Our iPhones are our babies! We carry them everywhere with us: to the bathroom, to work, to the gym. So it’s only right to expect them to get a bit dirty every once in a while. The body of an iPhone is pretty straightforward to clean; you just wipe it with a microfibre cloth. However, to clean your iphone speaker and microphone takes more.

While iPhones are pretty durable, the microphones and speakers — positioned on the front, bottom, and back of an iPhone — are still somewhat delicate so cleaning these areas requires different tools.

Apple’s recommendation for cleaning iPhone speakers is simply to “clear the debris.” Unfortunately, it’s a little imprecise. Luckily, we’re here to show you precisely how to clean out iPhone speakers, so you’ll know exactly how to tackle this assignment.

How To Clean Iphone Speaker

 

Get your iPhone ready before you start

There’s a couple of things you should do before initiating the deep cleaning of any part of your iPhone:

• Take it out of its case
• Remove the screen protector
• Turn off your phone

Clean your iPhone first

Before you start cleaning your speakers, consider cleaning all facades of your iPhone to get rid of any dirt and grime. 

• With a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth like a lens cloth (or microfiber cloth), wipe all the surfaces of your iPhone, don’t forget the backside
• If your phone is still pretty dirty, dampen the fabric with a bit of warm soapy water; give it one more go.
• Once you’re done wiping it down with the cloth, let the phone air dry.

Find your iPhone speakers

You’ll need to locate the three speakers and microphones on your iPhone. Each one is capped by an alloy grille that prevents dirt from getting inside your iPhone. Unfortunately, it also does an outstanding job of allowing said dirt to build upon the outside.

The first speaker is located in the front of your iPhone, next to the FaceTime camera. The next one is at the bottom of your iPhone (circular holes). Lastly, the third one is located next to the camera on the back. You should regularly clean each of these speakers and microphones to make sure they keep performing optimally.

Use a soft-bristled brush

Gently brush the speakers with a soft-bristled brush (this could be a toothbrush or a paintbrush) — just make sure whatever brush you use is dry and clean. If you opt for a paintbrush, consider trimming the bristles down to a more concise length for more control.

Rub the dirt out with a clean, dry toothbrush.

When cleaning out the speaker or microphone, scrub the debris to the edge, then flick it out until clean. It may take quite a bit of work to loosen up dried debris, but keep at it and remember to be gentle.

Use painter’s tape

Masking tape (or painter’s tape) is designed to eliminate residue on surfaces, making it an excellent tool for removing stubborn dirt from your iPhone speaker or microphone. But remember, you still want to be gentle. You don’t want any of that adhesive material to get stuck in your speaker; it might make matters worse.

Painter’s tape is excellent for removing the dirt in awkward, unreachable crevices. First, roll a tiny piece of tape into a tight cylinder (sticky side out), then press it into the speaker or microphone grille to collect the dirt. If there’s any dirt, change it for a clean piece to avoid putting the dirt back in the speaker.

Use a toothpick

Toothpicks are helpful tools in the fight against debris stuck in iPhone speakers. But as with everything else, remember to be gentle, ensuring you don’t push too hard against the sensitive components.

Use the pointy side of the toothpick to gently scrape the speaker’s surface, drawing any dirt to the edges where you can pluck it out. You should be able to chip away most dried bits of dirt with the toothpick. Be careful not to let the toothpick splinter off. You risk creating more mess on your speakers.

Remember to be extra careful when adding liquids to your iPhone’s cleaning process, as it’s very easy for fluids to get behind the grille and damage your phone.

Use compressed air 

When used correctly, compressed air is an excellent tool against clogged iPhones. 

Compressed air (or spray dusters) is an excellent tool for keeping your devices clean, particularly hard-to-reach places like MacBook fans or underneath a keyboard. That being said, if used carelessly, compressed air can be damaging to your iPhone speaker or microphone. In fact, Apple recommends against using compressed air entirely. But if it comes down to it, you have our word to give it a try.

The reason behind Apple’s counterintuitive recommendation is that compressed air is oddly powerful. That said, it can break the moving parts inside speakers or microphones and cause irreparable damage to your iPhone. In fact, many users have used compressed air carelessly and found that their speakers or microphones ceased to work entirely afterward.

However, if you read the instructions on the bottle or used these air cans, use it from an appropriate distance. We advise a minimum length of 6″. Spray in the air at an angle instead of straight into the speaker.

NOTE: Loose dirt may shoot into the air, so you should cover your eyes for this method. 

Takeaway

Cleaning the surfaces of your iPhone and cleaning the interior components such as the speakers and microphone are two different things. We hope one of these methods works for you and your iBuddy!