How to clean your smartphone speaker

After using your smartphone for a while, the speaker can accumulate dust, lint, and other fine particles that are invisible to the naked eye. If left uncleaned for an extended period, it may produce distorted sound. However, before heading to a repair shop, you can try a few methods to clean your smartphone's speaker from the inside out.

Locate the speaker on your phone. iPhone speakers are typically found at the bottom left and right sides of the charging port. Samsung speakers are also located at the bottom but are usually confined to the left or right side of the charging port. The front speaker is almost always positioned at the top of the front face of the phone, where you usually place your ear to listen.

• Note other speaker positions, such as near the volume buttons or at the bottom of the front face of the phone.

Clean the speaker grille with a cotton swab. Gently twist the swab into the holes of the speaker. Continue this process until the dirt is gone. If the holes are large enough, press the cotton swab into each one. However, do not press too hard—just let the cotton tip enter the hole. Once the swab is inside, move the tip gently to the left and right.

Roll a small ball of clay and press it into the speaker holes. Take a 2.5 cm piece of sticky clay and shape it into a small ball. Keep rolling it until the clay becomes soft and easy to mold. Then, press it into the holes of the speaker. Apply moderate pressure so the clay enters the holes. Hold it for 2 to 3 seconds before pulling it out—you'll notice dirt stuck to the clay. Repeat until the speaker is free of dust.

Clean the speaker mesh of small speakers using a medium-sized toothbrush. Tilt the toothbrush toward the top or bottom of the phone. Hold it parallel to the top of the phone and brush in an up-and-down motion. Next, rotate the brush vertically (parallel to the side of the phone) and clean by brushing left and right.

Buy a can of compressed air. Compressed air cans are available from online distributors, electronics stores, and office supply shops. Test the can by pointing it down and pressing the nozzle. Feel the amount of air released with each spray.

Connect the suction tube to the nozzle for better precision. Screw the thin suction tube into the pneumatic nozzle. Then, point the nozzle downward and press to test the spray. Compressed air should blow out from the end of the suction tube.

• Make sure to tighten the suction tube if you notice any air leakage around the nozzle.
• Skip using the suction tube if you're comfortable with the air spray without it.

Blow 3 to 4 bursts of compressed air into the speaker's slot. Hold the nozzle or suction tube at least 1.3 cm away from the speaker hole. This will remove any remaining dirt that has been pressed into the speaker by a cotton swab.

• Don’t blow too close to the speaker; doing so may damage the internal components of your phone.
• If you're using the suction tube, hold it with your non-dominant hand to stabilize it while blowing air.

Remove the phone’s back cover using a suction cup and prying tool. Warm up the phone's frame for about 15 seconds with a blow dryer on a low heat setting. Next, attach the suction cup to the back. Place the screen face down and gently pull the suction cup handle towards you. At the same time, insert the flat end of the prying tool into the gap in the phone’s frame and pry it towards you. Continue prying the back cover as you pull the suction cup until the cover pops off.

• You can purchase prying tools at hardware stores; they have a flat, wide head and are used like a wedge.
• If it's hard to pry, try increasing the heat to soften the adhesive securing the back cover to the phone’s frame.
• For older, cheaper phone models, you can use your hands to remove the back cover. However, for newer, more expensive phones with glass backs, this method isn’t recommended.

Remove the metal casing and speaker components. Both the internal speaker and the phone's speaker are often secured by a metal casing. Unscrew the screws holding the casing in place using a #3 Phillips screwdriver and remove them. Then, gently pull the speaker out.

• If the speaker is difficult to remove, use a prying tool to gently pull it out.

Use a microfiber cloth infused with alcohol to clean the speaker. Dab a small amount of alcohol onto the cloth and gently rub it over the speaker grill until it's clean. For speaker slots, blow lightly from the outside, then dip a cotton swab into alcohol and gently clean the slots.

• You can also use a soft fabric or lint-free tissue, although they aren't very effective in picking up stubborn dust particles.
• Ensure the speaker grill and slots are dry before reinserting the speaker into the device.

Remove the additional back cover if you can't access the speaker. On certain phones, especially Samsung models, you may need to remove an extra back cover to reach the speaker's slots. These phones usually have an additional 10 to 13 screws, but the exact number may vary based on the model and manufacturer. Use a #3 Phillips screwdriver (10 cm) to unscrew the screws counterclockwise until they are loosened. Afterward, take off the extra back cover.

• If your phone has a plastic film over the screws, remove it.
• Once the back cover is off, you can clean both the speaker slots and the speaker. However, in some cases, you may only be able to clean the speaker slots.
• Reattach the back cover after cleaning the speaker and tighten the screws. Then, reassemble the metal casing and close the back cover.

• Cotton Swabs
• Sticky Putty
• Medium Bristle Toothbrush
• Compressed Air Can (with straw for precision)
• Suction Cup
• Spudger Tool
• #3 Phillips Screwdriver (10 cm)

• If the speaker still has issues after cleaning, take the phone to a repair shop.
• Each phone model comes with its own unique design, especially with newer releases. No matter the design, be careful not to damage any wires or connectors, and avoid doing anything you're not sure about. A working phone is always better than a dirty one!