How to Clean a Phone Speaker Safely

A quiet, crackly or muffled phone speaker is usually blocked, not broken. Water after rain or a swim, pocket lint and dust in the grille are the common causes. Here is how to clear each one safely, and how to tell when the speaker itself has failed.

By Ali Ahmad Updated 5 min read

The short answer

  • For water: play a low tone such as the 165 Hz speaker cleaner at full volume for 30 to 60 seconds, speaker facing down, then let the phone dry in open air.
  • For dust and lint: use a dry, soft toothbrush or a soft paintbrush, then a piece of putty or tape pressed lightly on the grille.
  • Never push in pins, needles or cotton buds, never blow hard with compressed air, and never use rice or heat. They push dirt deeper or damage the waterproof mesh.
  • If the sound stays distorted after cleaning and drying, the speaker or its seal is damaged and needs a repair shop.

Try it in your browser

Speaker CleanerPlay a low tone that pushes water and dust out of a phone speaker.

Why phone speakers get muffled

A phone speaker sits behind a tiny grille with a fine mesh that keeps water and dust out. That mesh is very good at its job, which is also the problem: anything it catches stays in front of the speaker and blocks the sound.

  • Water forms a film across the mesh after rain, a shower or a drop in water. Sound becomes quiet and bubbly. It usually clears on its own within a few hours, faster with a water eject tone.
  • Lint and dust pack into the grille from pockets and bags. Sound slowly gets duller over weeks and months.
  • Grease and dirt from hands and faces build up on the earpiece grille at the top, which is why calls get quiet before music does.
  • A case can cover part of the bottom speaker, especially cheap or badly cut ones.

How to get water out of a phone speaker

  1. Dry the outside. Wipe the phone with a soft cloth and remove the case.
  2. Play a low tone. Open the speaker cleaner, turn the volume to maximum and hold the phone with the speaker facing down. The 165 Hz tone makes the speaker cone move in large, slow strokes that push water through the mesh. You may see droplets come out.
  3. Repeat two or three times for 30 to 60 seconds each, with short breaks, until the sound is clear.
  4. Let it air dry. Leave the phone speaker-down on a dry cloth in a room with moving air for an hour or two. Do not charge it while the port is wet; most phones warn you if they detect liquid in the port.

Apple Watch and many Android phones have a similar built-in "water eject" or "water lock" feature that plays the same kind of tone. The browser tone works on any phone, tablet or laptop.

Skip the rice bowl. It does not pull water out faster than open air, and the dust and starch can end up in the ports. Avoid hair dryers and radiators too: heat can weaken the adhesive that seals the phone.

How to clean dust and lint from the speaker grille

Turn the phone off first, then work gently. The mesh is thin and tears easily.

  1. Brush. Use a clean, dry, soft toothbrush or a small soft paintbrush. Brush across the grille at an angle, so the dirt comes out rather than being pushed in. Hold the phone with the grille facing down.
  2. Lift. Press a small piece of blue-tack, putty or painter's tape lightly on the grille and peel it off. It picks up the dust the brush loosened. Do not press hard or leave it on.
  3. For grease on the earpiece, dampen (do not soak) the tip of a soft brush with a little isopropyl alcohol, 70% or stronger, brush lightly and let it dry for a few minutes.
  4. For the charging port, which often fills with lint on phones with bottom speakers, use a wooden or plastic toothpick very gently along the walls, never metal.

Things to avoid: pins, needles and SIM tools (they puncture the mesh), cotton buds (they leave fibers), compressed air at close range (it forces dirt and moisture past the seals) and any liquid sprayed on the phone.

Check the speaker after cleaning

Test what you fixed instead of guessing:

  • Play the sound test at medium and full volume. Listen for crackle or buzzing, which point to damage rather than dirt.
  • Use the stereo test. Many phones use the earpiece as a second speaker; if one side is much quieter, that grille is still blocked.
  • Record a short clip with the mic test and play it back. The microphone holes sit next to the speaker grille and often clog at the same time.

When cleaning will not fix it

Cleaning fixes blocked speakers. It cannot fix a speaker that is torn, corroded or disconnected. Signs that it is hardware:

  • Sound is distorted or rattles at every volume, even after a full day of drying.
  • One speaker is completely silent while the other works.
  • The problem started after a drop, or after the phone was in salt water or a pool for a long time.
  • Sound works through headphones and Bluetooth but not the speaker (if headphones also fail, it is more likely software: restart the phone and check the volume and Do Not Disturb settings).

Speaker modules are among the cheaper phone repairs, but water damage can spread to other parts, so have it looked at soon. If the phone is under warranty, do not open it yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Does the 165 Hz sound really remove water?
Yes, for water sitting on the speaker mesh. The low tone makes the speaker move in large strokes that push droplets out. It cannot remove water from inside the phone.
Is it safe to play the speaker cleaner at full volume?
Yes, for short runs of 30 to 60 seconds. Phone speakers are made to play loud. Stop if you hear rattling and let the phone dry first.
Should I put a wet phone in rice?
No. Rice does not dry a phone faster than open air and can leave dust in the ports. Apple and other makers advise against it.
Can I clean a speaker with a toothbrush?
Yes, a dry, soft toothbrush is one of the safest tools. Brush gently at an angle with the grille facing down.
Can I use alcohol to clean my phone speaker?
A little isopropyl alcohol on a brush tip is fine for grease on the outside of the grille. Never pour or spray liquid into the speaker.
Why is my phone speaker quiet only on calls?
Calls use the earpiece speaker at the top of the screen, which collects grease from your face. Clean that grille gently with a soft brush.