How To Clean The Phone Camera Lens?

what can i use to clean my camera lens?

have you ever gone to take a photo of your dinner, a beautiful landscape or your pet and the photo is blurry and not sharp? it might be time to give your phone camera lens a clean. while cleaning the lens with your t-shirt may help temporarily, there are better things to do to keep your camera in tip-top shape and we'll detail them down below.

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. here are some of our suggestions for keeping your camera lens clean

microfiber cloth

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.

lens wipe

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.

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.

to clean your camera lens, follow these steps:

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. note: do not use facial tissues. facial tissues have a rough texture and will scratch your lens.
4. gently rub the dampened cloth or tissue on the lens, moving counter clockwise.
5. with a dry lens cleaning cloth, gently dry the damp areas of the lens.
6. repeat until the lens is clean.

note: you should be able to purchase lens cleaning fluid, lens cleaning cloths, and lens cleaning tissues at most electronics and camera stores.

without a lens cleaning kit

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. this is actually a good thing; the lens is probably mounted in a delicate mechanism which can at least focus the lens and may also provide optical stabilization, so it shouldn’t be touched. the phone manufacturer provides the window to protect the lens, and also to keep dirt and water out of the phone.

the phone window can get fingerprints and other crud on it, so it may need cleaning. the fact that it’s flat and probably quite hard (e.g. made of sapphire) makes it more resistant to damage than the lens itself would be. 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.

but, mostly, i keep my fingers away from that corner of the phone, and the window seldom needs cleaning. 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.

• there’s no need for a lens cleaning kit for smartphones.
• 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.
• done.

microfiber cloth, cotton cloth like a shirt, etc.

• microfiber cloth, cotton cloth like a shirt, etc.
• nearly any soft fabric will work well enough...only real danger is if it has sand or some shit on it.
• i have always used a shirt on all my phone's lenses and screens and they have been fine so far
• same here. they really aren't all that fragile. not much to worry about.
• for glasses, camera lenses, phone cameras, electronics (ipad, phone screens, etc.) just keep a little spray bottle of 50% alcohol 50% distilled water (walgreens for all supplies) and a microfiber cloth. spray on cloth, wipe object.
• 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.
• 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.

what not to use when cleaning your camera lens

we don't want you to damage your camera lens either so we've noted down what you should not use when cleaning

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.

common mistakes

avoid these three common mistakes, or you may end up with dirtier (or worse, damaged) lenses.

pitfall #1 - cleaning lens glass with water

water contains minerals such fluoride and chlorine which can be harmful to glass and may leave residues. hard water (water with a high mineral concentration) could even leave micro scratches on lenses.

pitfall #2 – cleaning lenses with clothes

avoid using clothes to clean camera lenses, there's a chance that the fibres can create micro-scratches.

some say that if the item of clothing contains 100% cotton, then it's ok. we disagree. we say don't chance it. stick to microfibre cloths or tissues, their fibres are specifically designed for camera lenses.

pitfall #3 - blowing lenses with your mouth

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. why create extra work for yourself?

apply cleaning fluid to cloth

to wipe a camera lens, you can use either a microfibre lens cloth or lens cleaning wipes. both have pros and cons.

• lens cleaning wipes are cheap, have pre-applied cleaning fluid, and are disposable. although affordable, over time the cost of replacements will likely add up to more than a microfibre cloth.
• 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.
• 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.

wipe the lens

the final step is to wipe the lens. this will clean it of any smears/smudges not removed by the blower and brush.

start in the centre and move towards the edge in a circular motion. that way, if any dirt remains, it won't be in the middle of the lens.

rubbing alcohol and glasses cleaner

this question seems to split hair amongst photographers, but the answer is yes. rubbing alcohol, aka isopropyl-alcohol, can be used to clean your camera lenses.

most camera lens cleaning solutions contain isopropyl-alcohol, so there's a low risk of causing damage by using it.

to be extra safe, only use rubbing alcohol with a high percentage of purity. the purer the alcohol, the less additive ingredients which can contaminate lenses. 95% purity is a good benchmark.

this one comes down to personal preference. you can use glasses lens cleaner for camera lenses… but the question is, do you really want to?

most camera lenses have an optical coating of magnesium fluoride and/or silicon monoxide to help with light transmission. these are scratch-resistant, but glasses cleaner isn't designed with them in mind.

play it safe, damaging lens coating can have a big impact on images. stick to camera lens cleaner or high purity rubbing alcohol!