Keep it clean

Keep it clean

Anyone who has consistently read this blog will know that I don’t actually keep my photographic gear meticulously clean – you’ve seen the dust in the nooks and crannies and watermarks on the front elements of lenses. So you may be surprised to know that I recently cleaned a couple of batteries really well.



The truth is that I put a pair of trousers in the washing machine oblivious of the fact that there were two camera batteries in the back pockets. One of them emerged slightly discharged but definitely working, the other one – as you can see – fared slightly less well.

So I think I may have a new year’s resolution to take more care about checking my pockets before putting clothes in the wash. The good news is that I haven’t done anything on the ‘do not’ list on the side of the batteries: the washing machine ran at 40ᵒ Celsius. Well except that the shell has started to part on one end…



Keeping kit clean matters, though. I’m not convinced that keeping everything in a bag all the time is the best compromise between utility and care, but some people feel happier that way. Wrapping cameras and lenses in old, clean towels or even socks can be helpful. I also find that the original, fiery Listerine and a very clean, old and soft cotton handkerchief are good for the front lens element, and indeed any part of the camera that is a bit grubby. Q-Tips are good for nooks and crannies.



But when it comes to sensors, stick to the purpose-made stuff! Once you’ve seen it done, it’s remarkably simple to clean your own, but a little attention to the process helps avoid horrible mistakes. I use a LensPen device to removed stubborn bits of effluent from my sensors, but I always have to use cleaning mode on my mirrorless cameras. If I don’t do that, the sensor floats on the IS mechanism. I only use wet cleaning very, very occasionally – most of the item it’s just not necessary.



And my first line of attack is with a blower, because that’s often sufficient to remove anything that’s settled during a lens change. I won’t admit to ever blowing into the camera, because that would be a risky thing to do.