Eyeglasses can’t avoid clouding and smudging. This is brought on by a variety of things, such as skin oils, dry skin flakes, makeup, moisturizers, dust, dirt, and normal handling.
It’s critical to clean your glasses properly to avoid scratching the lenses and causing any lasting harm that could result from careless handling and cleaning. How use the best way to clean eyeglasses? In this article, you will see the step-by-step on the best way to clean eyeglasses and other issues.
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How To Clean Glasses In 8 Easy Steps?
The best way to best way to clean eyeglasses is to clean them every day. But when it comes to cleaning glasses, there is a right way and a lot of wrong ways.
To keep your eyeglasses in top condition, use these cleaning tips on both the lenses and the frames. You can also keep your sports eyewear, safety glasses, and sunglasses in excellent condition by using these cleaning tips.
1. Wash And Dry Your Hands.
Wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning your glasses. Use a clean, lint-free towel and dishwashing liquid or soap without lotion.
2. Rinse Your Glasses Under A Gentle Stream Of Tap Water.
When cleaning eyeglasses, doing this will help prevent scratching them by removing dust and other debris. Avoid using hot water because it can harm some coatings on eyeglass lenses.
3. Apply A Small Drop Of Lotion-free Dishwashing Liquid To Each Lens.
Considering how concentrated most dishwashing liquids are, use very little. Alternatively, dab a few drops on your fingertips before touching the lenses. Use only brands that are free of lotion.
4. Gently Rub Both Sides Of The Lenses And All Parts Of The Frame.
Make sure to clean the eyeglasses and frame, as well as the entire frame. Clean the area where the edge of the lenses meets the frame as well because this is where dust, debris, and skin oils tend to collect.
5. Rinse Both Sides Of The Lenses And The Frame.
The lenses will smear when you dry them if you don’t completely remove all soap residue.
6. Gently Shake Your Glasses to Get Rid of Most of the Water on the Lenses.
Make sure the lenses are clean by giving them a thorough inspection.
7. Carefully Dry The Lenses And Frame Them With A Clean, Lint-free Towel.
Use a dish towel that hasn’t been cleaned with fabric softener or dryer sheets because those products can scratch lenses. Another excellent option is a lint-free microfiber cloth. Make sure the cloth is spotless. Your lenses may get scratched by dirt or debris that gets caught in a towel’s fibers. The towel will also smear your glasses if it has any lotion, cooking oil, or skin oil on them.
8. Inspect The Lenses Again.
If any streaks or smudges are still present, wipe them away with a clean microfiber cloth. Lint-free microfiber cloths are typically sold in optical and camera stores.
Use reusable lens cleaning wipes to quickly clean the lenses of your eyeglasses. These were created especially to be used on eyeglass lenses.
The topic of what NOT to use to clean your glasses then becomes very important.
What Is The Best Way To Clean Glasses?
Your glasses should be sufficiently clean after going through the above steps, but here are some extra hints to clean eyeglasses.
- Use a cotton swab to clean out any debris that may be lodged in your frame’s tiny crevices before the initial rinse (for example, near the hinges or where the frame meets the lenses).
- If your glasses have nose pads, it’s a good idea to take some time to wipe them off since they frequently collect more bacteria than other parts of the frame due to their close proximity to your skin. If you want to go above and beyond, use a single-use moist towelette infused with rubbing alcohol, but only on the pads, and leave the rest of the frame alone.
- Regularly wash your microfiber cloths. These clothes are masters at collecting dust, and if they aren’t kept clean, they will eventually spread to other areas.
- Always rinse your glasses to make sure they are wet before wiping or rubbing them vigorously. When cleaning glasses when they’re dry, debris frequently gets spread across the lenses and frame instead of being removed.
- Daily light cleaning and weekly thorough cleaning are recommended for your eyeglasses. They should stay clean and streak-free thanks to this schedule.
What Is The Worst Way To Clean Your Glasses?
What about the don’ts now that you are aware of the best way to clean glasses? Even if they seem to be commonplace, there are some cleaning methods you should avoid using on your eyewear.
