# Will silicone spray lubricant damage my camera lens? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326 "2014-01-09T01:14:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326/1 "2014-01-09T01:14:35Z")
I’ve got a Canon point and shoot camera with a zoom lens. It’s got a lens protecting shutter (I’m not sure what it’s actually called) that no longer closes when the the zoom lens retracts after turning it off. Could I shoot some silicone spray into a small cup and carefully brush some onto the shutter in order to fix this problem? Or will the silicone spray lubricant damage the lens coating? In other words, I don’t plan on blasting the lens with silicone spray, but carefully and selectively apply it. I guess I can bring it to my local camera shop but they kind of creep me out and typically charge a fortune for any service. In any case, any suggestions for resolving this problem would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326/2 "2014-01-09T01:20:14Z")
How about spraying it on a q-tip or the corner of a lint free cloth and just applying it where it needs to go. I have no idea if it would damage the lens (or sensor), but I think it be a pain to get it off the glass without leaving streaks…the solvent you end up using to clean it might end up causing the problems. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326/3 "2014-01-09T01:35:38Z")
I would search for your model number and “stuck lens cover” Some of these are relatively easy to repair yourself - and you may be able to find easy step by step instructions. For example: > **[Do It Yourself Digital Camera Repair](http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/11/repair-of-stuck-lens-covers.html)** > > A stuck automatic lens cover is a fairly common problem, but it is normally easy to fix. A single grain of sand jamming the cover mechanism ... As you probably know - sometimes models are part of a family - if your model is similar, but a different number than a very popular model - you might search for that one too if you get no luck under your model. I wouldn’t try the lube thing until I tried a couple other things first (compressed air & hair dryer) - after I looked for the lens repair thing. ETA: also I read my link more carefully - and it seems to have good advice that would apply to lots of different models. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326/4 "2014-01-09T01:42:32Z")
If you can do it without getting ANY on the lens, go for it (with a q-tip). But bear in mind that if you solve this problem, the silicone may eventually spread to the lens itself, which could be problematic. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326/5 "2014-01-09T02:44:44Z")
That’s a dust/sand issue. Don’t add to the problem, carefully blow it out with canned air. Short bursts, don’t let the can get to where it feels cold in your hand, _at all_. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326/6 "2014-01-09T03:58:17Z")
NEVER put a wet lube near a lens - the results of it migrating onto the glass is too great. Blow it out or take it to a camera shop with a repair facility. I would not even put graphite near a lens - they are coated with material to reduce whatever it is that caused manufacturers to switch to coated lens in the 50’s - this is why they appear blue/purple. Don’t mess with the coating. Unless you want some interesting “ghosts” and color aberrations. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-silicone-spray-lubricant-damage-my-camera-lens/678326/7 "2014-01-09T05:56:06Z")
I wouldn’t put silicone spray near a lens.