If you’re like most people who have a large-screen projection TV and, after years of use, have noticed a blur and haze on the screen, it’s time to clean it up. Cleaning your TV projection is not that difficult. There is really no need to pay someone to come over to your house and clean it, it is something you can do yourself. Be sure to turn off the power to your TV and be aware that the voltage may still flow through it when it is opened. Most TVs are sealed and won’t hurt even at low voltage. If you have an RCA projection TV or almost any other type of projection TV, you want to start by removing the screen first. This is usually accomplished by removing a large number of screws from the back of the unit. Generally, the screws are not standard Flathead or Phillips. Most screws will have a square hole and will require square tip drill bits. These bits can be collected from your local hardware dealer. The bits themselves are very cheap, if you don’t already have some in the toolbox. Once you find the right square tip drill bit to drive the screws on your particular projection TV, you are good to go. Carefully remove each screw with a hand or automatic screwdriver at very low speed. Once you have removed all the screws, you will be able to exit the screen. As always, throughout this process you must be very careful. Having more than one person will make this whole task that much easier. Once you have removed the screen, place it on a flat surface, the mat is a safe bet.
Now that the screen is off, you should be able to see inside the lenses. There are three different colored lenses on a projection television. If you look closely you will see a layer of dust on each of the lenses. That dust is the first important part of cleaning your TV. Gently pick up a WET, non-wet, thin cloth and gently wipe each lens in a circular motion. Once done, let it dry for a minute and repeat only with a dry cloth.
The next step in cleaning your projection TV, be it RCA or any other brand, is to clean the mirror on the back. You will see this mirror above the lenses mounted on the body of the television. When cleaning this mirror, be sure to be careful. Gently wipe the mirror with a fine cloth and, as long as you see that there is no dust, do not take any further action. If there is still dust on your mirror, wipe it gently with a damp cloth and then again with a dry one. Do not use chemicals to clean anything inside your TV.
The last step in the cleaning process is cleaning the screen. With the screen on the mat, gently wipe and wipe the inside of the screen. If you tilt your head down and make light reflect off it, you can really see what needs to be cleaned and what you have already cleaned. With your fine damp cloth, wipe off all dust and wipe dry with the dry cloth. Gently rotate the screen and repeat the process again.
After everything has been cleaned and dried, now is the time to put the screen back on the body. On RCA projection televisions, this screen must be inserted from the bottom on a pin and then tilted into position. If you don’t have an RCA TV, your TV may look very similar. Just be careful and watch how you took it apart and how it should be put back together, it’s not that difficult. Once the screen is in place, take the screws and put them back in their holes. Be careful when getting the scew to reach its final pair. Gently tighten each screw.
The next step is to turn on your television and see in awe how much brighter and clearer your picture is. As a side note, most projection TVs are designed to be cleaned, and once you remove the screen, everything else is sealed.
