcohol (not rubbing alcohol, as it may contain oil) into a solution of 50% alcohol and 50% with distilled water water (or purified/bottled water). You could also buy a cleaning solution that does not contain bleach, ammonia, or vinegar.

Before you start, power-off and unplug your monitor. Spray the cleaning solution on a soft cloth (for example an old T-shirt), lint-free microfiber cloth, or some other very soft cloth. A large cloth is best, since it will help reducing the risk of leaving streaks across the display from finger pressure.

Starting from the top, wipe the screen in one direction until you have cleaned the entire screen. Apply light, but distributed pressure. Repeat if necessary. Let it air dry.

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.

Before you begin cleaning a TV or LCD monitor screen, check the manufacturer"s manual for cleaning instructions. If a computer or electronic wipe is recommended, purchase a container for quick cleanups. Note that using a cleaning product or method not recommended by the manufacturer will likely void a product"s warranty. It"s also important to avoid spraying liquid on the screen when cleaning a TV. Liquids can drip into the frame, get wicked inside the screen, and cause permanent damage.

If streaks or stains remain, wet a microfiber cloth with distilled water and wring the cloth until it"s almost dry. With very little pressure, wipe the cloth across the screen in broad motions, working from the top of the screen to the bottom. If smudges persist, dampen a new microfiber cloth with 50-50 water and vinegar solution, wringing it tightly to keep it slightly damp, and wipe.

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.

Industrial LCD displays and computer monitors are generally very low maintenance, but they do need a good cleaning every once in a while to make the viewing experience more enjoyable and extend their lifespan. But it’s important that you learn the proper ways to clean LCD screens to avoid damaging them in the process. Keep reading to learn how to clean a monitor screen the right way, so that you can get the most use out of it and remove smudges, dirt, and germs.

Cleaning your computer screen the wrong way could actually damage it and lead to expensive repairs or replacements. To avoid this type of headache, here are some tips on how to clean a monitor screen the right way.

Computers usually come with special care instructions from the manufacturers that explain in detail the proper ways to care for your device and keep it clean. Before setting up your device, make sure to read through the care instructions carefully and follow them closely. If you have any questions or need further assistance, you can contact the manufacturer directly.

Make sure to turn the monitor off before you start cleaning it as wiping it with a damp cloth while it’s on can damage the pixels. Plus, it’s easier to see the dust, smudges, and dust particles when the screen is off and completely black. That way, you can make sure you get a thorough clean without damaging the screen. Turning off touchscreen devices before cleaning is also highly recommended so you can avoid accidental touches that perform the wrong actions or functions.

LCD screens have protective anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings on them to improve visibility. Touchscreens also have oleophobic coatings that prevent fingerprint oil smudges from appearing on the screen. Store-bought glass cleaners contain harsh chemicals such as alcohol and ammonia, which can penetrate the surface of the screen and severely damage its internal mechanism after wearing down the protective coatings. It’s best to stay away from using household cleaners on your industrial LCD displays unless you have the greenlight from the manufacturer.

Canned air is incredibly effective at blasting away dust particles, crumbs, hairs, and any other organic materials that can become stuck to your screen or lodged between the keys on your keyboard. This prevents the particles from scratching the surface of the screen.

Microfiber cloths are also a great option because they usually have grooves that gently capture and remove stuck-on particles while also removing smudges on the screen without damaging them.

If blasting the screen with canned air or wiping it down with a microfiber cloth doesn’t work, then your next best option is cleaning it with distilled water. Unlike tap water, distilled water isn’t fortified with mineral deposits that can scratch or damage industrial display monitors. Many manufacturers advise against spraying the water directly onto the screen for obvious reasons. Instead, spray a small amount onto a microfiber cloth until it’s just damp and gently spot wipe the parts of the display that need it.

Some manufacturers of industrial computer monitors also sell special screen cleaners that are meant to go along with their products. If you’re lucky, they might even be included with your original purchase. These are light cleaning solutions that effectively remove dirt, grime, and dust from your screen for optimal functionality and usability. After applying a cleaning solution to your screen, make sure to let it dry completely before resuming usage. Otherwise, you’re just going to smudge the screen again if it’s a touchscreen.

For more tips on how to clean a monitor screen and keep it in tiptop shape, contact Nauticomp Inc. We’re one of the leading suppliers of industrial computer monitors and displays around the globe.

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.

