Cleaning your camera, much like cleaning the oven or your car, might be one of those jobs that you just put off and put off, until it gets desperate and you wish you'd done it earlier! As with all cleaning tasks, doing them regularly on a rota can mean a lot less stress in the long run, and help prevent a build-up of dust and grime that can lead to spots appearing on your photos due to dust and grime on your camera sensor or lens.

Cleaning your camera can be quite a therapeutic task to undertake on a day when you're stuck indoors.

One image can change us.

A picture, a moment can change the way we feel. Change how we see ourselves. Change our understanding and change the rules. Provoke and change history.

MPB puts photo and video kit into more hands, more sustainably. Every month, visual storytellers sell more than 20,000 cameras and lenses to MPB. Choose used and get affordable access to kit that doesn’t cost the earth. Sell the kit you’re not using to MPB. Trade in for the kit you need to create. Buy used, spend less and get more. Buy. Sell. Trade. Create.

Kit recommendations

Caring for your camera doesn't have to be difficult – there are a few key pieces of kit you'll need to be able to do the job fully. You can purchase complete camera cleaning kits for as little as £6 on Amazon, as a basic starter kit you could do with the following:

• Lens cloths
• Cleaning spray for stubborn marks
• Blower for dust
• Soft-bristled brush
• Lenspen
• Cleaning wipes
• Cotton gloves – to minimise grease marks

Cleaning your lenses

Keeping your glass clean is key to avoid that all too common problem of dust becoming visible in your shots. Is that a UFO?! No, it's more likely to be a renegade dust spot that's built up over time. Giving lenses a quick once over when you get home can stop this happening.

• Always use lens caps – Lenses are provided with caps front and back for a reason – to stop dust landing on the glass. You should immediately replace caps as soon as you take a lens off. If you've been using a lens in the cold, let it come back to room temperature before packing it away to avoid moisture getting trapped from any condensation.
• Blow away the cobwebs – Use a blower on the front and back elements to get rid of loose dust.
• Stubborn marks? Use a Lenspen – The lens pen has a special curved surface, coated in soft non abrasive material. Rub this gently on the lens – if there are still marks, try breathing on it and then rubbing it again. Lenspens are versatile and can be used on compact camera lenses right up to wide-angle DSLR lenses so you shouldn't need more than one.

Cleaning the sensor

The sensor can be slightly trickier to clean – you need to be careful that you don't scratch the surface or introduce new dust while it's exposed. Again, keeping a cap over the sensor when there's no lens attached is the best way to avoid it getting really dusty.

Invest in a Loupe kit – A Loupe attaches to the front of your camera and provides a clear and magnified view of the sensor with lighting, so you cen see exactly what you're doing. There's a gap in the side so you can use a swab or soft brush while it's attached. A loupe kit costs around £45 but it's the quickest and simplest way to safely clean a sensor.

We covered a video tutorial put together by our friends over at COOPH last year, showing you how to care for your camera, check it out below: -

Cleaning the outer camera

This bit's fairly simple – using a wet wipe should get rid of any grime that's built up. Gently using a wooden toothpick or cotton bud can help to lift out any stubborn grains of sand or dirt caught in the join lines.

More content to keep you busy

Had enough of cleaning? Check out these other ideas to occupy your time: 

• Buff Up Your Photography Knowledge During Lockdown
• Ultimate Guide To Indoor Photography 
• 10 Great DIY Photography Projects To Get Stuck Into At Home