In the previous article we learned how to identify sensor dust and now it is time for us to learn how to safely clean the camera sensor. To even have a chance to clean your camera sensor in the first place you need to have a camera with interchangeable lenses. The method of cleaning a camera sensor will depend on what type of dust or particles that have attached themselves to it. There are essentially four different ways of cleaning your sensor and we will discuss them all here, in-camera cleaning, air, dry and wet methods.

A strong word of caution! Cleaning your camera sensor using incorrect tools or methods may severly damaged your sensor. If your sensor is damaged, this will cause the camera to permanently stop working and you will need to buy a new camera. Do this at your own risk!

What you need

There are a few items to acquire when it comes to sensor cleaning so it can be done properly and in the safest manner possible. Purchase sensor brushes or swabs discussed in this article that matches your cameras sensor size. In other words do not use APC-S sized brushes or swabs on Full Frame sensors or vice versa, likewise do not use Micro Four Thirds swabs on APC-S or Full Frame sensors and vice versa.

Price estimates shown below are taken from amazon.co.uk at the time of writing this article, clicking the captions will take you to Amazon's site for that product.

LED Sensor Loupe (€22 - €35)

An  LED sensor loupe — An LED sensor loupe

Although this item could be skipped entirely, it will save you time during the cleaning process. Without the sensor loupe you will have to mount your lens back onto your camera, take a photo, download and review the photo as we learned in the previous article for any leftover dust. If you do however decide to purchase a loupe you can simply review the state of the sensor right away which will save you time, as you may need to make several passes over the camera sensor before it is clean.

I recommend you get a LED sensor loupe with a large magnification, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive one, just a good enough magnification for you to see the sensor properly.

Hurricane Blower (€3 - €17)

Ensure you get a good blower that has a built-in air filter. The air filter will ensure that there are no dust particles sucked in that is then blown out directly onto the sensor you are trying to clean, not get dirtier.

Some hurricane blowers also have a one-way valve which prevents air from getting in through the nozzle ensuring that no contaminated air is blow onto the sensor.

Sensor Brushes (€23 - €175)

Sensor brushes uses static electricity to lift the particles off the sensor. They can be used multiple times which makes them a wise investment as long as you keep them in their secure packing when not used so they do not get too contaminated. At the end of the day you want a sensor brush from a company that manufactures camera cleaning supplies, there is no need to get the priciest one out there.

While sensor brushes might look like a regular art brush but they are not. Art brushes are not made to clean sensitive electronics such as a sensor and may contain contaminants that will be transferred onto the sensor if used, unlike that of a sensor brush.

Sensor Swabs (€8 - €12)

Sensor swabs are small plastic sticks with a spatula on the end of them. The spatula is wrapped in ultra fine microfibre and is also flexible. The spatula at the end of the stick will be perfectly sized for the sensor you purchased them for.

Swabs can be used with the dry method as well as the wet method, however after each use you need to discard the swab after a single cleaning. So for the dry method cleaning I recommend going with a sensor brush instead.

Sensor cleaning fluid (€15 - €20)

30ml of sensor cleaning fluid can last a lifetime

Don't be fooled by the small container it comes in, sensor cleaning fluids is a high concentration of alcohol to ensure that any oil, grease or other contaminants that have ended up on your sensor can be wiped away with just a few swipes of a dampened sensor swab. Because of this all you really need is really only a drop or two on a swab to do the job.

This way a 30 ml bottle like the one in the image will last you a very long time.

You can usually find kits that include swabs, hurricane blower and cleaning fluid online.

Cleaning methods

Now that we know what we need, we are ready to start the cleaning process. You may have to go through all four cleaning methods before you sensor is perfectly clean and some methods you may have to repeat if the first pass didn’t give the desired result.

After each pass of cleaning use a LED sensor loupe or take reference photos to see if the sensor is clean or needs another pass.

Important! It is essential to have a fully charged battery in your camera before starting the cleaning.

In-camera cleaning

This type of cleaning is without risk and is accessible via the cameras menu options on the back. Depending on brand of camera this type of cleaning uses one of two methods to get the dust off the sensor. The camera will either shake or vibrate the sensor a little bit which will cause any dust or other particles to fall off the sensor. On Nikon you will find this option in the ‘Setup Menu > Clean image sensor’. In this menu you can choose to ‘Clean now’, you can also set if the camera should clean only on startup or shutdown or both or not at all.