- Don’t use any part of your clothing, including your shirt, to wipe your lenses. Clothing materials aren’t designed to clean glasses lenses and can even scratch them.
- Use only dishwashing liquid or glasses cleaning solution to clean your glasses. Do not use any other cleaning products. Lens coatings can be harmed by substances like acetone, alcohol, and common household glass cleaners.
- Additionally, avoid using your own saliva. That won’t clean your lenses; on the contrary, it will spread more germs!
- When cleaning your eyeglasses, think about using distilled water if your tap water is hard.
- Use a tissue, toilet paper, or napkins to clean your lenses, not disposable paper towels. Although these products may seem soft to you, if rubbed too vigorously, they can scratch lenses and frequently leave bits of themselves behind.
- When washing and drying your towels and microfiber clothes, avoid using fabric softener or dryer sheets. They can cause lenses to smear by leaving a residue on the fabric.
- Do not attempt to rub or buff out scratches on your lenses; you will likely only make them worse. If you think that wear and tear are causing your glasses to lose clarity, have them checked out by an optician.
When To Have Clean Glasses Professionally?
Professional clean eyeglasses are offered by optometrists, ophthalmologists, and eyeglass retailers. You can often return your eyewear to the store where you bought it for a free cleaning at many optical shops.
Professional clean eyeglasses might be the solution if your glasses have an oily buildup around the nose or ears that won’t go away despite your best efforts to clean them or if you keep breaking out on your nose or in the area around your ears where your glasses touch your face.
Additionally, it is important to request a cleaning each time you get your glasses adjusted or have your yearly eye exam. If you need help finding an eye doctor in your area, the National Eye InstituteTrusted Source has resources to help you get started.
Professional clean eyeglasses
Return your glasses to the store where you bought them if the lenses are still in good condition but the nose pads or other components of the frame are difficult to keep clean.
Your glasses might be thoroughly cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaning tool by an eye care specialist. They can also install new, clear nose pads in place of yellowing ones.
Other Tips for Keeping Your Glasses Clean
It will extend the life of your glasses if you know how to clean them properly, and it will prevent bacteria from spreading to your face. But what about different types of glasses, and what should you do if you don’t have access to a sink?
How Do You Clean Sunglasses?
Sunglasses can be cleaned in the same manner as non-tinted-lens glasses: rinsing with warm water and gently rubbing with dishwashing liquid.
Just be mindful of any coatings that may be on your sunglasses’ lenses and only use glass cleaner or dishwashing liquid that is safe for coated lenses.
How Do You Clean Blue Light Glasses?
Blue light glasses can be cleaned just like “regular” glasses: with a good rinse and a small amount of soap that won’t damage lens coatings.
Can You Get Your Glasses Professionally Cleaned?
Certain opticians and optometrists have specialized equipment in their offices that can thoroughly clean eyeglasses. Contact an eye care specialist to see if they can help if it doesn’t seem like your home cleanings are doing the trick.
How Do You Keep Your Glasses Clean When You’re Not Wearing Them?
When your glasses are off your face, the best way to keep them clean is to store them safely in a glasses case or pouch with the lenses facing up. Naturally, you’ll also want to check to see if the case or pouch is clean.
How Do You Clean Your Glasses While Traveling?
Carrying a glasses cleaning kit with cleaning spray and a microfiber cloth will work while you’re on the go if you can’t easily clean your glasses at a sink. If you like to have several pairs of glasses on hand, consider investing in a travel case for glasses. Spray and wipe your lenses and frame as necessary.
Now, do you know the best way to clean eyeglasses? How to clean glasses safely? Or what else questions about cleaning glasses do you want to know?
FAQ
How About Eyeglass Cleaners And Cleaning Cloths?
Wherever you buy your glasses, as well as at your neighborhood drug or discount store, spray eyeglass lens cleaners are readily available. These can come in handy if you’re on the go or don’t have access to clean tap water and dishwashing soap.
Use plenty of the spray eyeglass cleaner to flush away dust and other debris from your lenses before wiping them dry if tap water isn’t available.
