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The heat, dry air, static charges and strong magnetic fields around television receivers guarantee that plenty of dust will cling to the cabinet of your set. Before cleaning, unplug the television. Dust the entire cabinet with an anti-static cloth weekly. Every few weeks, dust the cabinet and then gently vacuum the ventilation slots using a brush attachment to promote good airflow around the electronic components inside.

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The rate at which dust accumulates on your TV is an indicator of how much dust permeates your indoor air. If your TV becomes dusty quickly, seek ways to reduce the dust in the air through better vacuum filtration, entrance mats, and air cleaning. This will reduce the time you spend dusting and improve your health, too. Also, make sure the humidity in your home is sufficient to prevent excess buildup of static electricity.

Caution: Regardless of method used, always unplug a TV before cleaning it to reduce shock hazards. 

If the cabinet and glass screen of a traditional CRT (tube-type) television are really grimy, all-purpose household and glass cleaners may be used for effective cleaning, with one major warning: Liquid cleaners should be applied to the cloth or paper towel, never directly to the cabinet or screen. Liquids of any kind should never be sprayed or poured onto any electrical appliance, particularly TVs, which generate dangerously high voltages. At the very least, dripping liquids can short-circuit interior components and ruin the set. At worst, a TV set with a ground fault caused by liquid poses electrocution and/or fire hazards.

Use all-purpose liquid on a cloth to clean the cabinet; glass cleaner applied to a low-lint paper towel or microfiber cloth is best for the screen.

If you have a flat-panel, plasma or DLP receiver, gently tap on the screen surface with a knuckle to make certain it’s made of glass before using glass cleaner, which can damage some plastics. If the screen material is plastic, refer to the owner’s manual for cleaning tips.

Always use soft cloths or paper towels, whatever the type of TV. Abrasive pads and gritty cleansers aren’t necessary for effective cleaning, and they will scratch the plastics used to house most TVs. They can even leave scratches on glass.