The safer way to clean your LCD TV screen

Flat screen monitors and TVs, most of which are LCDs (liquid crystal display), as well as touch-screen devices of all kinds, require special attention when cleaning.
While older cathode ray tube (CRT) screens, the type used in large tube monitors and TVs, are glass and can be cleaned the same way you would clean any other glass in your home or office, all LCD displays take special care to keep them clean and prevent damage.

This is because flat screen and touch displays are much more sensitive and can be easily scratched and damaged during cleaning.
While older cathode ray tube (CRT) screens, the type used in large tube monitors and TVs, are glass and can be cleaned the same way you would clean any other glass in your home or office, all LCD displays take special care to keep them clean and prevent damage.
The same applies to your laptop or tablet screen, and often too to the screen on your smartphone or e-book reader.
In order to safely clean your flat screen monitor, TV, laptop screen, or another device in just a few minutes, Tim Fisher, a co-owner of a technology services company for small businesses in U.S., recommends the underlisted five steps:
Image of a Tv with LCD screenImage of a TV with LCD screen
Turn off the device. If the screen is dark, it will be easier to see the areas that are dirty or oily. Turning the device off also prevents you from accidentally pushing buttons you don’t actually want to push, which happens a lot when cleaning touch-screen devices like tablets, iPads, among others.
Use a dry, soft cloth and very gently wipe the screen.
If the dry cloth did not completely remove the dirt or oil, do not press harder in an attempt to scrub it off. Pushing directly on the screen can often cause pixels to burn out, especially on laptop displays, desktop monitors, and LCD/LED TV screens.
If necessary, dampen the cloth with distilled water or with an equal ratio of distilled water to white vinegar.
The plastic edge that surrounds the screen can be cleaned with any multipurpose cleaner but take care to avoid contact with the screen itself.
Tim Fisher further recommends that you avoid using paper towels, toilet paper, tissue paper, or something like your shirt to wipe the screen, as these soft materials can scratch the display.
Also, avoid cleaning products that contain ammonia (a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen), ethyl alcohol (strong alcohol drinks), toluene (paint solvents), as well as acetone or ethyl acetate (one or the other is often used in nail polish remover). These chemicals can react with the materials that the flat screen is made of or coated with, which could permanently discolour the screen or cause other kinds of damage.
He finally recommends that when you clean your screen, never spray liquid directly onto it as it could leak into the device and cause damage.