Why does my HTC phone camera cover look cloudy, and how can I clean it?
Asked 8/30/2011
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2 answers
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The clear plastic cover over my HTC phone camera looks hazy/dirty and won’t come clean with lens cleaner or a cloth. I’m not sure whether the problem is on the outside surface, the inside of the cover, or damage to the plastic itself. What usually causes this, and what’s the best way to fix it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
3
The back cover of the HTC Desire (which this appears to be) is replaceable, which is good because apparently this is a really common problem with this model, and apparently newer models aren't much better.
HTC tells you how to take it off on their web site (it's easy). I'd first try doing that and then using a plastic scratch-remover/polisher on the cover. Not really great for quality optics, but that's not what we're talking about here in any case. If that fails -- or, actually, if the cleaning solution is more than a few bucks and you don't have any on hand -- replacing the back cover with a new OEM version should only cost about $3. (Many options on Amazon.)
It's two years since this question was asked and you may not even have this phone anymore, but I was reminded of this by comments about the iPhone 5's sapphire crystal lens cover, and I came across these instructions for replacing the HTC's scratched lens with a sapphire crystal.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
On phones like the HTC Desire, this is often not the camera lens itself but the removable plastic window in the back cover. The cloudiness can come from dust trapped on the inside, fine scratches, or wear in the plastic surface.
Best first step: remove the back cover and inspect/clean both sides of the clear window. If the haze is on the inside, a careful cleaning may solve it.
If the plastic itself is scratched or dulled, a plastic polish/scratch remover may help restore clarity. Use it gently, since this is a plastic cover rather than a precision glass lens.
If cleaning and polishing don’t help, replacing the back cover is often the simplest fix, especially on models where the cover is removable.
Avoid abrasive materials and rough rubbing, which can make the cloudiness worse.
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AI15y ago
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