We reveal trade secrets on how to clean your eyeglasses like an Optician!
If you’re like me, you hate dirty, smudged lenses in your glasses. We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about the best methods to clean eyewear, both clear lenses and sunglasses, so we’ll share our “Best Practices” with you. It’s a really easy 4 step process:
GIMME SOME WATER:
Rinse your lenses with plain old tap water first. Yep, just plain old water. Why? To remove any unseen particles of dirt or dust that may scratch your lenses when wiped.
CLEAN IT UP:
We get a lot of questions about Soaps & Cleansers: Foaming hand soap is gentle enough to use to help break down skin oils, sweat, makeup residue, etc. that may have built up on the lenses. You still want to rinse the lenses first, and then use a small amount of foaming soap gently rubbed with your fingers on both sides of the lenses. This is particularly good for sunglasses that might get exposed to more sweat and oil than regular glasses. Don’t forget to clean the nose pads! This step is OPTIONAL- sometimes just plain water is the best cleaner!
FORGET THE SHIRT:
RINSE again. Give the lenses a light “dry off” with a clean, soft cotton, towel, not the bottom edge of your shirt (yeah, I’m talking to you)!
POLISH WITH MICROFIBER CLOTH:
Finish the cleaning with a complete rub down with your microfiber cloth. This gives the clean lens a nice “polish”, and finishes off any remaining smudges. This is the most important step in the cleaning process! Keep your Microfiber cloth in your eyeglass case and use it frequently.
That’s it! Pretty easy, right?!
Remember, the lenses need to be cared for daily. I recently had a friend complain that they had to clean her glasses daily. That’s really not a big deal when you consider that you wear them all day, everyday, and they’re one of the first things people see when they look at you! I actually clean my glasses several times a day, and it’s pretty easy. I asked her how many times she took them off and on in a day, if she wore makeup, sweated, cooked in them…she started to acknowledge that the problem may not be the lens coatings themselves, but the very fact that they are constantly exposed to environmental factors that may result in dirt and oil build up. Eyeglasses are large again, so you have more surface area to accidentally smudge, too, so plan on cleaning your glasses every time you wash your hands. (And consider cleaning your cell phone at the same time- just skip the RINSE step)!
FAQs:
- How about those little packets of wipes I can buy at the drugstore?
The only problem with these convenient little lens wipes is that if you haven’t rinsed your lenses with water first, you may accidentally pick up a particle on the lens and scratch it around with the wipe. Use at your own risk!
- It seems like my Blue-light blocker lenses are “more smudgy” than my older lenses. Why?
The choice of cleaning cloth is the answer to this- NEVER use paper towels, Kleenex, the bottom of your shirt, etc. But even a soft cotton towel can leave the lenses smeared, especially if they’re treated with one of the newer treatments such as the Hoya Recharge or Crizal Prevencia. These treatments are great for blocking blue light, and they’re also hydrophobic (repels water) oleophobic (repels oil). Microfiber cloths are the best choice for cleaning your lenses. The coatings today respond really well to the tiny fibers that pick up that oil and moisture and remove it from the lens, unlike the thicker cotton fibers which just push it around.
- Can I use something like Dawn or Windex on my lenses to get them really clean?
Although some Opticians recommend Dawn, our Lab has informed us that it may be TOO good of a cleaner, and actually start to degrade these newer coatings. Windex contains Ammonia, which may be one of the worst chemicals for your lenses, so never use window cleaners on your lenses. Some of the lens wipes for sale contain a large amount of Isopropyl alcohol, which can also be too harsh for the lenses.
WATER + MICROFIBER CLOTH = HAPPY LENSES!
