Dust on iPhone 5 camera lens, how can I get it off?

[iMore Question]

Dust on iPhone 5 camera lens

My iPhone 5 has a lot of dust on the camera lens, so when I take photos it has 10+ black semitransparent circular spots spread across the image. I already took it to the genius bar and they told me it'll cost about $100 to replace the lens, since my phone is no longer under warranty. So yeah, the top suggestion "take it to genius bar for replacement" won't work here...

I've already googled and came across that CNET how-to video on how to flip open the screen and clean the lens. I was wondering if:

1) Anyone tried following this tutorial, and did it work? I'm particularly worried about the step on opening the screen, because the screen is fragile and it looked like it was very difficult to get it to open. Suction cups aren't exactly gentle things to use either
2) Anyone know other methods of getting rid of the dust? I saw a post on another forum about simply repeatedly (and rather gentling) banging the phone on a semi-cushioned surface (like a stack of paper on a desk). This won't remove the dust of course but at least it places it in a corner so it's not visible in photos. I've tried this already and it hasn't worked... yet

 

[Ledsteplin]

Re: Dust on iPhone 5 camera lens

Maybe it's time to upgrade. I use the 5. I'll upgrade in September. If upgrading is not an option, you could take it to a reputable repair shop. They won't charge as much as Apple. It doesn't seem like that would be an expensive fix.

 

[iEd]

Re: Dust on iPhone 5 camera lens

Time for a new phone.


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