How to Clean a Camera Lens

How long has it been since you cleaned your camera lens? Dirty lenses can significantly bring down the quality of your images.

If you notice that your pictures have smudges, dust, or other imperfections, it might be time to give those puppies a good clean.

Do you want to know how to clean a camera lens? Keep reading!

Cleaning a Camera Lens: The Tools

First, you need to gather the right tools for the job. Regardless of the camera, whether you have a smartphone, a DSLR, or a SWIR camera, gentleness is crucial.

That means choosing tools that are safe and soft.

Start by gathering:

• Lens blower
• Lens brush
• Lens cloth
• Lens cleaner

All of these will gently clean your lenses without risking scratching your optics.

Whatever you do, don’t spray any cleaner directly on the lens, blow on it yourself, or use abrasive cloths. These will either leave streaks, scratches, or saliva.

Camera Lens Cleaning Guide

Now on to the fun part, the cleaning! You’ve gathered your materials and are ready to get the job done.

First, use the air blower to remove the majority of the dust. You will notice that most of the debris will easily come off. However, if you have any remaining dirt on there, it is time to move on to step #2.

You can use a clean makeup brush for this step, as long as it is soft-bristled. Please stay away from horsehair brushes since they can still be too coarse. The brush will clean off the lens from the remaining dust and dirt.

Once these two steps are done, you can consider using a cleaning agent. As mentioned before, don’t spray the lens directly; it can leave streaks, ruin the lens, and waste a lot of product.  The cleaning agent will eliminate any smudges or smears left on the lens.

Make sure you use a soft cloth to dry off any remaining cleaning agent. Start from the outside, and work your way in with circular motions.

Camera Lens Cleaning: Top Tips

To check if your camera has a dirty lens, take a photo of a plain surface. You can do that with both a light and dark surface to identify different types of debris.

Many professionals advise not to clean the lens too often to reduce the risk of scratching it. On top of that, they also recommend that you use cleaners specifically designed for lenses. For example, avoid using glass cleaners, bleach and ammonia-based products, or toothbrushes.

All of these cleaning agents can damage the less beyond repair.

How to Clean a Camera Lens: Get Started Today

Checking this “how to clean a camera lens” guide can potentially save your expensive photography paraphernalia. So keep it close on your next cleaning day!

Do you know other photographers that can benefit from this cleaning guide? Please share it with your friends and family, or check out some of our other interesting articles!