We’ve all been there: You moved your TV or computer monitor with bare hands and got it all greasy, or you splashed a bit of liquid on it in sports- or video-game-fueled excitement. How do you clean your screen? Read our guide below for pro tips.
Interested in other screen-related information? Be sure to check out our list of the Best TVs, Best OLEDS, Best Cheap TVs, and How To Buy a TV. Interested in computer monitors? We have a guide to the Best Computer Monitors too. As usual, all our latest coverage is on our Televisions page.
Tools of the Trade
While older, glass-fronted TVs were easy to clean with any anti-static rag and cleaner, you need to be more careful with modern screens, which aren’t protected.
The best method for cleaning off the small amount of dirt, grease, dust, or other muck that has accumulated on your TV? Ditch the solvent and just use a soft, dry microfiber cloth ($26 for 80) to clean the display. Wipe in a circular motion, much like you would when brushing your teeth or cleaning your counters.
If things are too gunky for a clean rag to pick up, reach for some distilled and deionized water ($17 per gallon), which won’t leave spots or have impurities that can damage your screen. Put a little on the cloth and wipe, following up with a fresh dry rag.
In a worst-case scenario, you can add a tiny amount of Dawn dish soap ($15 for 112 ounces) to the water (read: add a drop to an entire spray bottle [$8 for 2]) and use that. If you do this, you’ll want to wipe a second time with distilled water, then again with a dry rag to ensure no residue is left behind. Remember: screens aren’t waterproof at the edges, so be sure to go lightly with water if you’re using it.
It is typically easier to see how dirty your screen is when it is off, so I recommend turning it off or unplugging it when doing a cleaning. Be careful not to press too hard when rubbing, as you can damage your screen.
