Windex and Plasma

[Sparco]

I went to Circuit City and saw that they had a great deal on a 42 inch LG Plasma. I found out it was on sale because it was damaged. The person who returned the set had used windex to clean the glass and it left an awful streak.. The price was so good that I asked the salesman if there was anyway to fix the problem. He looked at his paperwork and said that LG would come to my house and fix it for 200 dollars. He said that they would put some kind of new coat on it.

Does anyone know if it is possible to re-coat a Plasma that has been damaged by windex?

[Clepto]

I think the salesman is trying to foist some crap on you, and since it's an open box buy, you'll be SOL if there is no such miracle coat.

Generally speaking, any coatings, etc would be done at fabrication, and my guess is the salesman is blowing smoke up your butt (;

[DidHeFocus]

IMO, It would be more logical to replace the outer coated glass rather than trying to re-coat it in the field. Call LG support to verify the cost to repair before buying this panel.

[Sparco]

Thanks guys.. I guess I don't need the headache that this set would give me..

[GaPPa]

Your circuit city salesperson has the intelligence of a door stop. The screen is made out of glass REGULAR GLASS, what do you think should be done about it? What would you do if your windows at your house had streaks on them, HUMMMMMM maybe clean it again,
Respectfully, friendly competitor salesman

[Mr. Pelham]

[QUOTE=GaPPa]Your circuit city salesperson has the intelligence of a door stop. The screen is made out of glass REGULAR GLASS, what do you think should be done about it? What would you do if your windows at your house had streaks on them, HUMMMMMM maybe clean it again,
Respectfully, friendly competitor salesman[/QUOTE]

The windows in your house don't have a anti-reflective coating on them.

[RandyWalters]

[QUOTE=GaPPa]Your circuit city salesperson has the intelligence of a door stop. The screen is made out of glass REGULAR GLASS, what do you think should be done about it? What would you do if your windows at your house had streaks on them, HUMMMMMM maybe clean it again, Respectfully, friendly competitor salesman[/QUOTE]That is so funny that you make fun of your fellow salesman's intelligence, then you show your lack of Plasma knowledge and post incorrect information that's just as bad. Unlike yourself, at least the CC salesman knew it had a special anti-reflective coating, and that it had been damaged by Windex and had to be repaired. He could have been a real idiot and said to "just clean it", but he didn't. :D

[GaPPa]

The windex degrades the anti reflective coating at 1/1000000 ratio rating so that would mean that you would have to use windex on it one million times before 10% of it is removed. Please refer to postings by my fellow students research at GATECH and the MIT research department there are articles posted for the last ten years on this subject. So in other words just clean it again. Or in other words buy the stupid unit purchase the stupid 5 year service plan or whatever cause the damn unit is going to crap out on you anyway and stop asking stupid questions that can be answered by reading the FAQ section of any tv manual.

[RicheyPoor]

[QUOTE=GaPPa]The windex degrades the anti reflective coating at 1/1000000 ratio rating so that would mean that you would have to use windex on it one million times before 10% of it is removed. Please refer to postings by my fellow students research at GATECH and the MIT research department there are articles posted for the last ten years on this subject. So in other words just clean it again. Or in other words buy the stupid unit purchase the stupid 5 year service plan or whatever cause the damn unit is going to crap out on you anyway and stop asking stupid questions that can be answered by reading the FAQ section of any tv manual.[/QUOTE]I hope you're not this nasty to your customers! I agree with Randy; better the salesman should over-state the problem than attempt to minimize it. If it's that easy to correct why doesn't someone at Best Buy simply clean it?

[GaPPa]

Nah, I am very nice to my customers, I just get angry when people say stuff that is not true. I like to correct them in a very strong manner, but all you have to do is just clean it with a mist of windex the idiot that owned it before sprayed the whole rag with windex which caused the streaks in the first place, so that is why he probably exchanged it and the people at CC were not smart enough just to clean it for him with a mist of windex and a soft rag. We clean ALL of our televisions with windex or just basic glass cleaner(Streak Free) of course you just have to be carefull.

[Shad0wz]

This brings up a good question... how much does windex REALLY affect the coating on a plasma?!??!!?

Not many people ask this on the thread... GaPPa, can you post a link to your findings?

[GaPPa]

I will search for this information

[assJack1]

Windex, depending on the actual product, has a pH between 10-12. A little high. (Water is neutral and equal to 7). Is it safe to use? Some people say it's ok as long as it doesnot have phosphors or Ammonia. Manufactures don't let you know how high/low to go. So to be safe most people use distilled water with a microfiber clothe.

[tdavis21484]

My experience: when I worked at an electronics retailer, we had a Pioneer 4350 that somebody had used "Whistle" on (it's a Windex-type glass cleaner). It had nasty purple streaks all over it where the glass had been damaged. It couldn't be just "wiped off" or "cleaned again". I wouldn't buy the set, it'll be more trouble than it's worth.

[GaPPa]

Hell one of our guys used Pledge on a Plasma Screen left it looking really bad and we just cleaned it with windex then water and it was gone - Tdavis the person that cleaned the tv with whistle probably sprayed way to much on it

[mrkeeling]

How about “Costco optical” liquid for prescription glasses?
:p ;)

[mixtapem]

just bought a hitachi plasma and was just wondering about screen care and i seen this thread.anybody have any experience with the monster cable cleaner??is it good or waste of money???

