To catch every second of your favorite show, you'll need a television screen that's dust-, dirt-, and fingerprint-free. But using the wrong cleaning method can negate any warranty that may still be in effect. That’s why the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Cleaning and Media and Tech Labs have joined forces to recommend the safest, most effective methods and products to clean your television screen and reveal a picture that’s brilliant to watch, and scrub down all the accessories that go along with it.
No matter what type of television you have, you'll need a dry microfiber cloth that’s designed to clean and remove smudges from eyeglasses, cell phones and camera lenses. We like the oversized one from Toddy Gear. It’s nine inches square so it’s easier to use on a large screen than a smaller cloth.
More delicate LCD, plasma or rear-projection screens can't handle traditional wet cleaning. To keep that flat screen good as new without damaging it, here’s what to do.
•What you'll need: Microfiber cloth or electrostatic duster, pre-moistened wipe
•How to clean: Dust the TV with a soft, dry microfiber cloth or with an electrostatic duster, like GH Seal star, Swiffer. Spot-clean stubborn smudges with a pre-moistened wipe designed for electronics. With your microfiber cloth or duster, go over buttons and the back of the TV to nab dust in the vents.
•GH Lab Tip: Plasma screens, while made of glass, have anti-glare coatings that can be damaged by traditional cleaning products. It’s best to follow the same dry methods you’d use for cleaning LED LCD and OLED TVs.
