Last week, when my relatives had come over, one of my nephew’s ended up scratching the TV screen with one of the toys he was playing with.

It didn’t look too deep and on taking a closer look I realized it was only a small abrasion on the top layer.

Now, because my TV is from 2013, it had a thin plastic layer on top of the LCD, but if you have a more recent model such as an LED or OLED it most likely won’t have any protective coating except for certain models that have Gorilla Glass.

After a bit more research I managed to find a concrete answer to fixing OLED and LED TVs as well, but it’s not a DIY option like LCDs.

If your TVs LCD screen is scratched, depending on how deep the abrasion is, you should be able to buff it out with petroleum jelly or toothpaste and a microfibre cloth.

For LEDs and OLEDs, deep scratches will require you to get the display panel changed.

Using Petroleum Jelly To Fill In The Scratches

Safety first, so make sure you’ve disconnected your TV from the power source and other connected devices.

This method is also only for older LCD screens and can be used for CRT TVs as well. Do not try this fix for OLED and LED TVs.

Use a microfiber cloth that’s slightly wet to wipe and dust from the screen. Use another dry microfiber to wipe up any excess water.

Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to another microfiber cloth and start rubbing it into the scratched area with a gentle circular motion.

Wipe off any excess petroleum jelly and the scratches should be filled in. You can also use toothpaste, but only use plain white toothpaste that doesn’t have any additives or coloring.

Please note that this will only work if your TV has a plastic film in front of the screen which is increasingly rare in modern televisions.

If you rub anything into a scratch on the glass panel of a display, you risk allowing that liquid to seep into and damage the display entirely.

You’ll need to replace the screen if you have scratches that have damaged the glass on the screen.

Fixing Scratches on LED/OLED TVs

Unlike older TV displays, newer ones generally don’t have any plastic lining over them.

While it does hinder display protection, it also makes the display look much better.

Additionally, some new models use Gorilla Glass protection on their displays, most notably Sony in some of their Bravia models.

If your TV does have Gorilla Glass, it won’t scratch unless it comes in contact with really sharp objects.

However, if it does end up getting scratched, you’ll need to get the glass panel replaced because as I mentioned earlier, using petroleum jelly or toothpaste can result in it seeping into the cracks in the glass.

If the scratches aren’t too deep, chances are you may not even notice it from your regular viewing distance, but if you need to get the panel changed, here’s a list of manufacturer support sites that you can visit to request a repair.

You can also get in touch with the retailer you purchased it from to get your TV repaired.

If your brand of TV isn’t mentioned here, check the user manual for the TV or navigate to the ‘About’ page in the ‘Settings’ to find the website you need to visit.

While manufacturer warranties don’t cover user inflicted damage, if you’ve purchased your TV with an add-on damage protection warranty, you can get the screen replaced by the manufacturer or retailer under that warranty.

I’d also advise against using so-called TV repair kits, as more often than not, they won’t help fix a scratched TV screen.

Preventing Future Damage To Your Display

While getting your TV screen scratched is frustrating and can be expensive to fix, you can spend a lot less to reduce the chances of it getting scratched.

You can get tempered glasses for your TV on sites like Amazon irrespective of the size.

It’ll go a long way in keeping your display scratch-free and if it does get scratched up, you can just replace the tempered glass without worrying about the display.

When you wipe your TV screen, always use a clean microfibre cloth. Any small grains of dust or sand can easily scratch your display.

And finally, if you have kids or pets around the house, it’s advisable to mount the TV to a wall, ensuring that they can’t reach the TV but can still watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use petroleum jelly on a scratched display to fix it?

You can use petroleum jelly on older displays such as CRTs and LCDs provided they aren’t too damaged. However, don’t try it on LEDs and OLEDs or your risk damaging the entire display panel.

How do I apply a screen protector to my TV?

Depending on the size of the display, it might be a two-man job. Make sure to thoroughly wet and dry wipe your screen to make sure there is no dust before applying it. You can also request your local TV repair shop to install it for you.