When you have one of the best webcams on the market, you want to keep it clean for multiple reasons. For example, learning how to clean a webcam lens will help extend the lifespan of your equipment. Regular cleaning will also provide visual clarity during calls so the other person can see you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- You should keep your webcam lens clean to avoid poor focus and low image quality. Regular cleaning will also ensure your equipment’s longevity.
- The first step in cleaning your webcam lens is to make sure it’s free of dust using a lens brush and then using a cleaner to clean it.
- You can clean the rest of your webcam using warm tap water and microfiber cleaning cloths, including parts like the mount.
Cleaning Your Webcam Lens
A dirty lens can cause all sorts of problems, especially if you have the camera we discuss in our Nikon D5500 review. For example, if you’ve recently been asking, “Why does my webcam go out of focus?” this article might help you solve the problem. It’s also important to clean it regularly so that you can extend the longevity of your webcam. You can learn more about how to extend the lifespan of your webcam by reading up on how webcams work.
Why is Keeping the Lens Clean so Important?
Keeping a webcam lens clean ensures that specks of dust don’t damage your lens, especially if you’re using the model in our Canon EOS 800D review. There are plenty of lens cleaning solutions on the market, so there’s no reason to neglect this critical part of maintenance. Cleaning a lens can also solve different problems, such as an inability to focus or a general cloudy view.
Insider Tip
A protective filter on your webcam lens glass will help you extend its longevity.
If your webcam still has problems, read up on how to fix a webcam so that you have some troubleshooting methods to try.
STEP 1 Gather Your Supplies
First, gather your materials. You’ll need a soft brush, lens cleaning tissues or microfiber cloth, and cleaning wipes. You can always buy a cleaning kit with these tools to make things easier. Remember, if you’re doing camera lens repair, you’ll need a set of specific tools and skills.
STEP 2 Brush Off Dust from the Surface
Take the soft brush and remove any dust particles collected on the lens surface. You’ll do this by gently wiping the lens brush across the glass. This will help prevent minor scratches in the lens coating.
STEP 3 Buff the Lens with a Cleaning Solution
Next, you’ll need your microfiber lens cloth. You can apply lens cleaners at this step to make sure the glass is clean. Use circular motions to buff the surface with cleaner gently. If you notice deep scratches, you can use scratch remover during this step to help get rid of them. For more help with lenses, check out our DSLR lens guide.
STEP 4 Wipe it Down with a Soft Cloth
Take your soft cloth and go over the glass one last time to make sure it’s totally dry and clean. Make sure you keep a tight grip on the lens barrel so that the webcam doesn’t slip around.
For more information on how your webcam works, you can look into how to check your webcam resolution.
Warning
Always check your lens for dust and debris, or you might damage it when cleaning.
STAT: During a 2018 survey, 51 percent of respondents stated they used webcam-based interviews as a research method. (source)
