Don’t Touch That TV Screen! No, Really . . . I’m Serious . . . Don’t!

Everyone assumes they know how to touch a television. With modern big screen technology that’s just not true . . . you can damage some TV screens by cleaning or even touching them. And once a screen is damaged, it cannot be repaired. This definitive article gives you everything you need to know about handling or cleaning a Plasma, LCD or DLP TV.
So you just bought a flat screen TV and no one told you anything about care and cleaning?

"What do you mean, care and cleaning?" some will say. "I grew up with a TV in the house, didn’t I? Everybody knows how to take care of a TV . . . right? You just dust it off every couple of months and don’t let the kids chew on the power cord. . . right?"

Well-l-l-l, there’s a little more to it than that when you own a Plasma, DLP or LCD flat screen TV. Some of it is common sense, but a lot what you need to know is unique to caring for the new television technology.

Special care must be taken when handling a flat screen TV, especially when touching or cleaning the display screen. Thin sheets of glass hold the Plasma cells on a flat screen TV, if they crack, the screen is ruined and cannot be repaired!

(If you’re not familiar with the differences between Plasma, LCD or DLP TVs, you should Google the "123 Guide To Plasma TV.com")

Bottom line: you need to know what you’re doing if you want to protect your expensive new TV from damage. You’re in luck . . . I’m about to tell you!

1) Avoid Touching The Screen!
Handle the TV only by the sides and bottom. Do your best not to touch the screen; don’t rub, scrub, tap, hit or touch it, since this could scratch, mar or permanently damage the screen. I actually want to encourage you not to touch the screen with your bare hands. (Good luck keeping the kids away from it!)

2) Keep Your Plasma TV Upright!
Whether you’re moving it, installing it, storing or displaying it, you should never lay your Plasma flat on it’s face, even if the directions tell you to. The plasma elements that make up the picture are sandwiched between two thin layers of glass. If these glass panels crack, your TV screen will be ruined. Large LCD and DLP display screens can be just as delicate.

3) Clean Your Flat Screen TV Correctly!
Even routine cleaning can present special challenges. You shouldn’t use dust cloths, chemical cleansers, soaps, sprays, alcohol or aerosols. Please don’t rub the screen, just dust it gently with absorbent cotton or chamois only. Clean the frame with a slightly moist sponge or cloth, don’t use chemicals or soaps. It’s best to unplug the TV before you begin cleaning.

4) Buy A Good Surge Protector!
Spring for a quality surge protector with a reset button and power switch. A phone line or ethernet surge protector for your modem and a coax surge protector for cable TV are great features to look for. If you can’t find these features on a power surge protector you can order them separately. A basic surge protector costs less than $10, and a really good one costs $30 - $50. There’s no excuse for not connecting every major appliance in your house to one. One lightning strike, one power surge and your $2,500 flat screen TV could be fried!

5) Don’t Let Your Big Screen TV Tip Over!
Most table stands are well designed, but be aware! When your teenager tries to imitate Kobe’s fantastic slam dunk or your toddler jumps up to slap Sponge Bob on the head, you don’t want a 150-pound big screen TV toppling over on them. Make sure your TV stand is sturdy, that it’s large enough to hold your TV (6-inches wider than the base) and is positioned against a wall, away from doorways and foot traffic.

6) Make Sure Your Wall Mount Is Properly Installed!
A correctly installed wall mount has little chance of allowing your TV to tip over; just one more reason to get a professional installation. If Harry Handyman from next door installs your Plasma and the mount comes off the wall, you could be facing substantial damage or injury. If you don’t know how to run wiring inside your wall, get a pro to do it.

7) Avoid Screen Burn-In!
Plasma displays have improved recently, but screen burn-in is still possible. Static images that don’t move or change, like video game scores, TV station logos, stock ticker displays and computer programs can burn images permanently into a Plasma screen. It may take weeks, months or years for the damage to become permanent, but it certainly can. LCD and DLP TVs cannot suffer burn-in.

With proper care, your big screen TV will give your family decades of brilliant service and lasting memories. Just tune in to Entourage and enjoy!

It's as easy as 1 2 3!

About The Author

Ike Ridley is the avid videophile and self-confessed "Movie Nut" who created the website 123 Guide To Plasma TV. To visit us, click the links or paste this URL into your web browser:

http://www.123-guide-to-plasma-tv.com/

Ike has moved to the Caribbean where he clicks away on his laptop under a palm tree.

