TL;DR
Take the battery out before you touch a cordless drill with a rag or an air nozzle, then clean it dry: air through the vents, a brush on the chuck, and a barely damp wipe on the housing only. Liquid inside a motor housing or a switch is what kills these tools.
Battery out, every single time
Pull the battery pack before any cleaning. A cordless drill has no cord to unplug, so the battery is the disconnect, and a trigger bumped mid-clean can spin a chuck against your fingers.
On a corded drill, unplug it at the wall and confirm the cord is out of the socket rather than resting near it.
Set the battery aside on a dry surface. Do not clean the pack with anything wet, and never let liquid reach the contacts.
This rule holds for every power tool in the shop. It is the single most important habit in the whole category, and it is the reason why power tools need compressed air, not water is worth reading once.
Start with air and a brush
Blow the vents out with compressed air or a hand pump at moderate pressure. Wear eye protection, because what comes out of a drill vent is fine dust and metal.
Point the air so dust exits rather than pushing deeper. Blow from the intake side toward the exhaust when you can tell which is which.
Very high shop-compressor pressure can drive dust into bearings and spin a motor fast enough to damage it. Moderate pressure and a nozzle at a distance is safer than blasting point blank.
Follow with a stiff nylon brush on the vent slots and the seams. A brush moves what air pushes around.
Can you wash a cordless drill?
No. A cordless drill cannot be washed, rinsed, sprayed, or submerged, because water reaching the motor, brushes, switch, or electronics causes corrosion and shorting that often shows up days later. Clean it with compressed air and brushes, and use only a barely damp cloth on the outer plastic housing.
The failure is rarely dramatic. Water wicks into a switch, sits there, and the trigger starts behaving strangely a week later.
Battery contacts are especially unforgiving. Corrosion there causes intermittent power and a pack that will not charge.
If a tool does get soaked, remove the battery, do not run it, and let it dry for several days in a warm dry place before testing. A trip to a repair shop is often the better call.
Cleaning the chuck and the bit holder
The chuck jaws collect sawdust, metal chips, and old thread compound, and that is what makes bits slip or wobble.
Open the jaws fully and brush inside with a small brush. Hold the drill nose down so debris falls out.
Blow the chuck out with air while opening and closing the jaws. Repeat until nothing more comes out.
A single drop of light machine oil on the jaws, worked open and closed, keeps a keyless chuck smooth. Wipe the excess so it does not attract dust, and keep oil off the outside grip.
On an impact driver, pull the hex collar back and brush the bit socket. Packed dust in there stops bits from seating, and a bit that is not fully seated is the usual cause of a stripped screw.
The housing, grip, and belt hook
Wipe the plastic housing with a cloth dampened in warm water and a drop of dish soap. Wring the cloth until it is barely damp, not wet.
Never spray cleaner onto the tool. Spray the cloth, always, so nothing runs into a seam.
Rubber overmold grips get sticky when old sunscreen, sawdust, and hand oil build up. Warm soapy water on a cloth handles it. Strong solvents will make the rubber tacky or crack it, so keep them off.
Wipe the belt hook and the depth stop, then dry everything with a second cloth. A drill that goes back into a case damp grows a musty smell inside the foam.
Battery packs and chargers
Wipe the pack body with a dry or barely damp cloth and keep everything away from the terminals.
Clean terminals dry only. A dry brush or a puff of air is enough. If contacts look corroded, the pack usually needs replacement rather than a cleaning attempt.
Unplug the charger and blow its slot and vents out. A dust-clogged charger runs hot and charges slowly.
Store packs at moderate temperature and partial charge if the tool sits for months. Freezing garages and hot attics both shorten pack life.
Where the dust is actually coming from
A drill that clogs constantly usually lives in a dusty shop. Dust control at the source beats cleaning the tools after.
A shop vacuum with a working filter catches most of it, and a clogged filter is the most common reason it stops helping, which is covered in how to clean a wet dry shop vacuum filter.
Sanders are the biggest dust producers in most home shops, and their collection systems clog first. The routine is in how to clean a power sander and its dust port.
Fine wood and silica dust are also a breathing issue, not just a cleaning one. Wear a respirator rated for dust when you are working, not just when you are cleaning up. The rest of the shop routine lives in our guide to cleaning tools, yard gear, and hobby equipment.
FAQ
Do I need to remove the battery before cleaning a drill?
Yes, always. The battery is the disconnect on a cordless tool, and a bumped trigger during cleaning can spin the chuck against your hand. Removing it also keeps liquid and debris away from the contacts. On a corded drill, unplug it at the wall before you start.
How do I clean a drill chuck that will not grip bits?
Open the jaws fully, brush inside with a small stiff brush while holding the drill nose down, then blow it out with air while opening and closing the jaws. Repeat until no more debris falls out. A single drop of light machine oil worked through the jaws restores smooth action.
Can I use compressed air on a cordless drill?
Yes, and it is the preferred method. Use moderate pressure with eye protection, and aim so debris exits the vents rather than being pushed deeper into the housing. Avoid blasting a shop compressor at full pressure point blank, since that can drive dust into bearings and overspin the motor.
What do I do if my drill gets wet?
Remove the battery immediately and do not run the tool. Shake out standing water, then let it dry several days in a warm dry place with good airflow. Running a wet tool is what turns a soaking into a short. If it was fully submerged or it behaves oddly afterward, have it inspected rather than relied on.
How do I clean sticky rubber grips on a power tool?
Wipe them with a cloth dampened in warm water and a drop of dish soap, then wipe again with plain water and dry. The stickiness is usually built-up hand oil, sunscreen, and dust. Keep strong solvents away, since they make the overmold tacky or cause it to crack over time.
How often should power tools be cleaned?
Blow out the vents after any dusty job and give the tool a full wipe-down and chuck cleaning every few months of regular use. Tools used for drywall, concrete, or heavy sanding need the vent clearing far more often, because that dust is fine enough to pack a motor quickly.
The shop is one project and the house is another. If the second one has gotten away from you, our house cleaning services can take it on. Every home is different, so the real number depends on size, condition, and what you want covered. Get a quote and we will walk you through it.