Quick & Easy Ways to Clean Your Front-Facing Camera Lens

Taking the perfect selfie is almost an art these days, so it's a bummer when your front-facing camera lens is blurry, dusty, or greasy. If your front-facing camera phone is ultra dirty, you may need to clean the interior as well. If you're not confident about opening your phone up, take it to an electronics repair shop. This wikiHow article teaches you how to clean your front-facing camera lens with expert tips from phone repair specialist Gonzalo Martinez and freelance photographer Cory Ryan.

Quickly Clean a Front Phone Camera

Use compressed air to blow away any excess dust.
Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away any smudges.
Use a microlens cleaning pen to clean the lens and glass cover.
Use a lens cleaner solution to remove stubborn grime.
Take it to a phone repair shop if you need to open your phone.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning the Outer Lens

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1
Blast away dust with compressed air. Hold the canister at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) away from the front-facing lens and give it a good spray. Spray it at a diagonal angle in small, quick bursts so you're not blowing dust deeper into the grooves around the edge of the camera.^{[1]
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- Never shake the canister before using it because it could liquify some of the air inside.
- Some manufacturers (including Apple) don’t recommend spraying any part of your phone with compressed air.^{[2]
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  Research source} If you're wary, take it to a retailer and have them clean it.
2
Use the corner of a lint-free cloth to clean the outside of the lens. Martinez explains that a dry lint-free or microfiber cloth is usually good enough to clean your phone's camera lenses. However, he also notes that you might need something a little heavier if there's gunk on it.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Gonzalo Martinez
Phone Repair Specialist

Expert Interview}
- While a microfiber cloth, like the kind that comes with a pair of glasses, works best, any lint-free cloth will do. However, Ryan says that you should never use a paper towel to clean the lens.^{[4]
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  Cory Ryan
  Freelance Photographer
  
  Expert Interview}
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3
Use lens cleaner to clean any stubborn grime. For a grimy camera lens, Martinez says you can apply a very small amount of cleaner, or even a small amount of water, to a lint-free cloth, then use it to scrub away any excess grime on the front of your phone. "Avoid spraying things on the device. Apply to the cloth, and then clean the device," he says.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Gonzalo Martinez
Phone Repair Specialist

Expert Interview}
- Ryan adds that if you don't have a lens or glasses cleaning spray, you can also use lens-cleaning wipes.^{[6]
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  Cory Ryan
  Freelance Photographer
  
  Expert Interview}
- Don’t use standard wet wipes. They contain softeners that can make your lens even smudgier.^{[7]
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- If you don’t want to purchase a dedicated lens cleaner solution, you can use a mix of 50% distilled water and 50% isopropyl alcohol (70%) and apply it to a microfiber cloth.
4
Wipe the lens or outer glass clean with a microlens cleaning pen. Pop the cap on the lens cleaning pen and gently rub the tip against the glass that covers the actual lens on your front-facing camera. If you have a phone with the actual lens exposed, you can apply it directly to the lens. Work in small circles around the lens first and then wipe through the center. This will remove any remaining dust.^{[8]
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- You can buy a microlens cleaning pen online or at most electronics stores.
- The tip of the brush is coated in a carbon compound that gets oils and dust off the lens.
5
Take your phone to the repair shop to clean the interior of the lens. Look up the nearest phone repair shop. Inquire about having the interior of your phone cleaned.^{[9]
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- If your phone is still under warranty, contact the point of sale to see if they can clean and repair it.
- If you’re feeling brave, you can open it up yourself. Just know that there are a lot of sensitive parts in there that could get damaged.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Keeping Your Selfie Camera Clean

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1
Don’t touch the lens with your fingers. Be careful not to touch the lens or front cover with your fingers because it’ll leave behind smudges and skin oils. Hold it with your fingers to the sides and never wipe the lens cover clean with your finger (even if you’ve just washed your hands!).^{[10]
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- Consider sticking a pop-up phone holder on the back of your phone so it’s easier to hold—it’ll keep your fingers far away from the lens cover.
2
Get a phone case that has a camera covering. Shop online to find a case that has a movable camera covering. They’re intended for privacy purposes, but they’ll also keep the lens coverings on the front and back of your phone clean. When you’re ready to take a picture, all you have to do is slide the lens cover to the side.^{[11]
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- If you have an Android or other model, you may be able to find a slidable camera cover that sticks onto the front of your phone.
3
Place your phone face-up on clean surfaces only. When you set your phone down anywhere, place it face-up so the front-facing lens isn’t at risk of picking up dirt or debris. Don’t put it on a dirty countertop or on the ground because that’s just asking for dust and dirt to get stuck in the lens cover.
- Of course, this won’t protect the lens from dust particles that are falling from the air, but it’s better than putting it right on top of a pile of dirt or dust.
4
Store your phone in a special pocket in your pants or purse. Designate a special area for your phone when you’re on the go. Don’t just toss it into your bag or pants pocket with other items like change, tissues, or cash. That way, you’re not exposing your phone to lots of dirt and lint.^{[12]
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- If you carry a purse, consider lining one of the interior pockets with a small plastic baggie so your phone is fully protected.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cleaning the Interior Lens

