Cleaning – one house chore that most of us don’t like but it has to be done! Plus, if it’s done regularly and using our tips, it can take only half an hour each week! Doesn’t sound that bad, does it? 😉
When it comes to your entertainment center – whether it’s a part of the living room or a whole basement dedicated to TV, gadgets, and gaming – it’s important to keep everything clean in order to make your expensive equipment and furniture last longer.
We have listed all the gadgets and gizmos that may appear in the modern home theater room and suggested how you should clean them in the infographic below! There’s a special section for your furniture as well and some extra tips for cleaning in general.
Let’s start!
TV 📺
Television is definitely something that is a must in any modern living room or entertainment room! Over the years the screens have become bigger and bigger and therefore collecting more dust and dirt.
You should clean your TV on a weekly basis, or more often if you notice a lot of dust. Use a dry soft cloth to wipe the dust from the screen. If necessary, spray some screen cleaning solution on the cloth. You can buy the spray in every store with cleaning supplies and electronics.
It’s important to know you shouldn’t spray liquid directly onto the screen, but on the cloth you will be using. Don’t press or scratch the surface of the screen, you could damage it. Make sure the cloth you are using is soft and without rough parts.
Media Players 📼
If you have a TV, and you want to watch movies and TV shows when it fits you, you need a media player. These have become a staple in living rooms, whether it’s a Blu Ray player, or one of the modern smart media players.
Whatever you have, clean it once a week at least. Use dry or damp cloth, to wipe away dust from the media player. So when you’re done wiping the TV, just wipe the media player with the same cloth – 2-minute job!
If your media player requires DVDs or Blu Ray discs, remember to blow the dust off your discs before every use, to avoid the particles clogging up the player. Never touch media discs with fingers, use the hole in the middle and grab the disc on the edge.
Speakers 🔊
Ah, the big massive speakers that make your windows shake a bit when the bass is particularly loud! Definitely a must-have in your man cave 😉 But, even if your speakers are smaller and not high end, you should still clean them on a regular basis.
You can clean your speakers on a monthly basis, or whenever you notice a layer of dust. Simply wipe away the dust from the exterior using dry or damp cloth. You can clean speaker cones using a small brush with long bristles and a can of compressed air. Make sure you blow out all the dust.
If you’re more experienced or noticed there’s a lot of dust and dirt in your speakers, you can carefully remove speaker grills and vacuum and wash them separately. If you are using liquid (soapy water preferred), make sure they are completely dry before reattaching.
Don’t use too much liquid when cleaning your speakers, just a slightly damp cloth for dusting. Don’t use any harsh chemicals, just mild dish soap will do.
Record Player 🎶
Okay, after covering a few staples in each home media room, we’re diving into the extras, the cool gadgets that lift it all up a notch. Record players have been around for decades and, after losing popularity over 90s and 00s, they are back and more trendy than ever.
Record players are delicate and you should be careful when cleaning yours. Clean the stylus after every use using a soft paintbrush. There are special brushes and cleaning solutions you can buy in record stores as well, but if you just lightly dust it with a soft brush after every use, you should be okay. Dust down the record player exterior as well.
There are few things to be careful about. Don’t wipe the needle from side to side, only from the back to front. Don’t blow on the stylus to remove the dust, little drops of liquid could be in your breath and stay on the stylus, damaging it.
When it comes to vinyl records, clean them with a microfiber cloth or special record cleaning brush, to safely remove any dust and static electricity. Always keep them in their cases, and cover up your record player after every use.
Headphones 🎧
Sometimes you just want to enjoy music by yourself, without bothering other people in your household or neighbors! That’s what headphones are for, and we mean on-ear ones, for best sound and experience. If you’re a regular user, clean them once a week.
Wipe the exterior of headphones with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt. Dampen a clean cloth with alcohol or hand sanitizer to gently wipe the ear pads. You can use wet wipes as well. Use Q tip to get to all the nooks and crevices. Make sure the ear pads are completely dry before using.
VR Headset 🕶
One of the coolest modern gadgets you can get is a VR headset. It’s a fantastic experience and more affordable these days than it was when it first appeared.
It’s easy to clean as well. Simply wipe the exterior of the headset and the foam ear pads with da amp cloth to remove any dust. Wipe the lenses with screen cleaning solution – the same one you use for TV and projector.
It’s best to clean your headset after every use but you can easily avoid any cleaning if you store the headset somewhere it won’t collect dust. One thing to be extra careful about is not to scratch the lens.
Gaming Console 🎮
Is it an entertainment center without a gaming console? We doubt it! PlayStation, Xbox, or something else – these are a source of fun for all ages for hours. Clean them once a week, and don’t forget the controllers!
Wipe away the dust from the console and controllers using a damp cloth or wet wipe. Use Q-tip and rubbing alcohol to clean the seams of the controllers. Once a year open it all up and dust using a can of compressed air. Still, don’t open your console and controllers unless you know how. If you’re not sure about that, you can always ask professionals in computer repair shops, but there are tutorials available online for any type of console.
If you notice any scratches on your CDs, remove them using toothpaste. Apply it on the disc and wipe in circular motions using soa ft cloth. Avoid using whitening toothpaste or any very abrasive kind.
