Can harm be done to my plasma from whitewashing it 2 - 3 times a day?

Question

My wife and I have a 50" Plasma TV that we have owned for about 1 1/2 years. We use the Plasma to watch tv, blu rays, and to play PS3 on. I normally whitewash the tv after every gaming session which is at least once to two times a day, and I also whitewash the tv after we watch a movie that is in wide screen. All in all I whitewash the tv about an average of 2 to 3 times a day and on the weekends or on the evenings that my wife goes to class after work the tv can gets whitewashed maybe 4 to 5 times a day. Can any harm come to our tv from me constantly whitewashing it?

Answer 1

Yes. In effect you shorten the lifetime brightness of your TV.  Of course, a plasma is normally rated for about 20 years for half-brightness, but a white wash 4-5 times a day is extreme. Expect the TV to go "dimmer" (lose its peak brightness) much faster if you continue this practice.