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See you later, dirty television screens. Whether your TV screens are challenged by dust or inconvenient smudges that seem to appear from nowhere, it’s time to adopt a simple cleaning routine that takes care of all that. Get your screen clean pronto, and then kick back and enjoy the show.

Before you start guessing at what will work for your home’s needs, refer to the owner"s manual that came with your television. It’s always best to get advice from the manufacturer, especially if there’s a warranty involved; however, if that document has long since hit the recycling bin, follow these tips and take necessary precautions so you don’t cause permanent damage to the pixels and electrical components.

Different screens require different cleaning agents, and though we address how to clean old school glass-screen tube TVs and glass-coated iPad screens below, we know it’s more likely that you’re dealing with a flatscreen LCD or plasma television. TL;DR: Avoid abrasion. Avoid excess moisture. Avoid harsh chemicals.

Use soft, lint-free microfiber cloths and nothing rough or abrasive. Even paper towels can scratch a television, and plasma screens in particular are very delicate.

Always refer to manufacturer guidelines for cleaning and play it safe if there’s any doubt, especially if the only cleaners you have on hand are harsh chemicals with a bad reputation.

Remove dust with a dry microfiber cloth. Wipe around all edges of the screen too, because dust buildup on ports and speakers can negatively affect performance over time.

Mist a formulated cleaning spray onto a clean microfiber cloth; you can opt for store-bought or try an easy DIY solution, such as 1:1 parts of white vinegar and distilled water, or 1:4 parts distilled water to 70% isopropyl alcohol. These formulas may dry at different rates, so be sure that you don’t oversaturate your cloth.

If you’re using a vinegar- or alcohol-based cleaner, thoroughly wipe down the remote with the damp microfiber cloth you used to clean the television screen.

Big tip: Remove the batteries first so you don’t accidentally turn on the TV (and undoubtedly, push the magic combination of buttons that turns on subtitles and changes your settings to German … you know how it is).

The screen for the navigation and audio system in your is more than likely a "Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display" (TFT LCD), which is very similar to the screen in a laptop computer. It not only uses advanced micro-technology to operate, it"s also coated to minimize glare and remain sharp and vivid almost all the time.

Make sure the screen in your car is turned off - you don"t want to interfere with any pixels while they"re still firing. Turning off the screen will also allow you to see dirt, dust, and grime better because you"re working with a dark surface.

Find your microfiber cloth. These soft, dry cloths are the same type of cloth you would use to clean your smartphone, eyeglasses or tablet. They"re perfect for the LCD screens in cars because they’re non abrasive. A high quality microfiber cloth will work efficiently when dry to clean most screen dirt and dust.

What not to do: You don’t want to use paper towels or old cotton rags because these can scratch your screen. These materials are both highly abrasive, and neither will be particularly good at lifting dirt from the screen’s surface. If you use one of these, your monitor will still be kind of dirty, and you run the risk of scratching or leaving behind lint particles.

Gently wipe the screen with the microfiber cloth from top to bottom using a circular motion. Try not to press too hard as this can damage your LCD screen. Continue to use the microfiber cloth to remove any remaining smudgy oils.

If you have a lot of dirt or any other tough sort of build up on your device, then you’ll probably need to use something more than a dry cloth. Spray your microfiber with a small amount of ammonia and alcohol free screen cleaning solution. Ordinary household window or kitchen cleaners, should never be used, as the alcohol or ammonia in the cleaner will damage the screen.

Avoid getting moisture in any ports on the car’s dashboard and don’t let the cleaning solution sit on the multimedia or satellite navigation screen for too long.

Do not wipe or clean your touch screen with paper towels or facial tissues, as these can scratch the surface. Using a microfiber cloth is the only safe way to clean your touch screen.

Unlike paper towels, our gentle microfiber cloths clean the sensitive glass on your touch screen without scratching the surface. The microfiber attract and removes unwanted oils and dust, whereas other product simply spread them around.

This post was written by AM Denmark. Established in 1971, over the last 45 years AM has earned its place as a leader in the field of vinyl, hi-fi, computer, touch screen and flat screen TV cleaning. As media consumption has evolved, AM has continued to innovate and adapt to new technologies and devices. AM thrives to provide the best and highest quality cleaning products for office and home use. The cleaning liquid in all AM cleaning products is alcohol-free, and safely tested across all screens. It won’t damage your most sensitive gadgets, screens or your skin, even after repeated use.