A speaker grille, also known as a speaker grill, is usually placed over a speaker driver to protect the speaker from harm. The primary purpose of a speaker grill is the prevention of the entrance of dust and foreign particles. It is placed over the speaker but allows the sound to come out without any distortion. If you already have a speaker, a question may arise in your mind, how to clean a speaker grille?
Speaker grille is an essential part of your speaker. It protects the speaker from any direct contact or the contact of any foreign objects. If no speaker grille is mounted over a speaker, no one can expect good longevity. Though speaker grills protect and cover your speaker drivers, they can become dirty by dust accumulation or might become rusty and stained.
So, it is always very important to keep your speaker grills clean. I will share some effective tips about how you can clean your speaker grille.
What Is A Speaker Grille?
A speaker grille is the part of a speaker that protects and covers the sensitive drivers and other speaker components of a speaker. In other words, it is the front cover that is mounted over the speaker cabinet. An ideal speaker grille should be acoustically transparent besides protecting the speaker. This term “Acoustically Transparent” means the sound will come out through the grille without any blockage or alteration.
How To Clean A Speaker Grille?
The shape of a speaker grille depends on the body of the speaker cabinet, but the types of speaker grille are based on the material used and its removal.
Types of speaker grille according to the material used-
- Hard Speaker Grilles
- Soft Speaker Grilles
Speaker grilles according to removal-
- Removable speaker grilles
- Non-removable speaker grilles
According to the absence or presence of covering-
- Speaker grilles with cloth or foam covering
- Speaker grille without covering
Soft Speaker Grille-
Cloth, weaving, foam, stitching and other soft materials are commonly used to make soft speaker grills. Soft speaker grills have very little resistance to the speaker driver because soft grills move with the vibrations and have more vibration absorbing capability.
Soft grills are less susceptible to jingling if they are not exposed to a very high-frequency sound. Soft grills allow a better sound to come out, but they have lesser protecting capability and might get torn and harm the speaker.
Hard Speaker Grille-
Hard grills are often made from plastic, wood or metal. Solid material will not allow the sound to come out clearly. So, manufacturers create tiny holes all over the grill. Hard grills can not move like soft ones. If there is more hole on the grill, there will be lesser sound resistance.
Hard grills are strong and give a better level of protection than the softer ones. Sound will be distorted if there are too many grill materials in front of the speaker driver.
Removable Speaker Grills-
Removable speaker grills are top-rated due to their easy handling. If you are going to clean your speaker grill, you will want a removable speaker grill. Removable speaker grills are easy to clean without putting any pressure on the other speaker parts.
To remove the grill from the speaker, always put very light pressure on the grill. You might end up damaging this if you use a higher pressure.
Fixed Speaker Grills-
Some speakers have fixed speaker grills that are not meant to be detached. You can’t clean the inner part of a speaker grill if it is fixed with the speaker cabinet. Contact the manufacturer if your fixed speaker grill is really dirty.
Covered Speaker Grills-
Cloth or foam-covered speaker grills are a good option for your home stereo speaker. The sound is decent, and it is easy to clean and gives more protection from dust and humidity because of the cloth.
Speaker Grills Without Covering-
This speaker grill is the hard ones. Have a lesser amount of resistance to dust and water. No sound distortion if there are enough tiny holes present.
When Should You Clean Your Speaker Grills?
It would help if you cleaned your speaker grills-
- Your speaker grill is very dusty, and the dust gets loose when you play a sound.
- If it is dirty and stained.
- If the sound clarity is changed.
- If it is in the same spot for a long period, it has accumulated massive dust.
- If it is aesthetically unsatisfactory.
Which Type Cleaning Brushes You Can Use
However, there are many types of cleaning brushes that you can use to clean a speaker grille. Some common types of cleaning brushes include:
- soft cloths,
- steel wool pads,
- and horsehair bristles
Choosing an appropriate cleaning brush for the type of surface you are cleaning is essential. For example, you can use steel wool pads on metal surfaces, while soft cloths are best on sensitive fabrics. Cleaning the speaker grille is also essential to keep it in good condition. This cleanning task can be tedious, but it is necessary to do it properly to keep your audio system functioning optimally.
Cleaning the speaker grille is also essential to keep it in good condition. Cleaning the speaker grille can be tedious, but it is necessary to do it properly to keep your audio system functioning optimally.
