Use the cleaning station, not the work mat
The part has to enter the cleaning interaction before brushing will count. Drag the dirty piece toward the cup or cleaning hotspot in the top-right desk area, select the brush, and clean the visible surface. Rotate the part because dirt can sit on more than one face.
Players have criticized this placement because it does not look like a tool station. That awkward interface is real, but it is different from the bug where the cleaning animation or sound runs without changing the dirt state.
Separate a missed spot from the launch bug
First rotate the phone and sweep every edge. If the progress reacts on some surfaces, you probably still have a hidden dirty patch. Keep the part in the cleaning view and inspect it from another angle.
If the brush sound plays and nothing changes anywhere, several launch-day reports describe the same failure. Players have tried restarting, reinstalling, and starting a new save without consistent success. One report points to a misaligned cleaning target or very low frame rate, but that is not a developer-confirmed cause.
What to include in a bug report
A useful report says whether the cleaning view opens, whether the cursor is aligned with the visible brush area, whether dirt changes on any side, and which GPU is running the game. Add your screen resolution and frame rate if you can.
That detail helps separate an interaction mistake from a rendering or input problem. It also gives the developers something more useful than "cleaning is broken."
Quick answers
Why does brushing make sound but not clean the phone?
It may be the current launch bug rather than a missed step. Public reports mention cursor alignment and low frame rate, but no cause or universal fix has been confirmed.
Where is the cleaning tool in ReStory?
Move the dirty part to the cup or cleaning hotspot at the top-right of the desk to enter the cleaning interaction.
Sources checked for this page
- Community report Stuck at first item
Explains the cleaning hotspot and records repeated no-progress reports.
- Community report HELP!! I CAN'T CLEAN
Launch reports, attempted fixes, and the unconfirmed frame-rate theory.
- Community report Cleaning UI feedback
Confirms why players miss the cup-based cleaning interaction.