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1
Unscrew the screws at the base of your phone with a screwdriver. Turn your phone upside down to where the charging port is and locate the two little screws on either side of it. Insert a P2 pentalobe screwdriver into one of the screw’s top grooves and twist it to the left to loosen it up and remove it. Do this again to take out the second screw. They’re tiny, so don’t do this over a carpet or other surface where you might lose the screws if they fall off your workstation.^{[13]
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- It's best to do this on a white table or over a white piece of paper so it's easier to keep track of the screws.
- If you have an Android phone, you’ll need to flip it over, take out the battery, and unscrew the 6 screws holding the back plate in place. They’re located at the four corners of the phone and on the long sides near the middle.
- To make sure you have the right tools, you may want to purchase a phone and electronics repair kit.
Warning: Opening your phone can be risky, and will almost always void your warranty. If you have any doubts about being able to open it up and put it back together properly, take it to a repair shop instead.
If you have a heat plate, turn it to about 90°F and place your phone on the heat plate face down. If you don’t have a heat plate, you can use a hair dryer and blow along the edges of the screen to loosen the adhesive.^{[14]
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Use a thin tool to cut through the adhesive. Ideally, you should use something thin and plastic, like a spudger or a guitar pick. Go along the edges and cut through the adhesive while gradually prying the top cover loose. You may need a very thin tool to start with. Once you start making progress, you can switch to a thicker tool.
- Take your time during this stage. You don’t want to damage the screen.
- If the adhesive is being stubborn, you can apply more heat to loosen it. You can also apply a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol through a thin straw.
- Once you remove the front case, try to remove as much of the old glue as possible.
4
Use suction cups to lift the front cover. Place a suction cup on the front of the phone and another on the back. Grasp the suction cups with each hand and gently pull them apart to slightly separate the front and back of your phone. Don't pull them apart completely because there may be wires inside (usually near one of the corners) that need to stay connected.^{[15]
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- Certain models don't allow the backing to fully come off, so if you feel resistance at one of the corners, simply turn the uplifted backing of your phone to the side.
- You’ll probably need to use a combination of heat, spudger, and suction cup to remove the front case.
5
Clean the lens and the glass protector with a microlens cleaning pen. Run the tip of the brush pen around the perimeter of the lens and then wipe the center. Do the same for the glass case in front of the camera. Spin the brush around while you rub it to make it nice and clean.^{[16]
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- You can buy micro cleaning pens online or at most electronic supply stores.
6
Blow dust away with compressed air. Spray the lens and the glass lens covering with compressed air in short, small bursts. Angle the straw-like end of the air compressor so you're not blasting it straight on but at a diagonal (45-degree) angle.^{[17]
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- While you may be used to shaking spray canisters, don't shake it before you spray it. Shaking it up could cause the air to come out as a liquid and that's definitely not what you want near the insides of your phone!
Use a bottle of crafting glue, such as B6000, B7000, or E8000, and go along the edges of the bottom case. Apply just a thin layer of glue, being careful not to get any on the camera.
8
Fold the camera back into place and reassemble your phone. Use your finger to flip the little camera cube back into place. Place the two sides of your phone back together and press down along the corners and edges until you feel or hear the pieces click together.^{[18]
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- Be very gentle when you push down on the edges—don't smack them together because it could damage the chips inside or the tiny lipped fasteners that hold your phone together.
- Use a cloth to wipe away any excess glue that squeezes out from the seams. If you use tissue paper, the glue may tear apart the tissue, causing it to get stuck to your phone.^{[19]
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9
Reinsert the screws and tighten them with a pentalobe screwdriver. Carefully pick up each screw and, one by one, reinsert them into the holes near the base of your phone on either side of the charging port. Once you have the screw in place, insert the tip of the screwdriver into the top grooves and turn it to the right until it's nice and tight. Repeat this for the other screw.^{[20]
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- The screws are really tiny, so it helps if you have a pentalobe screwdriver with a magnetic tip so you can easily pick them up and put them in place.

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Phone cases and lens covers can be pricey, so shop around on second-hand sites like Craigslist or eBay to save some money.

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Warnings

When your phone is open, don’t mess with any other parts—you don’t want to risk your phone malfunctioning for the sake of cleaning your camera.

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Never spray your skin with compressed air because it could cause burning or irritation (kind of like frostbite).^{[21]
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