Make sure the eyeglass cleaner you select is authorized for use on anti-reflective lenses if your lenses have an anti-reflective (AR) coating.
Examine the lenses for dust or debris before using disposable lens cleaning wipes. Blowing any dust or debris off the lenses will help prevent scratches.
Glasses can be cleaned effectively with microfiber cleaning cloths. In order to prevent smearing, these cloths dry the lenses very effectively and capture oils.
Make sure you clean the clothes frequently though, as they are so good at capturing debris. Use dishwashing liquid without lotion and clean water to hand-wash the cloth; let it air dry.
How To Remove Scratches From Glasses?
Unfortunately, scratched lenses cannot be magically fixed. Your glasses will always be scratched after they have been scuffed.
To make the scratches appear a little less noticeable, some products are made. Most of these products are simply waxy materials that quickly wear off. Depending on where and how deep the scratches are, these products produce a variety of results. Anti-reflective lenses are frequently smeared by them as well.
Scratches can reduce the impact resistance of your eyeglass lenses, in addition to reflecting light and obstructing vision. If your lenses become scratched, have them replaced for the best vision and safety.
Pick lenses with a strong, scratch-resistant coating when you’re shopping. Additionally, find out if your purchase comes with an anti-scratch warranty from your optician, particularly if scratched lenses have been a problem in the past.
What Can Hurt Your Glasses?
People frequently make a few errors when cleaning eyeglasses.
Avoid These Materials
You might think that smudged lenses can be easily fixed with paper towels, tissues, or the material of your shirt. Dr. Wolfe, however, advises against using anything other than the soft lens cloths that come with your glasses when you first get them.
“For cleaning lenses, the most common mistake I see is people using tissues or paper towels,” he says. “Due to their coarseness, those materials run the risk of leaving small scratches on the lenses surface.” The clarity of the lens degrades over time.
Don’t Use Products With Acetone
Another error is cleaning lenses and frames with nail polish remover. This is never a wise move. “Acetone (often found in nail polish remover) is surprisingly destructive to both lenses, and to plastic glasses frames, if left on the surface for too long,” Dr. Wolfe says.
Saliva Doesn’t Clean Lenses
It might seem like a good idea to lubricate the lens of your glasses with your own saliva when you are desperate to remove a smudge from them.
This is also a bad idea because you’re essentially putting bacteria from your mouth on your lens, which can grow. Practically speaking, the smudge might appear worse due to your saliva.
What Is The Best Way To Store Glasses?
Without any protection, putting your glasses in a travel bag or on your nightstand is a recipe for scratching and smudging. If you want to extend the life of your eyeglasses, safe storage and proper cleaning are both crucial.
Always keep them in a hardshell, hinged case while you’re on the move. In addition to the optical shop where you purchased your glasses, most drugstores carry these cases.
If you don’t have a hardshell case, a soft pocket-style case will do if you put your glasses in the zippered pocket of your bag, briefcase, or suitcase.
The glasses should ideally be kept in a case at night.
Otherwise, you can set your eyeglasses with the lenses facing up on a spotless, sturdy countertop or piece of furniture. Open both sides of the “temples,” or earpieces, of your glasses and place them upside down to store them correctly overnight without a case.
Store Your Glasses In A Case
If you don’t store your eyeglass lenses safely, they could easily get scratched. This includes when you remove them before going to sleep.
Never put your glasses on a table or counter with the lenses facing down; instead, always keep them in a spotless storage case.
If you don’t have a glasses case on hand, set your glasses down upside down with the temples exposed, in a secure location where they won’t fall off a table or countertop.
Glasses Don’t Last Forever
Every pair of eyeglass lenses will eventually acquire some scratches. Lenses for eyeglasses are not scratch-proof but are scratch-resistant.
Inquire about lens anti-scratch warranties when buying glasses. This is crucial if you wear glasses outside or if you have kids.
The best way to keep your glasses clean and scratch-free for as long as possible is by using the aforementioned advice.
