We have all done it. Smudges, dust, and finger marks wiped away rigorously with the soft side of a jumper or a paper towel. While this may be a short-term fix to a simple problem, you are almost certainly damaging your lenses. Cleaning your glasses properly may seem like a hassle, but it is an easy solution versus replacing your glasses due to a scratch or avoidable damage.
Our five easy steps will have your lenses gleaming for crystal clear vision:
- Clean hands
It sounds simple, and perhaps it’s a given in our new COVID world. Still, when carrying out anything to do with optical care, you should have clean and sanitised hands. Use a moisturiser free soap to ensure no residue stays on your hands that could transfer to the lenses and make them harder to clean and reduce scratching risk. Make sure your hands are dry and use a lint-free towel or cloth to do so.
- Rinse them under the tap
Using lukewarm water, rinse your glasses under the tap to remove any loose dirt and dust particles and wash them away. Often, when cleaning glasses in a rush or dry, the debris and dust are just smeared around the lenses and into the glasses’ crevices. This way, the particles are removed from the lenses altogether.
- Washing up liquid?!
Plain and straightforward washing up liquid is perfect for cleaning lenses. It is highly concentrated, so a small amount is sufficient. Its oil cleansing qualities make it ideal for breaking down the oily substances that can collect on lenses. Be sure to use one without any added moisturisers to avoid any residue and menthols or strong smells if you are sensitive to them.
- Wash, rinse, and shake.
Be sure to wash both sides of the lenses. Gently lather the washing up liquid in a circular motion using your thumb and middle finger, ensuring you have a good grip on the glasses so you don’t drop them. The foam will get into the rim and clean out make-up, dust, and even pollen from frames while breaking down the grease and grime from your lenses. Once washed, rinse carefully under the lukewarm water from the tap removing all soapy residue. Shake them gently once they are clear of bubbles to remove any excess water before drying.
- Lint-free drying
To dry your lenses to a crystal-clear finish and avoid lint particles left behind, dry them with a microfibre cloth or a towel washed in detergent only. Fabric softener coats the towel fibres to make it soft, and it’s this coating that can transfer to your lenses, rendering your cleaning a waste of time. Buy a cheap flannel or hand towel to use specifically for cleaning your lenses. You will know it is washed correctly and won’t damage your lenses.
How NOT to clean your glasses properly:
DON’T – use the jumper as mentioned earlier or shirt to clean your glasses. While you may feel you have to in an emergency, be prepared, and have disposable glasses wipes with you to ensure you are never caught out. Clothing will leave lint, and complex fabrics can leave scratches on your lenses.
DON’T use toilet roll, cosmetic tissues, or paper towels. The paper will leave a heavy lint deposit on your lenses. Rough paper grades can scratch your lenses, and added moisturisers or balms would leave residue behind.
DON’T use bathroom towels, communal towels, or kitchen tea towels. From a hygiene point of view, bacteria from hand and dish drying will be on the towels, which will deposit on your lenses. Also, as is the case with other materials, lint, dirt, and debris collect in the fibres, which can cause damage. Dry them as per point five.
DON’T try to buff away scratches. Unlike paintwork, you cannot buff away scratches with only a cloth. They need to be professionally treated or replaced. Lensology technicians are experts in lens reglazing and can help you here.
And finally, DON’T use your saliva to clean your lenses. In times of need, you may want to wet a tissue to clean your lenses. Again, be prepared with wipes or an optical spray in the absence of clean tap water to clean your lenses if you cannot wait until you get home.
Once you are clean and dry, check your glasses over, as you should do regularly to ensure they are not damaged. If you find they require servicing or your lenses need replacing, Lensology can help with their extensive range of replacement lens and coating services, including Blue Light Glasses and Anti-Fog lenses.
