How to Clean Speakers

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The complete guide to safely cleaning home, car stereo, and electronics speakers

Co-authored by Mitch Harris

Last Updated: April 17, 2024 References

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Cleaning Different Types of Speakers

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Home Stereo Speakers

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Video

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Things You'll Need

ARTICLE

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Speakers accumulate dust and dirt just like everything else in your home. Clean a home stereo speaker by removing the front grill and carefully dusting off the speaker’s cone. Then, clean the grill with a lint roller or wet wipes to prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt and keep your speakers looking fresh and clean! Use common household items to clean other types of speakers, such as those on small electronic devices like smartphones and laptops.

Things You Should Know

Clean laptop speakers with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Short bursts of compressed air are great for loosening dust and debris from any speaker.
Use a slightly damp microfiber cloth to remove tougher grime from speaker surfaces.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning Different Types of Speakers

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1
Use cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol to clean the gunk off of laptop speakers. Turn off and disconnect your laptop from power sources including the battery. Wet a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and gently wipe the speakers clean.^{[1]
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- Some laptops may require you to unscrew the outer case to expose the speakers.
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Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean lint and dust out of phone speakers. Gently brush the speaker on your smartphone with a clean dry toothbrush. Stroke the brush away from the speaker so that you don’t push debris further in.^{[2]
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- Don’t use water or liquid cleaning products to clean out your smartphone’s speaker or you could damage the speaker.
- Don’t use compressed air because the pressure could be too strong and damage your smartphone.
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Use a dry lint-free cloth or barely damp cloth to wipe smart speakers clean. Wipe down the whole smart speaker with a clean microfiber or other lint-free cloth. Dampen the cloth and wring out all excess water, then wipe down the speaker again if there is still gunk on the speaker.^{[4]
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- Don’t use household cleaners, compressed air, or any kind of spray cleaner to clean smart speakers.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Home Stereo Speakers

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Turn off the speaker and disconnect it from any power sources. Switch the power to off if the speaker has an on/off switch. Unplug any power cords from electrical outlets.^{[5]
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- If your speaker has those red and black cables that connect it to the back of a sound system, then press down the levers where they are connected and pull the wires out.
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Remove the grill from the front of the speaker if possible. Many grills simply pry off of the front of the speaker. Use a thin flat object to gently pry it off and set it aside on a flat surface to clean at the end.^{[7]
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- Some grills may be connected with screws, in which case you will need to remove them with a screwdriver.
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Blow off any loose dust and dirt from the speaker with a can of air. Hold the can of air completely level so that no chemicals spray out. Press the trigger to blow dust and dirt off of the front of the speaker and out of any cracks.^{[8]
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- Make sure to use a can of air that specifically says it is for cleaning electronics.
- Don’t hold the can upside down or sideways, or chemicals can spray out and get into your speaker.
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Wipe away loose dust and dirt with a soft brush if you don't have canned air. Use a soft-bristled paintbrush or makeup brush to dust of the speaker cone and all exposed parts of the speaker. Be very careful when you brush the cone because they are delicate.^{[9]
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- Make sure that if you use a makeup brush it is clean and has not been used for makeup!
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Wet a microfiber cloth with water. Hold a microfiber cloth under clean running water until it is soaked. Wring it out as much as you can until no more water squeezes out of it.^{[10]
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- If the cloth is dripping, then it is too wet. Wring out all the excess water until it is just barely damp.
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Wipe down the entire speaker and cone with the damp microfiber cloth. Gently wipe all exposed surfaces of the speaker with the damp cloth to remove any remaining dust and dirt. Wipe down the outsides of the speaker box as well.^{[11]
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- Speaker cones can be very delicate, so be careful to apply just enough pressure to wipe away any dust and dirt, or you might indent the speaker cone.
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Dry off any excess water with a dry microfiber cloth. Wipe over all the areas you cleaned with a dry clean cloth. Use just enough pressure to wipe up any drops of water.^{[12]
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- Make sure to use a microfiber cloth. Regular fabrics will just leave lint behind on the speaker.
- If you don’t have a second microfiber cloth, then just let the speaker air dry.
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Roll a lint roller over the grill to remove dust and dirt if it is fabric. Peel off the first layer of the lint roller to expose a fresh adhesive piece. Roll the lint roller from top to bottom or side to side until you have covered the whole surface area of the grill.^{[13]
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- Depending how big the speaker grill is, or how dirty it is, you may need to use more fresh adhesive layers of the lint roller. Peel off the dirty adhesive if it seems like it isn’t picking up any more dust.
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Wipe the grill clean with a wet wipe if it is metal or plastic. Use a wet wipe designed for wiping up dust or cleaning electronics. Wipe off all the dirt and dust from the grill and let it air dry.^{[14]
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- You can get wet wipes for cleaning electronics at an electronics shop, or special dusting wipes in the cleaning aisle of a supermarket.