Projector 📽
Some movies just deserve to be seen on a bigger surface – like a wall or projector screen. Having a projector is also great for watching sporting events, like upcoming soccer World Cup. Have some friends over, open a few cold beers and enjoy the matches – even if US team is not there!
As always, wipe away the dust from the exterior using dry or damp cloth. If you store your projector in a cupboard, this could be done once a month, but if it’s in the open, do it weekly. Spray lens cleaning solution on a soft cloth and clean the lens in a circular motion. You can get the cleaning solution in any electronics store.
Same as when cleaning the tv screen – don’t apply lens cleaning solution on the lens directly, just on the cloth. Make sure the projector is completely cool before cleaning.
Projector Screen 🎞
If you have a projector, you need a big surface to show the movies on. You can, of course, use an empty wall but not all of us have that! It might be a good idea to try projector screens. They can either be fitted on the wall or on a moveable stand.
You should clean your screen once a month, and have it rolled up whenever it’s not in use. To clean it, just dampen a microfiber cloth in a mixture of distilled water and a few drops of dishwashing detergent, and gently wipe the screen. Avoid using any sharp objects when cleaning the screen, and don’t press too hard.
If your projector screen is large in size or mounted on a wall, use a telescopic pole with cloth on the end to reach the high and hard to reach spots. You probably already have one if you have a mop for cleaning floors!
Now, after covering the electronics, let’s talk about the seating! Whether you are watching a movie, or playing a game, or enjoying music from your vinyl record, you want to feel comfortable in a clean seat. The seating should be cleaned once per week at least and cleaning routine depends on the type of material. We covered all the different types of upholstery materials for seating in previous articles, so here’s a cleaning guide for each of them.
Leather
To clean a leather couch, vacuum the seats regularly, the easiest way to do it while you’re vacuuming the room as well. There are special vacuum brushes you can use, that come with every new vacuum cleaner.
If there’s a spill, clean it as soon as it happens using a dry cloth. If you notice scratches on your leather. Use a chamois cloth to buff any scratches. Chamois is a type of soft pliable leather now made from sheepskin or lambskin.
Avoid using harsh chemicals on your leather seats, it may damage them. If you want to test out new cleaning solution, do so in a place that is not visible. Avoid placing leather seats under direct sunlight and heat source as it can damage the material.
Fabric
The basic care for fabric seats is similar to leather ones. Vacuum regularly, and clean any spills or stains as soon as they happen with a dry cloth. If you notice any spots, use a stiff-bristled brush to break them up.
If you do use a brush, make sure you don’t brush too hard to avoid any damage. Before doing any thorough cleaning or using cleaning solutions, check the manufacturer’s tag for any special cleaning instructions.
Microfiber
Microfiber furniture should also be vacuumed regularly but it has some special care tips as well. You can spray the sofa with rubbing alcohol and gently wipe with clean cloth. Fluff it up again using a soft scrub brush. You can simply use a scrubbing side of a clean dishwashing sponge.
Make sure you open all windows when spraying with alcohol to avoid bad smells. Always check the manufacturer’s tag for special cleaning instructions.
Vinyl
Vinyl furniture is very durable and easy to clean. Mix water with mild dish soap and gently scrub down the seas using soft bristle brush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. If you can, move your seats outside and clean them there, but you can do it indoors as well.
It’s important not to leave your vinyl furniture to air-dry – pat it dry with a clean towel. As for stains, don’t let them set, wipe them down as they happen. No one likes to see a beer stain!
Wood
Wood might not be the most popular choice when it comes to seating, but a lot of seats have wooden bits, plus there’s probably other furniture in your room that is made of wood and needs to be cleaned!
Dust all wood items once a week with a soft dry cloth. If there are stubborn stains, use slightly damp cloth. You can also buy special wet wipes for wooden furniture which will give it a nice shine.
Avoid placing wood furniture near a heat source, it will dry it out and leave spots. If you are placing something on a wooden surface, add felt pads and coasters on the bottom to prevent any scratches and damage.
Plastic
Plastic seating and furniture is very easy to clean. Simply mix warm water and mild dish soap and wIpe the furniture down with sponge or cloth. Rinse with clean water and let it dry. You can do this outside of the house if you have that option.
One thing to avoid is using abrasive brushes or steel wool to clean, it will scratch the furniture.
Lastly, we have some extra tips for cleaning in your media room. Whenever possible, keep your electronics and gadgets away from dust, stored safely in cabinets or covered with lids or cloths. It will not only save time but it will make the items last longer and look nicer.
Most of the seating furniture should be placed away from direct sunlight so think about your room layout or invest in shades and curtains. Always read manufacturer’s instructions before trying any DIY cleaning recipes.
Home Theater Cleaning Guide Infographic
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<blockquote class=”embedly-card”><h4><a href=”https://seatup.com/blog/how-to-clean-your-favorite-room-home-theater-cleaning-guide”>How To Clean Your Favorite Room – Home Theater Cleaning Guide – SeatUp</a></h4><p>Cleaning – one house chore that most of us don’t like but it has to be done! Plus, if it’s done regularly and using our tips, it can take only half an hour each week! Doesn’t sound that bad, does it?</p></blockquote> <script async src=”//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js” charset=”UTF-8″></script>
