Cleaning Your Eyeglasses
Many glasses wearers have found themselves using the corner of their shirts or something just as convenient to clean their glasses in a moment of desperation. While this seems to do the trick in the moment, it can actually end up worse for your glasses in the long run.
When it comes to cleaning glasses properly, there is more to keep in mind than just making sure any smudges and dirt are wiped off the lenses. Your technique should involve cleaning your glasses without causing any damage to your lenses or frames. If you are not careful, poor cleaning techniques can scratch or damage your lenses. Once your lenses are scratched, there is not much you can do to fix them, so it is important to take care when you are ready to clean them. The good news is that keeping your glasses sparkling clear doesn’t have to be tricky. Here are a few tips for cleaning your glasses like a pro.
1. Make it a habit
Don’t wait until your glasses are too smudged to see through. By cleaning your glasses thoroughly once a day, you’ll keep them clean and prevent them from ever getting to the point where you notice spots or smudges. It’s easy to sneak cleaning your glasses into another daily ritual, such as preparing for work in the morning or getting ready for bed in the evenings.
2. Wash Your Hands
Hand washing is an often overlooked step in the eyeglass cleaning process. Before you begin to clean your glasses, you should make sure your hands are clean so that you are not transferring oils or dirt to your lenses. Avoid applying lotion after washing your hands prior to cleaning your eyeglasses.
3. Wash the Glasses -- Don’t Just Wipe
One of the biggest mistakes people make with their glasses is trying to wipe away smudges and grime. This runs the risk of scratching glasses, and is ineffective at overall cleaning.Soap can help enormously when cleaning eyeglasses, but make sure the soap is ph-neutral as to not strip the frames of any coatings it might have. Do not forget to rinse both sides of your lenses! If you are in a pinch, and you do not have access to a sink to rinse your glasses, use eyeglass cleaning spray.
When you finish rinsing your lenses, take some time to rinse your frames as well. This will get rid of the dirt and oils that come from contact with your skin.
4. Dry Your Glasses with a Clean Microfiber Cloth
Once you have finished rinsing your glasses, take a microfiber cloth and gently dry your glasses. Any cloth you use to clean your glasses needs to be free from dirt, oils, and lotions that can smudge or damage your lenses. Make sure that the microfiber cloth you use is clean, and that when you wash it, you avoid using fabric softener, dryer sheets, or any other item that can leave residue or oils on the cloth.
If you don’t have a microfiber cloth available, you can use other pure cotton fabric like a t-shirt. Dress shirts and even tissues are typically too abrasive, though.
When in doubt: it doesn’t feel really soft, it’ll probably scratch your lenses.
5. Adjusting Your Frames
Cleaning your lenses properly is a vital part of caring for your glasses. But even when you take proper care of your glasses, it doesn’t guarantee that they will stay in perfect condition. Misalignment of your frames is an extremely common issue that most glasses wearers experience. Click here for detailed tips on adjusting your glasses frames.
