If you own a plasma TV, you’ll want to keep the screen clear of dust, fingerprints, and other debris that will get in the way of a clear image. Before you begin cleaning, check the TV manual. It may recommend a particular product or method that is best suited for your particular TV. Your best bet is to use a clean, dry cloth to wipe the screen. If you’re dealing with particularly stubborn stains on the screen, you can use a dish soap mixture to clean the screen.
Using a Cleaning Solution
Turn off the plasma display and let it cool before cleaning it.
Since plasma TVs use more power and generate more heat than LCD TVs, it is best to turn the screen off before cleaning. Let the screen remain off for 15-20 minutes. This will allow ample time for the unit to cool before you clean the screen.
- Failure to do this may cause your cleaning solution to evaporate before it has had enough time to remove any dust, dirt, or contaminants on your screen.
Wipe the screen with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove fingerprints and smudges.
You could use a microfiber cleaning cloth or a soft, clean cotton rag. Rub it gently in a circular motion across the TV screen to remove all signs of dust. This should be enough to remove most dirt and dust from your TV screen.
- Avoid rubbing the screen with wood-based products (e.g., paper towels, toilet paper, tissues) because they can scratch the screen.
Spray an alcohol-based screen cleaner onto a clean cloth.
If stubborn dirty spots persist after wiping the screen dry, you can dampen your cleaning cloth. Spray 2-3 squirts of the cleaning solution on the soft cloth. Do not spray the cleaning product directly onto the screen, or it may saturate the surface and damage the screen. Don’t use a stronger chemical cleaner (e.g., ammonia or benzene), as these substances will cloud and dim the displayed image.
- You can find isopropyl-alcohol based screen cleaners at most PC-supply or electronics stores. Try to find a cleaner designed to clean television or computer screens.
Swab the screen with the dampened cloth to remove stubborn dust.
Once your cloth is dampened, use it to wipe away any hard-to-clean fingerprints or smudges on the surface of your plasma screen. If the moistened cloth is not cleaning sufficiently, you can spray additional small amounts of cleaner on the cloth. However, don’t saturate the screen with liquid cleaner or you may damage the plasma.
- At no time do you want the cloth wet enough that it causes the solution to drip or run down the screen!
Dry the screen with a separate clean, dry cloth.
After wiping the screen clean with a damp cloth, run a dry cloth over it to soak up any residual moisture. This will prevent your plasma screen from being damaged by the liquid.
- Once the screen is dry, you can plug the set back in and resume watching TV.
Using Dishwashing Soap
Fill a spray bottle with water and 2-3 drops of dishwashing detergent.
Fill the bottle slowly, so that the soap doesn’t bubble up and run over the top. It’s best to use lukewarm distilled water rather than tap water, since your tap water may contain minerals and other impurities.
- You can find various brands of dishwashing detergents at your local grocery store or pharmacy.
- Before applying dishwashing soap to your plasma screen, read your TV’s warranty. Make sure that it won’t be voided if you clean the screen with soap.
Spray 2-3 squirts of the liquid onto a microfiber cloth.
Aim the liquid spray away from your TV so you don’t risk spraying the soap solution directly onto your plasma screen. Then, squeeze the trigger 2-3 times to lightly dampen your microfiber cloth.
- If you spray too much liquid into the cloth, you can wring it out over a sink to remove excess moisture.
Use 1 finger to wipe the stained spot on your plasma screen.
Put your index finger in the cloth under the damp region. Press your finger lightly against the spot on your screen. Move your finger in a circular motion to wipe the dishwashing soap solution onto the stubborn stain. After a few wipes, the stain should come off.
- If the screen is still dirty, try adding another 2-3 sprays of soap solution onto your microfiber cloth. And wipe the screen again.
- Press lightly on the screen as you wipe it clean. Don’t apply a lot of pressure, or you may damage the plasma.
Wipe the screen dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
Once you’ve spot-cleaned the screen and have removed the stubborn stains, use 1 more microfiber cloth to dry the spots you cleaned. This will prevent new bits of airborne dust from sticking to the screen.
- If you find that the screen is still slightly wet and soapy, you may need to slightly dampen a microfiber cloth with distilled water. Use the cloth to wipe the soapy residue off the screen.
Tips
- Make sure you have enough light to see the TV screen. Smudges sometimes can be hard to see with low lighting.
- The reason you should turn off the plasma display before cleaning is that plasma screens generate a high degree of heat. Most cleaning solutions would evaporate from a hot screen before you can go back over the screen with a dry wipe and pick up the dissolved contaminants and suspended dust.
- If you’re also cleaning the screens of other electronic devices (e.g., a tablet or computer), use a different microfiber cloth. Otherwise you may transfer dust and dirt from the plasma screen to your computer screen, or vice versa.