How To Remove Scratches From Your Flat Screen TV

Cleaning a flat screen tv with a cloth

A word to the wise. You must use caution and common sense when attempting this procedure or you can easily make things worse.  At our affordable Pittsburgh cleaning services company, we don’t clean flat screen TVs but I still felt this writing might prove very useful to you.

This is a technique that you can use to remove light scratches from flat screen and LCD TVs safely.  Scratches can result from some of the most innocuous, everyday items such as a piece of newspaper, a magazine, or tiny claw nails from pet cats and dogs and even fingernails from children. Any of these items and many more can unintentionally brush against your flat screen TV, leaving a scratch that’s usually visible whether the television in turned on or off.

Your 3 Allies To Scare Scratches Away

The secret to removing light scratches from your flat screen TV is to use the proper tools along with a careful tried and true technique. To begin with, you’ll need a bottle of Isopropyl alcohol which is normally found in grocery stores, drug stores, and, hardware stores. Don’t use any other type of alcohol as it will damage your screen beyond repair.

Next and just as important is a soft clean microfiber cleaning cloth that most professional cleaning services use when cleaning client’s homes. They’re usually found at WalMart and Target stores. Again don’t substitute any other cleaning cloth or damage is likely to occur.

Lastly, distilled water is needed, which is also available at grocery stores, Walmarts, and most drug stores. Regular tap water has harmful chemicals which will exasperate the problem.

A quick word of caution –  never use Windex, glass cleaner, or other window cleaning solutions on your flat screen TV.  Never use paper towels on your Flat Screen TV, as this is one of the quickest routes to permanently damaging your flat screen or LCD with thousands of little scratches.

I once didn’t follow this advice and used a paper towel on reading glasses.  I didn’t use excessive force, but it didn’t matter!  I quickly discovered I damaged my expensive eyeglasses beyond repair.

This one little mistake is how most folks ruin their TV screen.  The same applies to cell phone screens, Ipads, laptops, and desktops.  All of these surfaces should only be cleaned lightly with a soft microfiber cloth.

How To The Nitty Gritty

Before starting, first mix a 50/50 solution (half Isopropyl alcohol and half distilled water) in a liquid safe container.  Be sure the container is clean, not only of small dirt particles but also of any lingering chemicals from prior use. Use Isopropyl alcohol that is rated at 90% pure so that when mixing a 50/50 solution the final result is perfect for the task at hand.

Dip your microfiber cloth into the solution and wring it out so it’s slightly damp. Begin by gently rubbing the scratch on the TV in a circular motion.  Use care as it’s important not to rub too hard or friction from the microfiber cloth can make the scratch worse.

Continue to use a circular motion while keeping the microfiber cloth damp with your Isopropyl alcohol and distilled water solution.

After a bit, the scratch should begin to disappear as the Isopropyl alcohol in your cleaning solution evaporates.  If the scratch does not begin to disappear or becomes worse stop immediately.  You may have a scratch that needs a professional’s attention.

Remember, the easiest way to remove scratches from your flat screen and LCD TV is to prevent them in the first place. Hope this article helps you to restore your screen like new.

As always, use these cleaning tips at your own risk.  We’re not responsible for any damage you may incur.

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