[Mr. Pelham]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=541402

[markrubin]

Moderator

there is a ton of misinformation being posted on this thread

Windex contains amonia which is known to damage the special coating applied to plasma glass: never use it: no exceptions

check the link above and read Paul Bigelow's recommendations on cleaning plasma glass

[assJack1]

[QUOTE=markrubin]Moderator

there is a ton of misinformation being posted on this thread

Windex contains amonia which is known to damage the special coating applied to plasma glass: never use it: no exceptions

check the link above and read Paul Bigelow's recommendations on cleaning plasma glass[/QUOTE]

Agreed, but Windex Vinegar does not contain ammonia, all other versions do.

[Woodrow]

[QUOTE=assJack1]Agreed, but Windex Vinegar does not contain ammonia, all other versions do.[/QUOTE]I happen to have a bottle of the ammonia-free with vinegar windex right here. On the reverse side(you must read throught the windex) it says "Not for use on wood or other varnished surfaces." "Spot test other surfaces before using".

This is enough, IMO, to recommend against ANY type of windex products being used on a plasma screen. IMO, micro-fiber cloth and water are the safe bet. And they work too.:)

[markrubin]

I have had some major problems with trying to clean plasma and LCD glass: some brands (Sony for one) use a very 'soft' (for lack of a better term) coating that can easily streak: when sunlight shines on it you can see every cleaning attempt!

I concluded that the use of anything but filtered water and a microfiber cloth (perhaps a drop of detergent only if necessary) is risky

I also learned don't clean it if it does not need cleaning: unlike CRT screens: plasmas and LCD flat panels do not attract dirt or dust

YMMV

[assJack1]

[QUOTE=markrubin]...plasmas and LCD flat panels do not attract dirt or dust[/QUOTE]

I think very highly of you Mark, but I find this hard to believe - unless of course you live in a clean room.

[mixtapem]

i went and picked up 2 kinds of microfiber clothes in the automotive section i didnt know which one was best or if it even matters so i grabbed up both maybe somebody here can help me i got 1 microfiber detail cloth and 1 microfiber polish cloth are either of these fine???the texture between the 2 are way different.

[assJack1]

[QUOTE=Woodrow]I happen to have a bottle of the ammonia-free with vinegar windex right here. On the reverse side(you must read throught the windex) it says "Not for use on wood or other varnished surfaces." "Spot test other surfaces before using".

This is enough, IMO, to recommend against ANY type of windex products being used on a plasma screen. IMO, micro-fiber cloth and water are the safe bet. And they work too.:)[/QUOTE]

Yes. Please re-read my original post. I too advocate water and microfiber clothe. I just wanted to point out, for the daring people, that one version of Windex does not contain ammonia. (Reason: right or wrong, some computer CRT's back ten years ago were deemed OK to clean w/ glass-plus like).

Yeah, if it may damage varnish- then wow- that is powerful stuff!

[assJack1]

[QUOTE=mixtapem]i went and picked up 2 kinds of microfiber clothes in the automotive section i didnt know which one was best or if it even matters so i grabbed up both maybe somebody here can help me i got 1 microfiber detail cloth and 1 microfiber polish cloth are either of these fine???the texture between the 2 are way different.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm. I dont know about auto-motive clothes. They may work, but who knows- they may have some sort of chemical on them. Try picking up some clothes at a camera/video store. That should put you on the safe side.

[markrubin]

[QUOTE=assJack1]I think very highly of you Mark, but I find this hard to believe - unless of course you live in a clean room.[/QUOTE]

slightly out of context: I said unlike a CRT....

a CRT acts like a dust collector because of the high voltage: not so with a plasma or LCD: that is all I meant :)

of course you do need to clean glass once in a while :) :)

[mixtapem]

[QUOTE=assJack1]Hmmm. I dont know about auto-motive clothes. They may work, but who knows- they may have some sort of chemical on them. Try picking up some clothes at a camera/video store. That should put you on the safe side.[/QUOTE]
i highly doubt these clothes have chemicals because they are not packaged in any way they just have a cardbaord label on them thats says all the benefits of microfiber ..also these were not cheap cloths costing about $4 a cloth and i also decided to test them with a lil bit of spring water on my 19 gateway lcd and it is spotless now and looks just like it did the day i bought it...if it works on my lcd it will work on my plasma??i cant test a little part of the screen because it doesnt arrive till tuesday

[Techniwizard]

As correctly stated ealier in the thread, ammonia will damage the (plastic} coating on any Panasonic front glass. So will excess elbow grease, hand jewelry, flying toys, etc.

Factory recommends only plain water with microcloth, or a very diluted mild ammonia free detergent. Cleaners and cloths suitable for eyeware are generally safe.

Try it in a corner FIRST before you try to clean the center area.

T Wiz

[rastanearian]

Plasma screens generate a fair amount of heat so all cleaning should be done when the screen is cool. I'd give it an hour to properly cool or whatever solution you clean it with will streak even water.

[Sparco]

[QUOTE=GaPPa]The windex degrades the anti reflective coating at 1/1000000 ratio rating so that would mean that you would have to use windex on it one million times before 10% of it is removed. Please refer to postings by my fellow students research at GATECH and the MIT research department there are articles posted for the last ten years on this subject. So in other words just clean it again. Or in other words buy the stupid unit purchase the stupid 5 year service plan or whatever cause the damn unit is going to crap out on you anyway and stop asking stupid questions that can be answered by reading the FAQ section of any tv manual.[/QUOTE]
God, you're an angry person..


To whomever can reply without acting like an ass:

The salesman tried to clean the screen with with a special cleaner but it didn't do anything.. The person who damaged it did such a good job that there was black film on the casing. It may have not been windex.. I'm going by what the salesman told me.

The only way I thought it could be fixed is if you stripped the anti-reflecting coating off of the screen and reapplied it..

and I'll ask whatever damn question I want to ask..

[markrubin]

that's all folks

thread closed