What's the Right Way to Clean Your TV Screen Without Damage?
Your TV screen might look fine at a glance, but fingerprints, dust and smudges build up faster than you think. And if you're wiping it down with the wrong products-like paper towels or household glass cleaners-you could be doing more harm than good. Harsh chemicals and abrasive materials can damage the screen's protective coating, leave behind streaks or even affect long-term performance.
To keep your screen looking crystal clear, it's important to use the right tools and techniques. A microfiber cloth, a small amount of distilled water or a screen-safe cleaner, and a light touch are all you need. Whether you're tidying up for movie night or just tackling your regular cleaning routine, here's how to safely clean your TV without risking damage.
So when it's time to remove fingerprints, smudges, or other impurities from your TV, you know exactly what to do.
Gently wiping with a soft, dry cloth is the best way to clean a TV screen.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Want the longer version? Here's what the top TV manufacturers say about cleaning their screens:
LG:
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: Chemicals such as alcohol, thinners, or benzene should be strictly avoided, as they may damage the protective film covering the panel.
Caution: Don't spray water or other liquids directly on the TV, as electric shock could occur.
Samsung: 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
If you don't see results, spray distilled water onto your microfiber cleaning cloth and gently wipe the frame and screen.
Let the TV dry completely before you plug the TV back in.
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.
Sony: 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. Immediately afterwards, gently wipe the screen with a soft, dry cloth. Don't use detergent with abrasives such as a cleanser.
The liquid crystal order may collapse if you apply pressure when wiping the TV screen and it may look like dirt. Turn the power off and then back on to recover from this condition.
Blue gloves not included.
Getty Images/brothers91
Should you use TV screen cleaners?
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.
Generally speaking, though, don't use a cleaner unless you absolutely need to. Just use an ultrasoft cloth to gently wipe away any dust.
Bottom line
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.
Originally published in 2012. Updated with current information and links.
In addition to covering audio and display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips and more.
Also, check out Budget Travel for Dummies, his book, and his bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines. You can follow him on Instagram and YouTube. Avoid common cleaning mistakes that could harm your TV's display quality.
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