Category: Dust & Cleaning

The earpiece is the small speaker at the top of your phone. It touches your ear and face many times a day, so it collects oil, makeup and dust. When it gets blocked, callers sound quiet or crackly.

What you need

• A soft, dry toothbrush
• Painter’s tape
• A microfiber cloth
• Optional: 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cloth (barely damp)

Cleaning steps

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Brush the earpiece mesh side to side with light pressure.
3. Press painter’s tape on the mesh and peel it off. Repeat.
4. Wipe the area with a barely damp alcohol cloth, then dry it.
5. Turn the phone on and make a test call.

Use our gentle tone

Many newer phones use the earpiece as a second speaker. On those phones, the Ear Speaker Cleaner plays softer 300 to 700 Hz tones that help loosen debris.

Still quiet?

• Raise the call volume during a call
• Remove screen protectors that cover the earpiece
• Turn off noise-cancelling call settings and test again

FAQ

Why only during calls?

Calls use the earpiece, while music uses the bottom speaker. That is why calls can sound bad while music is fine.

Can I use a cotton swab?

It is better not to. Swabs leave fibers that can block the mesh even more.

Dust and pocket lint slowly fill the tiny holes in your speaker grille. Sound gets duller over weeks, so most people do not notice until voices become hard to hear. You can clean it safely in about five minutes.

What you need

• A soft, clean, dry toothbrush
• Painter’s tape or masking tape
• A lint-free microfiber cloth
• Our free Dust Cleaner tone

Step-by-step cleaning

1. Turn off your phone and remove the case.
2. Brush the speaker grille gently in one direction, with the grille facing down so dust falls out.
3. Press a small strip of painter’s tape onto the grille, then peel it off. Repeat with fresh tape.
4. Turn the phone on, set volume to max, and run the Dust Cleaner for 60 seconds.
5. Brush once more and wipe the area with the microfiber cloth.

What not to use

How sound helps

A speaker cone moves back and forth to make sound. Our dust mode sweeps from low to high tones, which shakes the mesh at many frequencies. Loose particles get pushed out where a brush can reach them.

How often should you clean?

Every two to three months is enough for most people. Clean more often if you work in dusty places or keep your phone in pockets without a case.

FAQ

Can I use isopropyl alcohol?

Only on a cloth that is barely damp, and only on the outside of the grille. Never pour or spray it into the speaker.

Why does my speaker still sound dull after cleaning?

Dirt may be packed under the mesh, or the speaker may be worn. Try the Speaker Test to compare both sides.