How To Clean A Projector Lens In A Right Way? – [Step By Step Guide]
In this guide, you will learn How To Clean a Projector Lens in the easiest way without damaging or scratching it, and What to prevent during the cleaning process.
A projector’s lens must be cleaned in order to get desired colors, brightness, blacks, and sharpness, like a projectorís screen, the lens is also vulnerable to dust and fingerprints. After some time dust accumulates on the lens even if your projector has a lens cap.
Periodical maintenance will provide you the best visual experience. The cleaning of the projectorís screen is not rocket science just you need to follow some steps carefully to get your work done.
Letís start cleaning;
Things we need for cleaning:
- A blower or compressed air box.
- Lens cleaner brush.
- Microfiber cloth.
- Lens cleaner spray.
- Pair of gloves.
- A mask.
How To Clean a Projector Lens-Step by Step Guide
Since we are going to do proper cleaning, we have to clean its inside and outside lens. Make sure to wear a pair of gloves and a mask if you have a dust allergy.
How To Clean The Outside Lens of The Projector?
#1. Powered of the projector for at least 40 minutes, so that lens becomes cool.
#2. Once the lens becomes at room temperature, spray compressed air gently to remove the dust particles.
#3. Take a lens cleaner brush and clean the remaining dust from the lens, make sure to move the brush in a circular motion.
#4. Spray a lens cleaner on the microfiber cloth and gently move on the lens in a circular motion to remove excessive fingerprints.
The external lens of your projector is cleaned now.
How To Clean The Inside Lens of The Projector?
#1. Powered of the projector for at least 40-50 minutes.
#2. Once the lens and inner parts become cool, find out the access to the inner mechanism of the projector. The different projector has different mechanisms to access the inner lens make sure to check out the user manual first.
#3. Take a blower or a box of compressed air and gently remove the dust from the lens.
#4. Take a lens cleaner brush and wipe out the remaining dust from the lens; again you have to move the brush in a circular motion. You can use a lens cleaner and microfiber cloth, if your lens is too dirty, I didnít use it yet because there are no fingerprints, etc.
The internal lens of your projector is cleaned now.
Tips To Prevent Your Projectorís Lens From Dust
- Make sure to place the projector in a clean place.
- Take off the lens cap only if you are using the projector.
- Keep cover the projector with a soft cloth, when you are on vacation or your maid is going to do the cleaning.
- Keep your projector away from AC, Air conditioners sometimes below dust.
- Donít touch the lens; keep away your kids from the projector.
- If your projector is mounted make sure to check there is no exhaust or ventilation to get dust.
- Use an air purifier near to the projector, this will settle down the dust particles.
When Should I Clean My Projectorís Lens?
There is no hard and fast rule; you can clean it when you feel the picture quality of your projector becomes muted. Generally, the lens needs less cleaning because no one is trying to touch the lens, however, if your room is more vulnerable to dust then the lens needs more frequent cleaning.
It is best to place your projector in a clean place where it doesnít need frequent cleaning.
Checkout projector filter cleaning, and projector screen cleaning as well
Things should avoid doing projectorís lens cleaning
- Donít use a high-pressure blower, keep using a normal pressure blower gently, Quick bursts may damage the lens.
- Donít use scratchy clothes like tea shirts, and other kinds of Scratchy clothes will ruin the lens of your projector
- Donít use breath, acidity of breath may damage the coating of your lens.
- Donít use inflammable spray, inflammable gas may ignite if the lamp of the projector is hot.
- Donít use an ordinary brush. Ordinary brushes are hard; they may damage the surface of the lens with scratches.
- Donít use water on the lens. Water may leave a permanent stain on the lens.
- Donít rub the lens in a horizontal direction.
- Donít use alcoholic or cheap cleaners; cheap cleaners will also ruin the coating of your lens.
Things Should Be Done During The Cleaning
- Keep use a normal pressure blower with a short burst to clean the lens properly.
- Use a microfiber cloth.
- Keep wiping the lens in a circular motion.
- Use certified lens cleaners.
- Use a lens cleaning brush to pro-log the life of the lens.
How Do Dust And Other Particles Affect The Image Quality?
Dust particles and finger spots generally affect the brightness, sharpness, and sometimes colors of the projector. Keep in mind small amount of dust will not cause a huge decrease in performance, donít over-clean your projector.
As per our experiments, LCD projectors are performed well even with an adequate amount of dust on the lens, however, you have to clean its vents, if the vents of LCD projectors blocked the inner mechanism will heat up and may cause huge damage.
On the other hand, DLP projectors will not perform well with an adequate amount of dust on the lens. They need extra protection.
Wrapping up
Like the projectorís screen and filter, the inner lens and outer lens of the projector also need cleaning when it becomes dusty and performs less than its capabilities.
Make sure to follow the steps properly, lens cleaning is not rocket science; just you have to follow the steps carefully because the lens is a sensitive and most important part of the projector.
