How To Clean Camera Phone Lens?

Microfibre Cloths and Lens Wipes

Like our phone screen, our phone camera also goes through a lot of trapped dust, dirt and grease from everyday daily use. It’s vital to clean your camera lens regularly to keep it in great condition and to take great photos on your phone.

• Microfiber cloths are an easy and cheap way to clean your camera lens.
• You may already have one if you wear glasses.
• Make sure it’s clean and gently wipe your lens in a circular motion to get rid of any fingerprints.
• I just use a microfiber cloth, the same type you use to clean the screen.
• I use an eye glasses cleaning cloth (not the wet cleaning towelettes) but any micro fiber cloth would do.
• A dry cloth is best for your phone’s camera lens, but if there are some tougher bits of dirt on your phone, lightly dampen the microfibre cloth and use that.

If your camera lens is greasy or too dirty just use a microfiber cloth and opt for a lens wipe. You can buy these for glasses and other optical products for relatively cheap and can give your camera a smear-free clean finish.

Lens wipe (moistened alcohol type wipes), pretend you’re “sweeping” the lens. You want to brush any dust off, and use the other side to wipe again, so you don’t possibly grind dirt or dust onto the surface.

Lens Cleaning Cloth, Fluid, and Water

When cleaning the lens on your camera, use a lens cleaning cloth or lens cleaning tissues, and lens cleaning fluid or water.

1. Power on your camera. The lens pops out and opens.
2. Add a few drops of lens cleaning fluid or water to a lens cleaning cloth or lens cleaning tissue.
3. Gently rub the dampened cloth or tissue on the lens, moving counter clockwise.
4. With a dry lens cleaning cloth, gently dry the damp areas of the lens.
5. Repeat until the lens is clean.

Note: do not use facial tissues. Facial tissues have a rough texture and will scratch your lens.

For glasses, camera lenses, phone cameras, electronics (iPad, phone screens, etc.) just keep a little spray bottle of 50% alcohol 50% distilled water and a microfiber cloth. Spray on cloth, wipe object.

You’ll also need lens cleaning fluid to use with your microfibre cloth. It comes in either spray or liquid form, and you should always apply it to the cloth to avoid damaging the lens. Lens cleaning solution will leave no smears or smudges and can be used sparingly. Apply a couple of sprays or drops and you’re good to wipe.

Dust, Dirt, and the Camera Surface

Soft brush

If your camera is filled with dust then using a cleaning brush or clean soft makeup brush will brush away any loose dust or sand.

Camera window

With the average phone, you can’t get at the camera’s lens at all. The external surface that faces the world is a flat window that the camera lens looks through, not the lens itself.

Protection

The phone manufacturer provides the window to protect the lens, and also to keep dirt and water out of the phone.

Fingerprints and crud

The phone window can get fingerprints and other crud on it, so it may need cleaning.

Use the cloth to carefully go around the camera lens, wiping its surface delicately without pressure. This will allow the cloth to remove the dust that may be ruining your photos, without scratching the glass.

If I needed to clean the camera window on my phone, I would use a q-tip and 100% isopropyl alcohol if I was near home or work. Without those, I might use a q-tip and clean water, or even my shirt and clean water.

Just get a couple of clean q-tips, a bit of water and wipe any gunk off the lens with it. Use the clean end (or the other q-tip) to wipe off any residue.

I can tell if the window is dirty or not by reflecting light from the surface of the camera window and looking for crud on the surface. If the window is clean, I leave it alone.

Materials Not to Use

• Household glass cleaner & harsh chemicals
• Regular window and glass cleaners you can buy at the supermarket are too harsh for your delicate camera lens.
• Stay clear of these and use products designed for lenses.
• Rough cloths and paper towels
• They make look soft for some cloths, paper towels and tissues are rough and can even scratch your camera lens.
• These can also shed and leave your lens dirtier and dustier than before.
• Regular wet wipes
• While we recommended lens wipes, don’t use regular wet wipes as these can smear and often contain softeners that can make your lens even more greasy.
• Use wipes only designed for camera lenses.

Don’t use any harsh alcohol or chemicals to clean your smartphone as they can harm either the glass screen or the camera lens. Even those designed to clean your windows at home.

Don’t reach for the nearest thing like a piece of kitchen roll or your jumper sleeve, either, the rough textures of the materials could scratch your phone screen or camera lens. Instead, use a dry cloth and opt for no solution - this way you’re not at risk of harming your phone.

Avoid using clothes to clean camera lenses, there’s a chance that the fibres can create micro-scratches. Stick to microfibre cloths or tissues, their fibres are specifically designed for camera lenses.

Cleaning Motion and Careful Handling

1. Start in the centre and move towards the edge in a circular motion.
2. That way, if any dirt remains, it won’t be in the middle of the lens.
3. Keep holding the lens at a downward angle and try not to touch the brush bristles.
4. Use the cloth to carefully go around the camera lens, wiping its surface delicately without pressure.

Microfiber cloths are an easy and cheap way to clean your camera lens. Make sure it’s clean and gently wipe your lens in a circular motion to get rid of any fingerprints.

Lens cleaning wipes are cheap, have pre-applied cleaning fluid, and are disposable. Microfibre cloth is a one-off expense as it can be reused, but over time can become less effective with wear and tear. The cloth itself will need cleaning now and again, and make sure to give it a shake every time before you use it. This will help remove any potential dust and dirt.

Blowing on your lens won’t damage it, but we’re against it unless you don’t have your blower or brush at hand. It’s plain and simple. You may get spots of saliva on your lens, further dirtying it.

Phone and Camera Maintenance

You’re best off cleaning your phone while it’s switched off. Turn it off and remove your phone case and accessories. Use the microfibre cloth to wipe down the surfaces of your phone, allowing it to pick up any dust or dirt trapped on the screen and back panel.

• Try to shape the cloth into those harder-to-reach places like between the side buttons, in the ear speaker and the charging port.
• Compressed air is another new popular option for cleaning your phone’s charging ports or speakers.
• It provides a bit of pressure to those stuck bits of dirt without using anything too harsh that could damage them.
• Regular maintenance of your phone is another way to ensure it has longevity and stays clean.
• Opting to clean your phone and camera lens every week stops any dirt and dust from building up and prolongs your phone’s lifespan.
• Wipe your phone case and any other accessories down with the microfiber cloth before putting your clean phone back into it.

It can be tempting to invest in throwaway, single-use screen wipes that have become popular in supermarkets. Instead, stick with a microfibre cloth. Not only are they reusable and able to be used to clean other gadgets and surfaces, but they’re designed to pick up bits of dust and dirt with ease.