DSLR Camera Cleaning Tips

Keeping camera equipment clean is something we all do. DSLRs are notoriously tricky to clean thanks to the many interchangeable lenses and hundreds of accessories. Follow these must-do tips and keep your camera at optimum performance.

Clean the Body

We sometimes forget that the camera body can pick up a lot of dirt too. Although less impactful on the overall performance, it’s important to keep the housing clean. Use a microfiber cloth of a dampened cloth with distilled water for the more persistent grime patches. 

Use a Blower

When cleaning the lens and the inside, hard to reach places of the camera body, blowing away the dirt, dust and sand is imperative and must be done before any other step. If you skip it, you could scratch the lens when using a cloth to clean it. Use a blower bulb to ensure all that grit is gone and NEVER use canned air – the pressure could damage components or push dust further inside the camera.

Keep the Mirror Clean

Inside the body, a DSLR has a mirror mechanism that is exposed to the elements every time you change the lens. Clean with a soft brush but be careful not to brush the dust and dirt into the camera. These are very delicate components to take extra care or hire a professional to clean it for you.

Don’t Forget the Image Sensor

If you see slightly blurry spots in your images, it could be because of dust on the image sensor. Some cameras have an in-built image sensor cleaning system, but if they don’t use a sensor brush or an image sensor cleaning kit to keep it in pristine condition.