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My kid was playing with a pen and she drew a few lines on the TV screen. I tried to remove it with water just after it happened, but it didn't work.

Now the lines have been on the TV for a few days, so how can I clean it?

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What kind of pen? What kind of TV? Glass or plastic? – kavisiegel Jul 27 '12 at 18:58
and the tv is lg led tv – Amr ElGarhy Jul 27 '12 at 19:00
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Assuming the obvious, have you tried any cleaners specific for LED screens? Note the lack of alcohol/ammonia which can remove anti glare coatings. – Aaron McIver Jul 27 '12 at 19:03
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Vote to re-open. The context of a the large-screen television here is as a home furnishing - and as such, this question is as on-topic as one asking about removing a similar stain from oak paneling. This is purely a home maintenance question, not a technology question. – RI Swamp Yankee Jul 30 '12 at 12:14
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closed as off topic by BMitch♦, Steven, ChrisF♦ Jul 28 '12 at 21:55

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3 Answers

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Nail polish remover (100% acetone is best) will get rid of permanent marker so I'm guessing it would work on a regular pen. But I don't know if that is something you would want to try after reading other comments about ruining anti glare coatings.

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My go to for cleaning a screen is 99% isopropanol alcohol and a lint-free microfiber cloth. It works well on many household inks (including most permanent markers). This should remove the ink from the screen.

Depending how hard the pen was pressed and the material of the screen, the pen might have also scratched the screen. Easiest way to see if its ink or a scratch is to run your finger over it and feel for the scratch. Scratches can be removed depending on how much work you are willing to put into it.

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Alcohol may remove protective finishes on the screen. Be sure to test a small spot in a corner before doing this in the middle of the screen. – BMitch♦ Jul 28 '12 at 4:02
@BMitch I've never heard this before nor have I ever seen it occur in all the screens I've cleaned over the years. I know rubbing alcohol can cause probs, but never had any issues with iso. Is there some info you can point me to about this? – Steven Jul 28 '12 at 13:47
The complaints I've seen are mainly on ethyl alcohol, not iso. That said, everyone suggests diluting down to 50% iso using distiled water. I'd still apply in a test corner out of paranoia, but +1 for the diy cleaner. – BMitch♦ Jul 28 '12 at 14:01
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A simple pencil eraser works well, you just have to be patient and not press too hard. I've had my kids mark up TVs and laptop screens a few times.

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