If you have a good A/V setup in your home, you are well aware that keeping it well cared for and cleaning it correctly and consistently is vital to its longevity and performance. Keeping it free of fingerprints, dust, pet hair, and other harmful substances can be a real hassle; if done incorrectly, it can even damage your system. Also, not cleaning your system can lead to excessive buildup of dust and dirt that will harm audio and video performance. It can even cause enough damage that certain parts need to be replaced. So here are some guidelines to help you keep your A/V system clean and ready for performance.
TV
Televisions are often the largest items in anyone’s home entertainment system. They also seem to attract the most dust. Of course, the accumulation of dust on the TV screen is not ideal. Therefore, cleaning your TV seems to be a top priority. Unfortunately, a lot of damage can be done if cleaning is not done correctly.
Almost everyone knows that you have to be very careful when trying to clean an LCD TV screen. Using regular cleaners will damage the screen, leading to streaking and even discoloration on the screen. To clean your HDTV, whether LCD or Plasma, you can follow these guidelines:
– Turn off your TV and disconnect it from the power source.
– Clean the screen very gently with a soft, dry cloth. Try to avoid too much contact with the TV screen. This is because LCD screens have a specific type of outer layer that can be damaged by too much contact. Never use a damp cloth or products such as alcohol or thinner to clean the TV screen.
– There are commercially available cleaning sprays for LCD screens that do not contain alcohol or ammonia; You need to spray them on a microfiber cloth or cloth first, and then wipe the screen clean with the damp cloth.
– If it is not an LDC TV, but a rear-projection TV. You can clean the screen the same way as above, but using a damp cloth is fine.
– Other parts of the TV can also be cleaned with a soft, dry cloth.
Blu-ray Players-DVD Players-Receivers
These items, even if hidden or closed, can still accumulate significant amounts of dust that can cause damage, especially if dust gets inside. Some people will just dust around or on top of these items, leaving the front buttons alone not to mention their collection of cables collecting big bags of dust.
The problem that arises is because of the ventilation fans that these items have because these fans circulate the air and cool the Blu-ray and DVD players. But fans also inadvertently circulate dust. If this dust gets into your system, it will lead to a lot of problems. In most cases, prevention is your best weapon. Cleaning your items often and thoroughly will give them a longer life, especially laser-optic items like Blu-ray and DVD players.
– The removal of dust from the outer layers can be done with a soft cloth. You may want to use a bit of glass cleaner on the cloth, as this will make it easier to pick up the dust. When dusting, try to start from the top down. When dusting around the ventilation openings, push the dust away from the opening. This will prevent you from pushing dust onto the component.
– Extra effort is required to clean the buttons on the front panel. Try using a dry brush to clean the buttons and knobs. In this way, you should avoid changing any settings.
– If you can’t reach or find it hard to reach certain areas, try using a can of compressed air. Again be careful where you use it. You don’t want to blow dust into the component.
No matter how diligent you are about cleaning, there is always the possibility of dust or pet hair getting into your Blu-ray or DVD players. Because simply opening and closing the loading tray can get dust into the component and cause problems, a good practice to adopt would always be to check the drive for dust, hair, or other substances before inserting it.
Using an optical lens cleaning pad will help you clean the interior by removing any dust or foreign substances. This disk will have small brushes or holes in the disk to create air currents to keep the lens clean.
If you think dust has gotten inside the component, past the optical lens, your best bet is to take the item to a repair center.
Cleaning the cables can also be a bit difficult. You don’t want to disconnect anything or damage any connectors. Some ideas you may want to try are:
– If possible, use the extension on a vacuum cleaner to remove excess dust that accumulates around the cables.
– Try using the dry brush again around the connection ports.
– Do not use excessive force when removing dust, as you do not want to bend or break the pins of the cable connectors.
– Another good practice to adopt is to disconnect the cable every year to see if the connection is clean and look for erosion. If buildup is found, you will need to use a good contact cleaner to safely clean the connection.
Speakers
Speakers generally have three different areas that you need to keep clean: the cabinet, the grill, and the drivers.
Cabinets can come in different forms, be it real wood veneer, wood-like veneer, laminate material, plastic, or metal; each will need cleaning. Don’t be tempted to use any type of household furniture spray as they can damage the finish. It is best to use a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth.
The grilles are designed to keep dust away from the conductors. Therefore, an excessive amount of dust accumulated on the grill should be normal. It means they are doing their job. If the grill is cloth, you can try using a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust. If the rack is removable, you can rinse them carefully in lukewarm water and dry them. If the grill is made of plastic or metal, clean it with a dry or slightly damp cloth. When using a damp cloth, be careful not to get the controllers wet. You can also use a can of compressed air.
Conductors should be touched as sparingly as possible. Your best bet is to use a can of compressed air to blow the dust off your controllers.
Always remember to turn off and unplug any electrical equipment you are cleaning. And check your instruction guide for details on how to clean a specific item. The manufacturers know their products and will give you good cleaning advice. Follow the advice they give you because cleaning every element of your home entertainment system will definitely increase its lifespan and maintain the high quality of performance you’ve come to expect from your system for years to come.
