this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023
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Lens manufacturers say that anything other than a microfiber cloth will damage the coatings on a lens. But microfiber cloths eventually pick up crap and they look like they're a pain to wash.

How do you keep your lenses clean? Are you using cloth/kleenex or microfiber cloths? If you use microfiber cloths, how do you clean those?

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[โ€“] EyesEyesBaby@lemmy.world 54 points 1 year ago (9 children)

Optometrist here; rinse with cold or ambient temperature tap water (don't use hot water!), use dishwashing soap without citric acid if the glasses are really dirty, dry with a clean cotton cloth.

[โ€“] sxan@midwest.social 9 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Thank you! It took me decades before I figured out that it doesn't matter how soft the cloth is if all you're doing in scrubbing abrasive dust or dirt around on the lens with it. It isn't always possible, but I try to rinse first to get as much particulate matter off before wiping.

Can you explain why cold water? I've always done it, but only because I once made the mistake of buying photoreactive lenses (and, you know, most of us just have to live with a decision like that for a while), and hot water made them go dark. I didn't think tap water temps would be enough to mechanically stress the material; is the plastic so soft that it could be damaged, or is there another reason?

[โ€“] EyesEyesBaby@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Hot water can damage your anti reflective coating. It can cause it to come 'loose'.

The rinsing is indeed done to get rid of sand or dirt particles which is the main cause of scratches.

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[โ€“] osbo9991@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I generally use a similar method to this to deep clean my glasses, but I often don't want to do that deep of a clean all the time since my glasses get dirty fast. I find the Zeiss glasses wipes work well for me, but there is a lot of waste involved. Oddly enough, their cleaning spray works terribly for me, and it seems to just spread grease around the lenses...

I was looking at the ingredients for each, and it seems that Zeiss used different ingredients for the two products. The wipes contain water, isopropyl alcohol, and "proprietary detergents and preservatives". The cleaning spray contains water, butyl diglycol, and two other ingredients that to my knowledge are just preservatives. I think that in theory I could make a better cleaning spray by getting the right concentration of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water, mimicking the concentration in the wipes. What do you think is the highest percentage of isopropyl alcohol that I could safely use on glasses without damaging coatings?

[โ€“] EyesEyesBaby@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Unfortunately I cannot answer that question. Opticians don't use alcohol to clean glasses, they often use white spirit to clean lenses. Alcohol can potentially damage your frame (if it's a 'plastic' one).

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[โ€“] megane_kun@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

That's the way I've been taught by the guy who makes my eyeglasses too! I remember being slightly incredulous but took his word for it.

I only touch the lenses while soaping it, making sure that (liquid dish) soap is evenly distributed across the lenses. Then, I rinse them thoroughly in a stream of running water until I can no longer see water spots on their surfaces. I give the eyeglasses a slight tap to dislodge any excess water before wiping it with a dry clean cotton cloth I reserve for that purpose.

[โ€“] sbv@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago

Thanks! That looks pretty easy, and it seems to work for a few other posters.

User name checks out.

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[โ€“] Z3k3@lemmy.world 42 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I tend to wear cotton t shirts so I tend to just grab a corner of that to clean em.

Been doing this for 20 yrs and never had to replace a set before my eyes said otherwise.

Frames on the other hand...

[โ€“] Thavron@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

You clean your frame?

(Kidding)

[โ€“] colourlessidea@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

+1 for cotton T shirt corner! Been doing that for 20 years as well

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[โ€“] renlok@lemmy.ml 33 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I clean them with the hem of my shirt, always assumed this is what everyone does.

[โ€“] HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It is

Don't let Big Microfibre tell you otherwise

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[โ€“] CADmonkey@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I have been using tap water and dish soap for years to clean my glasses. Everything else leaves streaks.

Itโ€™s what professional window washers use. Just some Dawn dish soap and tap water. Because the dish soap will cut any kind of skin oils that may be present on the lens, the same way it cuts food grease.

[โ€“] ghashul@feddit.dk 5 points 1 year ago

That's my go to as well.

[โ€“] intensely_human@lemm.ee 27 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I rub them with my shirt whenever the smudges are making my view too blurry.

Only for that to spread the smudges around more and coating your whole view into a nice layer of white.

I still do it.

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[โ€“] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In the 20 years I've owned glasses, I've never had an issue just using my shirt.

[โ€“] Trollivier@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Same I don't have to wear glasses anymore, but it's was t-shirt all the way. And the occasional "I'll pour water on the lenses to make them more clean".

[โ€“] Ulv@feddit.nu 13 points 1 year ago

I rub them with my teeshirt

[โ€“] verdigris@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

The actual way is to use dish soap under running warm water (not hot apparently, it can damage some coatings I've learned in this thread). First rinse the lenses under a stream without touching them, to wash away any loose debris (which is the reason why you should never use any sort of cloth to wipe them, they just move the debris around which causes scratches). Then use a bit of dish soap on your (clean) fingers to gently rub each lens, which will get rid of any grease or other smears. Then a final rinse -- for this one it's best if you use a very slow and even stream as it gives you the fewest water spots, but as long as you don't have super hard water it'll be moot in a few minutes.

This is the way, but you're right about hot water. I did damage a pair by accidentally using water that was too hot.

This method minimizes scratching and it does a great job of removing grease (I sweat a lot) that a microfiber cloth would just spread around.

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[โ€“] codenamekino@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Water and hand soap, unless they really need to be cleaned right now. I used to use a microfiber cloth, but I ran into the same problems as you. Soap and water will allow you to get oil from your hands and face off, as well as water spots and whatever else might be on there, and it's gentle enough that it doesn't hurt or scratch the lenses. When I put my glasses back on after cleaning them like this, It's a Whole New World starts playing in my head.