Clean A Speaker Grille Cloth-
Manufacturers use cloth or foam on the speaker grille for decoration and dust protection. Eventually, the speaker grille clothes become dirty and need cleaning. Most of the clothes are mounted in front of the grille on a frame. You can easily remove the cloth from the frame and easily clean it.
Attach a soft brush to your vacuum cleaner hose and gently vacuum the external surface of the speaker grille cloth. The brush will help you make the stubborn specks of dust loose, and the vacuum will clean the dust. If you are done with vacuum cleaning, wipe the speaker grille cloth with a dry cloth piece.
Use a pet hair roller or a rolling lint to remove a larger piece of debris and stubborn pet hair. If there is any stain on the speaker grille cloth, gently rub the stained area with a cloth soaked in mild detergent solution. Do not permit the water to go to the other speaker parts. Attach the speaker grill on the speaker after the cloth is completely dry.
Steps To Clean A Speaker Grille-
If you do not know how your speaker grill is attached to the speaker cabinet, you need to be careful while cleaning and handling the speaker grills. Sometimes, the speaker grill might be permanently linked with the cabinet and not meant to be removed. If you are not sure about these, contact your speaker manufacturer for a better solution. Step By Step Cleaning Of Speaker Grille- Follow these below steps to clean your speaker grills-
Step 1. –
Unplug your speaker’s power cable from the power socket. Remove the speaker grills if it is removable. Sometimes speaker grills are attached to the cabinet with multiple screws on the grill corners. If there is the presence of screws, remove them and detach the grill from the cabinet. If there is a rubber gasket in between the grill and the cabinet, carefully remove the grill without damaging the gasket.
Step 2. –
Now place the speaker grill on a clean and flat surface. Use a dust brush attached vacuum hose to clean the grill. The brush will help you to loosen the dust, and the vacuum will remove the loose dust. Avoid using a very powerful vacuum, and do not take the hose very close to the grill. Use your finger if your vacuum has no dust brush attachment.
Step 3. –
if the speaker grill has sticky sludge or dirt, use a 100% cotton cloth or microfiber towel. Mix mild detergent in warm water and wet the cloth or towel in it. Remove excess water and then clean the dirt using a circular motion scrubbing. Take another towel and soak it in clean water. Rinse the area using this wet towel and let the grille dry.
Step 4. –
If your speaker grill is removable and made from plastic or metal, clean both external and internal surfaces by wetting a sponge in a mild detergent solution. Then rinse the grill under clean water and dry it using a soft cotton cloth or a microfiber towel.
Step 5. –
When you are done with proper cleaning and drying, put the speaker grille back to the speaker carefully. If the grill had any screws removed, do not forget to replace them.
How To Clean Your Phone’s Speaker Grille The Professional Way
Using a lint-free cloth and some mild soap, clean the speaker grille thoroughly. Be sure to use circular motions rather than rubbing in a straight line, as this will help avoid any dirt or debris from being dislodged and onto the screen.
- Firstly, turn off your phone and disconnect the battery if it’s not already divorced.
- Secondly, take a cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol and clean the grille area around the speaker using short, quick strokes in a circular pattern. Be sure to get under any lines or indentations on either side of the grille.
- And finally, wipe down any residual alcohol with a dry cloth or paper towel, reconnect your battery and turn on your phone.
Conclusion
Speaker grille is a vital part of a speaker. Besides giving protection to the speaker, it also helps to produce a better sound. Though it protects the speaker from dust, it eventually becomes dirty.
You need to know how to clean a speaker grille adequately to prevent any kind of malfunction. If you have a speaker and the speaker grill needs cleaning, I hope you can adequately clean your speaker grill after reading this article.
FAQs-
Let us know the answers to some frequently asked questions related to speaker grille cleaning-
1.How Do You Clean A Non-removable Speaker Grill?
If your speaker grill is non-removable, clean it using a lint roller. If a lint roller is not available, use a compressed air can to clean your non-removable speaker grill.
2.What Does Apple Clean Speakers With?
Apple cleans speakers with AirSquares Cleaning Putty. This is specially designed to get the dust and dirt out of iPhone speakers and apple earbuds. They do not use an air blower.
3.How Do I Protect My Sun Speakers?
You can protect your sun speaker using a speaker cover, or you can place the speaker under shade or facing an open window. An open window will allow the sound to go outside, and you can still hear it.
4.Can You Ruin Speakers?
Yes, you can ruin speakers if you play the music to a maximum volume all the time. If the electricity is unstable, the speaker might get ruined. Clean the speaker regularly, or you might end up ruining your speaker.