Are you tired of the never-ending battle against those stubborn smudges, mysterious streaks, and that perpetual, elusive, greasy film that magically appears on your eyeglasses just moments after you’ve painstakingly cleaned them?
Today, we’re diving into the art of lens cleaning and revealing the secrets to achieving spotless, gleaming glasses that stay clean longer.
4 Reasons Why Cleaning Glasses Correctly Matters
Less rubbing, fewer scratches, more clarity.
- Prevent Lens Damage: Every time you clean your glasses, you introduce the potential for tiny scratches. Over time, these microscopic abrasions can accumulate and blur your lenses, affecting your vision. Cleaning your glasses the right way ensures you avoid this gradual damage.
- Maintain Optical Precision: Glasses are meticulously crafted to provide precise vision correction. Incorrect cleaning methods can disturb the lens surface, altering your visual clarity. By cleaning your glasses properly, you safeguard the precision of your lenses.
- Longer Lifespan: Your eyeglasses are an investment. Cleaning them correctly prolongs their lifespan, delaying the need for replacements due to worn-out or damaged lenses.
- Enhanced Comfort: Oily build-up, smudges, makeup, and other random debris (glue and food… you’ll be amazed to know what we’ve been asked to clean off lens surfaces over the years!) on your glasses can cause visual discomfort and even headaches for many who are sensitive to visual distractions. Correct cleaning restores comfort and ensures you see the world with ease.
How To Clean Your Glasses Correctly & Thoroughly
Cleaning glasses is essential to maintaining good eye health and ensuring clear vision. However, knowing the right way to clean your glasses is crucial to avoid damaging them. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the 8-step process for cleaning glasses effectively and safely.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean your glasses, minimising the risk of damaging your eyewear or creating scratches:
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
- Mild Dish Soap: Opt for a gentle dish soap without added fragrances or lotions.
- Microfiber Cloth: Your best friend for cleaning glasses is a clean, lint-free microfiber cloth.
- Warm Water: You’ll need warm (not hot) running water from a faucet.
Step 2: Rinse with Warm Water
- Begin by rinsing your glasses under a stream of lukewarm water. This helps remove loose debris and dust.
Step 3: Apply a Small Drop of Liquid Dish Soap
- Place a tiny drop of mild dish soap on each lens. For example, a good quality solution that you’d use on fine glassware–something without a microbead or abrasive compound. Use your fingertip to spread the solution evenly over the entire lens surface, including the nose pads and frames.
Step 4: Gently Rub the Lenses
- Using your fingertip, gently rub both sides of the lenses and the frames for about 20-30 seconds. Ensure you reach the edges and corners.
Step 5: Rinse Thoroughly
- Rinse your glasses thoroughly under room temperature/lukewarm running water to remove traces of the cleaning agent. Be cautious not to use hot water, as extreme temperatures can damage lens coatings.
Step 6: Pat Dry with a Microfiber Cloth
- Using a clean microfiber cloth, gently pat your glasses dry. Avoid rubbing–particularly the circular motion–and try not to rub the lenses between thumb and fingers, as this can introduce micro-scratches. Ensure the cloth is free of debris and dirt. Remember: it’s a patting motion, not a grind motion.
Step 7: Inspect for Streaks or Smudges
- Hold your glasses up to the light and inspect for streaks or smudges. If necessary, repeat steps 2 to 6. You’re looking to see if there is still a build-up of smudges around the edge of the lenses, where they sit against the frame.
Step 8: Store Properly
- Store your eyeglasses in a spectacle case to prevent dust and dirt build-up when you’re not wearing them. This may sound like too simple a suggestion, but specs floating around in a shirt pocket, wedged into a corner of the handbag, and just sitting on bench surfaces will attract further problems down the track. Correct handling is critical!
Additional Tips For Mastering Glasses Care
- Avoid using tissues with oils (vitamin E, Eucalyptus, etc.), paper towels, or articles of clothing to wipe/clean your glasses, as these materials can damage the lens surface. You wouldn’t believe how often we’ve seen people take the corner of their shirt or blouse and start rubbing their lenses aggressively in circular motions–right in front of us! Horrific, right?
- Never use household cleaners, vinegar, or industry-strength alcohol-based solutions. These products tend to damage lens coatings if used often. Many ask about Windex; you could try a watered-down mix (25% Windex : 75% water), but note that Windex has solvents and ammonia present.
- Regularly clean your microfiber cloth with mild detergent to prevent dirt from transferring to your glasses. Can I wash a microfiber cloth? YES! Just don’t use a product that has a fabric softener element. This will leave buildup within the fine loops of thread and make the cloth your #1 problem. If in doubt–chuck it out. Head for your nearest Optical Superstore branch and get a new microfibre cloth–we’d love to help!
- DID YOU KNOW? The Optical Superstore offers a complimentary “DEEP CLEAN,” using a sonic cleaning unit. We take all the key components of your eyeglasses apart and clean between the frame eyewire and the bevel or grooves of your lenses. This free cleaning service ensures that your at-home routine for glasses cleaning will be trouble-free for many months.
FIND YOUR NEAREST OPTICAL SUPERSTORE BRANCH TODAY FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY GLASSES CLEANING SERVICE.
We’re here to get you on the right foot from the get-go!
Following our ‘How To Clean Glasses Masterclass’ ensures that your prescription eyewear maintains excellent condition, providing you with clear vision and lens longevity.
You truly can keep your glasses clean and in good condition for years.
Remember the guiding principle: Less rubbing, fewer scratches, more clarity. Taking care of your glasses is an investment in your eye health and overall well-being! Your eyes will thank you for it.
