"Speaker cleaner" is often used as a general term covering more than one specific tool. On this site it splits into two distinct tools built around two different physical problems.
| Water Eject | Dust Cleaner | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Water trapped in the speaker mesh | Light dust, lint or sand near the grille |
| Tone type | Low, pulsing frequency | Sweeping frequency range |
| Why that tone | Low frequencies move more air and displace liquid effectively | A moving frequency vibrates across resonances, useful for shaking loose solid particles |
| Typical trigger | Recent splash, rain, or submersion | Gradual muffling with no water involved |
When to Use Water Eject
If the muffled or crackly sound started right after your device got wet, Water Eject is the right first tool. Wipe off surface water, hold the speaker facing down, and run the cycle.
When to Use Dust Cleaner
If sound has gradually gotten duller over time with no water involved, or you can see dust or lint in the grille, Dust Cleaner is the better starting point.
What If You're Not Sure Which Applies?
Use the Muffled Sound option in the tool selector on our homepage -- it asks a couple of quick questions and points you to the right tool. You can also just try Water Eject if there was any recent moisture exposure, since running it doesn't cause harm even if the cause turns out to be dust instead.
After Either Tool
Use Speaker Test to confirm whether sound actually improved, rather than relying on memory of how it sounded before.