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Want better pictures from your smartphone? Clean up!

There is a really simple way to get better pictures from your smartphone. All you need is a piece of fabric.

Seamus Byrne Editor, Australia & Asia
Seamus Byrne is CNET's Editor for Australia and Asia. At other times he'll be found messing with apps, watching TV, building LEGO, and rolling dice. Preferably all at the same time.
Seamus Byrne
Watch this: Want better camera phone pictures? Clean up!

There is a really simple way to get better pictures from your smartphone. All you need is a piece of fabric.

A simple, super quick tip, but one that will help you get much better pictures from the camera on your beloved smartphone.

People often complain smartphones deliver pictures that are a little soft, or just seem to lack crisp colours they'd expect elsewhere. The one big thing you can do to help is to give the camera lens a wipe before you take a picture.

Real cameras come with lens covers for a reason — getting smudges and smears on a lens instantly reduces image quality. A quick wipe with any cloth you have handy, or preferably a microfibre cloth like you'd use for glasses, and your smartphone will absolutely take a better picture.

Real cameras still rule, but that's no reason not to get the best picture you can when you do use your smartphone.