Many people only take care of their TV when a line, a stain, or a strange blackout appears, but the damage often comes from everyday habits that seem harmless. Here are three very common actions that, without you performing it, may be shortening the life of your screen.

1. You box it in and cut off its airflow. Sticking the TV to the wall without enough space, putting it in a closed cabinet, or covering the rear vents with decorations sounds normal, but the result is the same: heat builds up. The extra heat is not only uncomfortable, it also accelerates the wear and tear of internal components, because electronics suffer when they operate above their ideal temperature. Furthermore, dust is a silent accomplice, as it accumulates in air inlets and outlets and worsens ventilation. Overheating guides emphasize that a typical cause is a lack of airflow and that it's best to avoid enclosing the TV or blocking vents. What to do without going crazy. 2. You clean the screen with chemicals or too vigorously. This is a common mistake in homes and offices: treating the screen as if it were a window. Samsung recommends not using window cleaner, soap, abrasive powders, wax, or cleaners with solvents such as alcohol, benzene, ammonia, or acetone. They also warn against using abrasive materials like paper towels or pads, as these can scratch the screen or remove the anti-reflective coating, causing permanent damage. Another common mistake is spraying liquid directly onto the panel. The recommendation is to avoid spraying water directly onto the TV. And yes, pressing hard to remove a stain can make things worse, as the screens are fragile and could be damaged if you apply too much pressure while cleaning. What to do instead: 3. You cut the power abruptly and forget about power surges. Unplugging the TV every day, using cheap power strips, or assuming that power dips don't affect it is another ticking time bomb. Power surges and fluctuations are among the causes of internal failures, as these devices need a stable voltage to function correctly. These events can affect components such as the power supply and other circuits, and can be caused by lightning, faulty wiring, or an unstable power grid.Diagnostic guides following a voltage spike warn that a surge can affect the power supply and also damage internal boards, even through connected devices. And if you have an OLED TV, there's an important detail: LG points out that burn-in can occur due to prolonged static images, and that features like Pixel Cleaning or Pixel Refresher exist to help with the problem. LG also indicates that the process can take at least an hour and that the TV must be turned off but with the power cord connected, which clashes with the habit of always unplugging it. Furthermore, it has been warned that cutting the power prevents the TV from running automatic standby processes that help reduce image retention or ghosting, and that this can contribute to permanent damage to OLED TVs over time. What to do without complications: If you tell me the brand, model, and whether it's OLED or LED, I'll tailor these tips to your situation and tell you which of the three actions is the most dangerous for your setup.