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How to clean your iPhone speakers

When it comes to caring for your iPhone, following Apple’s advice is best. Sometimes, however, sanctioned methods don’t get the job done

Clean your iphone speakers using a toothpick
Image: iDeviceHelp / YouTube

Unless it’s brand new out of the box, your iPhone is probably filthy. We notice the obvious issues, like when our screens get smudged, but your speakers could be chock-full of treasure, and you may not realize until symptoms arise.

If your iPhone’s sound is distorted or barely audible, and you’ve performed all other troubleshooting, your speakers may require cleaning.

Luckily, you can carry out the task yourself using a few simple tools found around the house. Here we’ll discuss three methods you can use to clean your iPhone speakers.

Apple’s advice for cleaning iPhone speakers

When it comes to cleaning your iPhone, Apple suggests using “a small, soft-bristled brush” that’s both clean and dry. The company also offers additional general cleaning advice:

  • Don’t use compressed air
  • Don’t use cleaning products
  • Don’t allow moisture inside any of the openings
  • Unplug your iPhone and switch it off before cleaning

With so many don’ts, finding an effective way to clean an extra-filthy set of iPhone speakers is a challenge. But you do have several viable options.

Clean your iPhone speakers using a soft-bristled brush

Clean your iphone speakers using a soft-bristled brush
Image: iDeviceHelp / YouTube

Ideally, you should try Apple’s official suggestion first. Any soft-bristled brush should do the trick as long as the bristles fit easily into the speaker holes.

When using this method, you should brush across the speaker grills, ensuring that the bristles are making contact with the dirty areas, and continue the process for as long as necessary. If you’re using a soft brush as Apple suggests, you can generally clean quite thoroughly without doing any damage.

With a little effort and a lot of patience, you should be able to remove a lot of grit and grime using the suggested method. If, however, your iPhone speakers are overflowing with serious filth, you may need to try a different technique.

Clean your iPhone speakers using a sticky substance

Clean your iphone speakers using a sticky substance
Image: ITJungles / YouTube

One of the simplest ways to clean your iPhone speakers is by using something sticky, such as Blu-Tack or specialized cleaning putty.

Once you have your substance of choice, all you need to do is break off an appropriate portion, push it gently into the speaker grills, and pull it out again. You can collect a lot of lint using this method, and repeating the process may be necessary for a thorough cleanout.

If using Blu-Tack to clean your expensive iPhone seems tacky, you can purchase specialized putty designed for cleaning electronics. Some sellers also offer full detailing kits that include brushes, cloths, and other useful tools.

Clean your iPhone speakers using a toothpick

Clean your iphone speakers using a toothpick
Image: iDeviceHelp / YouTube

When using the toothpick method, you should proceed with caution. Apple doesn’t endorse this technique, and reckless use of a sharp instrument could damage your device. With that said, sometimes stubborn dirt requires a keener removal tool.

If you choose to use a toothpick to clean your iPhone speakers, you should only insert the tip shallowly into the hole. Forcing it in too far could damage internal components—and you don’t want that.

Additionally, moving the tip of the toothpick around in a circular motion can help scrape gunk of the walls of your speaker holes.

Try Apple’s official iPhone cleaning advice first

When it comes to caring for your iPhone, following Apple’s advice is best. Sometimes, however, sanctioned methods don’t get the job done, and we must utilize other solutions.

If you’re sensible during the cleaning process, you should be able to clean your device without doing any damage. If, however, you’re not a sensible person, you should probably stick to Apple’s official recommendations.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Matt is an Australian writer with a degree in creative and critical writing. Prior to commencing his studies, he worked in tech support and gained valuable insights into technology and its users. He is also an editor and author coach at Dean Publishing.

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