Click Here for more information on big screen TVs in the 123 Guide To Plasma TV.com!

How To Clean LCD Screens

LCD screens or displays are technical marvels but they have one minor problem: they gather dust like there's no tomorrow. Before you start cleaning any LCD screen you must remember, these screens are very delicate creatures - you must proceed with caution. Here's what you should do...
LCD screens are commonly found in laptops, PDAs, iPods and high definition TVs. If you look around your home, you will probably see 5 or more of these screens in your presence. They are everywhere!

However, anyone who owns any type of LCD screen knows there is one minor problem with them. These screens or displays gather dust and dirt like there is no tomorrow. Just within a few weeks of purchasing your once pristine LCD screen, it starts picking up lint, dust particles, and smudges - ruining your full enjoyment of this technical marvel.

Once you see your favorite LCD screen picking up a bit of dust, you immediately grab a tissue or paper towel and some water to clean it. DON’T! Or you will made a big mistake and you could possibly even do permanent damage to your delicate LCD screen.

LCD screens are not like ordinary monitor screens. LCD screens are NOT GLASS, rather they are made up of a soft film that can easily be damaged by harsh paper towels and the chloride and other chemicals in ordinary tap water. These screens are very delicate, they must be handled with care and very, very gently.

You must proceed with caution if you want to keep all your LCD screens in perfect mint condition. This is one case where a little knowledge could save you a whole lot of trouble and disappointment.

The history of Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) goes back over a hundred years. It was first mentioned by Otto Lehmann in 1904. The first operational LCD was made by RCA in 1968. Each display is made up of countless pixels, with light being filtered through them in a controlled manner. Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) is a form of LCDs which uses an active matrix to improve image quality. LCD technology has found its way into countless displays in laptops, PDAs, and high definition TVs. (Source - wikipedia.org)

LCD Screen Cleaning Tips
Most experts suggest you can use a cleaning solution of 50% distilled water and 50% isopropyl (rubbing alcohol). You should use a soft cloth such as an old cotton T-shirt or handkerchief. Don’t use paper towels, tissues, or ordinary dish cloths, as harsh cloths may damage the soft surface of an LCD screen.

Shut down any devices before cleaning them. Inspect the screen very carefully to take note of any special areas that have to be cleaned. Don’t spray any cleaning solution directly onto the screen but rather dampen your large cleaning cloth with your solution and apply very gentle pressure, cleaning the display in a circular motion.

Don’t apply any hard pressure or touch the screen with your fingertips. It has been suggested you think of the screen as a smooth baby’s bottom and give it the same kind of care as you would give an infant’s delicate skin.

Make sure you let the screen thoroughly dry before turning your device back on. You should now have a perfectly cleaned screen ready for your full viewing enjoyment once again.

Word of Caution - you should always check your owner’s manual or the manufacturer for the recommended cleaning method for your particular LCD TV or Laptop Screen.

You should also note, commercial LCD cleaning kits are very inexpensive. These cleaning kits will have everything your need to clean your LCD screen. Most will have a Microfiber Cloth or Chamois that are excellent for picking up dust and removing fingerprints and smudges. A can of Compressed Air is also handy for removing dust from your screen and from those hard to reach places.

There are also stronger cleaning solutions to remove ink markings just in case your small child has confused your expensive laptop for an itch-a-sketch toy and created a modern masterpiece. Ouch!

Some commercial cleaning formulas may contain the same mixture as the home-made one mentioned above, but newer cleaning solutions are alcohol and ammonia-free. Some have an anti-static coating that will help reduce the build up of dust particles. It would probably be wise to pick up one of these cleaning kits if you own a lot of LCD screens. You can also purchase single wipes and cleaners for traveling.

What ever route you take, or cleaning formula you use, just remember to treat all your LCD screens with a whole lot of respect. Be gentle, be careful and be diligent. Make sure you clean all your LCD screens when the need arises. That way you will go on enjoying all your perfect pristine LCD screens for years to come.

Copyright © 2006 Titus Hoskins.

For other handy LCD cleaning tips and all the materials you need to clean LCD screens go here: How To Clean LCD Screens. To learn how to clean a laptop LCD screen try here: How To Clean Laptop Screen