Consult your cameras manual for a self-cleaning option if other than described above.

Air method

The air method is relatively easy and safe option works well for dust that doesn’t cling to the sensor for dear life. While really a dry method I decided to separate this out on it’s own as it may be all you need. For DSLR’s lock the mirror up for cleaning, on Nikon this is done by accessing the ‘Setup Menu > Lock mirror up for cleaning’.

Hold the camera so the lens mount is pointing downward so dust and particles can fall out of the camera. Then take the hurricane blower in your other hand, and blow air into the camera chamber and onto the sensor to essentially blowing the dust and other particles away. Try not to put the nozzle of the hurricane blower into the camera chamber as you risk scratching or in worst case, break the sensor glass.

Never use cans of compressed air as these usually contain propellants and other fluids or lubricants that can end up on you sensor making the situation a lot worse than it originally was.

Dry method

If there are still visible dust on the sensor, charge the sensor bush according to the instructions of the manufacturer, then lower the brush into the camera chamber and swipe the brush over the sensor one-way, lift the brush out of the camera chamber and clean the dust off as per the instructions of the manufacturer. If you use a sensor swab instead of a brush, lower the swab down onto the sensor, then with firm pressure swipe one-way over the sensor, then using the clean side of the swab swipe back the opposite way then discard the swab.

Sometimes the sensor brush will dislodge the dust particles enough so that another pass using the hurricane blower will suffice in blowing the remaining particles off the sensor.

Never touch the brush or swab head with your fingers or the sides of the camera chamber. The only thing these tools are meant to touch is the sensor. Touching the brush or swab head may transfer oil, grease or other particles onto the bush that then ends up on the sensor.

Wet method

Applying just enough pressure to ensure the swab can clean the sensor glass

You will need to use this method if you have gotten oil, grease or condensations drying spots on your sensor as none of the above methods will be able to clean these types of spots. The wet method involves taking a single sensor swab and adding 1-2 drops of cleaning fluid to it. You want to wet both sides of the swab but not as much so the swab drips, it should only be damp. If you use too much fluid leave the swab to dry a little, 15-20 seconds should do it before using it on the camera sensor.

Lower the dampened swab into the camera chamber and in one fluent motion swipe one-way over the sensor applying firm pressure. Using the clean side of the swab, swipe back the other way in one fluent motion. Lift the swab out of the camera chamber and discard it.

If it is your first cleaning I recommend applying less pressure and use a couple of more swabs, you will quickly get the hang of how much pressure you should apply.

Never use the same swab more than once and always follow the manufacturers recommendations. Do not wiggle the swab around when you swipe across the sensor, if you bought the correct size swab it will cover the entire sensor surface perfectly. If the swab happened to be to wet and left streaks on the sensor use a new dry swab to soak up any left-over fluid.

The takeaway

By using the correct tools and techniques you can clean your camera sensor with ease and do it safely. The key is to have a steady hand and whatever you do, never ever, rush this process as it will increase the risk for failure or damaging your camera beyond repair. This is something you should undertake when you have plenty of time.

If you absolutely do not wish to undertake such a cleaning process yourself, I recommend going to a local camera store that performs maintenance or sending the camera to the manufacturer. The upside is, should they break the camera they need to replace it. If they do not offer that kind of service then walk away.

The downside of this is that it will cost you a lot of money. I cleaned my old Nikon D70s once, and after that I done all my cleaning by myself. That one single clean (and this was years and years ago), cost me around €50 which now probably would mean around €70-€80. Add shipping costs to this if you are in a location where you do not have local facilities that provide this type of maintenance, not to mention, you will be without a camera for the duration.

How often you clean the sensor is a matter of personal taste, I clean my sensor when it starts to cost me more time to do spot removal in Lightroom, or in other words; when I get so frustrated of doing spot removal I start banging my head against the desk.

I hope this series have been informative and your have a better idea of how to maintain and keep your camera sensor fresh and dust free.
Until next time thanks for reading and keep those sensor recording the next great photo!

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Sensor dust Pt.2