[โ€“] Coke6833@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do you just wipe with your fingers? And how do you dry them

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[โ€“] SJSmith@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Daily wash with water and foaming hand soap. Foaming soap on lenses, rub with fingers, rinse. Dry with cotton hankerchief. I usually keep my glasses 2 years before replacing and haven't had any issues with the anti-reflective coating washing this way.

[โ€“] stormio@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I will never forget the time I saw my classmate clean his glasses by licking them. It wasn't a small lick. The lenses were covered in his saliva afterwards. ๐Ÿคฎ

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[โ€“] jasondj@ttrpg.network 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Rinse glasses. Rub on some hand soap or a very small amount of dish soap. Rinse again. Dry with paper towel.

[โ€“] ByGourou@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Some paper towels will scratch your glasses

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[โ€“] Bebo@literature.cafe 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I just clean the lenses of my glasses with my cotton t-shirt. I need to clean my glasses twice a day because they get foggy due to my oily skin and oily eyelashes. I have not noticed any scratches yet (I have been using these glasses for around 5-6 years). However, I use glass lenses and not plastic lenses. The plastic ones scratch easily.

[โ€“] osbo9991@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I use microfiber cloths, dawn dish soap, and water for a deep clean every once in a while. The microfiber cloth kinda gets cleaned in the process. I then use a second dry microfiber cloth to dry it off and prevent water spots on the lenses. Unfortunately I have to shake out my glasses before drying since water gets stuck in between my frames and my lenses.

For quicker cleaning, I use those Zeiss glasses wipes, though not entirely sure if getting brand name is important or not.

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[โ€“] JustZ@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Got a box of alcohol wipes made by Zeiss, specially for cleaning camera lenses and the like. Works great on glasses.

[โ€“] towerful@programming.dev 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I bought a box when they were cheap on Amazon.
Handy for having in your bag. But so much waste. Plastic sachet, plastic cloth, throw it all out.

I want to find a reusable liquid/cloth solution that works as reliably, but the Zeiss wipes are just too good.

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[โ€“] ryannathans@aussie.zone 5 points 1 year ago

Spray from optometrist and tissues to remove most oil

Then polish the lenses with the microfibre that came with them

Wash the microfibre when it stops working

Microfiber. Throw it in the wash. Air dry (although I've never had an issue with them going through wash) I use the viscous cleanser and really don't wash very often at all.

[โ€“] PlushySD@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

I have a small machine that creates super sonic sound (Sonic Soak), submerge that with the glasses in a bottle with soapy water. Turn on and wait around 3 minutes. You can see stream of dirt particles coming out of small crevices, I don't think I can reach those with any wipe or cloth. The glasses is super clean after the process. But if I don't have time and not home I use microfiber cloth

I use the edge of my shirt, or whatever I happen to be wearing. I never use any sort of soap or cleaning solution. Works fine. My specs last longer than it takes until I need to get a new prescription anyway.

[โ€“] Papanca@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Microfiber cloth. They are easy to wash, just don't add fabric softener or chlorine and don't put them in the dryer.

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[โ€“] echodot@feddit.uk 4 points 1 year ago

I have 950 microfiber cloths around the house, although I can never find them so I just use my t-shirt.

[โ€“] spittingimage@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I use a microfibre cloth my optometrist gave me along with the glasses. When it gets dirty I run it through the wash with my clothes. I have an anti-glare coating on my lenses, so I don't use any chemicals, even just dish soap.

[โ€“] Spasmolytic@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Hand soap and water most of the time, a microfiber with the spray they give you when you get new glasses, or a dry microfiber if I have to. My lenses are immaculate.

I leave the microfiber cloths in my pockets when they need washing and that works well enough if not perfect.

[โ€“] MycoMadness@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I work in a lab, and while we carry lens cleaners, sometimes you don't have time.

A little bit of 200 proof ethanol and some elbow grease is all it takes for a fresh pair of specs!

[โ€“] gac11@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If anyone uses anti glare coatings, mine specifically say don't use alcohol to clean them.

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[โ€“] Elivey@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I use the ethanol and kimwipes to clean mine all the time lol they're probably a little scratchy but better than my shirt. They're just too convenient when they're everywhere.

[โ€“] kaitco@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Iโ€™ve been using Windex and Bounty. ๐Ÿ˜ฌ Probably not the best options, but they seem to get the job done for me.

I mention Bounty because regular paper towels are crap for that sort of thing.

[โ€“] Smokeydope@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Ive never had any luck with lens cleaner+microfiber cloth just smears the shit out of glasses. Here's my glasses cleaning process, I have had glasses my entire life and can't stand smearing even a little. My glasses coating has never been damaged from this though to cover my ass I will say do at your own risk.

  1. Get paper towel, wet and spray with a liquid soap+water mix spray bottle I recommend Dr.bronner soap very environmentally friendly works well You can also use regular dish soap if that's all you have.
  2. rub lenses with soapy paper towel really well on both sides. Get it soapy.
  3. (MOST IMPORTANT PART TO PREVENT SMEAR) rinse soap off glasses and gently shake frames to get off all excess water that you can. Then grab 5-8 sheets of toilet paper, roll/fold into a square and fold tp square gently around lenses to wick remaining water. Do not rub tp into lenses, only gently press.
[โ€“] Anamnesis@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Microfiber cloth with dish soap and water. Works pretty well.

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