# Best way to keep eyeglasses clean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 28, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649 "2010-12-28T21:26:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/41 "2015-06-11T15:01:51Z")
After I shower I’ll use a drop of Head & Shoulders (oily hair like you) and wash both sides of my lenses in the lavatory, then dry with Kleenex; repeat daily. H&S seem to be a great “biological detergent”. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/42 "2015-06-11T15:30:37Z")
> [@jeffsopt](#): > > Do not use Windex or ammonia on eye glasses. It can cause a chemical reaction to transitions and anti reflective coating. It will ruin your glasses by causing a white cloudy field. I don’t have transitions or anti-reflective coatings. Using ammonia and/or Windex cleaners, on 2 glasses for 20 years, there is no white cloudy field and they aren’t ruined. So I guess your advice is worthless, at least in some cases. > [@](#): > > The best cleaners are dawn dish soap (regular not the lotion type)and water. Use a clean soft cloth. Apparently you didn’t read my post that you quoted. When will my glasses get ruined? If not in 20 years, will it take 50? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/43 "2015-06-11T17:18:12Z")
I’ve been wearing glasses (and contacts) most of my life and while I don’t doubt **Musicat** ’s story, every time I’ve gotten “lazy” and used paper towels or tissues on my glasses more than a few times, I invariably notice small scratches (that usually are not visible while wearing the glasses) on the lens. My only guess is maybe he’s not using the popular polycarbonate lens, but perhaps actual glass? Glass is I believe a better lens overall in every way except for weight, and particularly for someone like myself with a high myopia I’d have extremely heavy glasses if I had glass lenses. I think actual glass wouldn’t scratch from paper towels, since obviously window glass doesn’t and many people use paper towels and windex to clean them. The last pair of actual glass lenses I can remember having were probably over 30 years ago and I remember my optometrist switching me to polycarbonate pretty much as soon as they became a widely available option. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/44 "2015-06-11T17:30:10Z")
I’m with **Martin Hyde** on this. Paper towels will scratch plastic lenses. Even kleenex will scratch plastic. Glass is much less prone to scratching, but hardly anyone uses glass lenses any more. Plastic is not only lighter than glass, it’s also safer. Plastic lenses don’t shatter. Even tempered glass lenses aren’t as safe as plastic lenses. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/45 "2015-06-11T18:29:29Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > I’m with **Martin Hyde** on this. Paper towels will scratch plastic lenses. Even kleenex will scratch plastic. Glass is much less prone to scratching, but hardly anyone uses glass lenses any more. Plastic is not only lighter than glass, it’s also safer. Plastic lenses don’t shatter. Even tempered glass lenses aren’t as safe as plastic lenses. Well, 15 years or so with my current pair (not glass) and no scratches from paper towels yet. None that I can see upon close inspection, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![justanothermike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@justanothermike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justanothermike)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/46 "2015-06-12T02:05:44Z")
I used dish soap for years. I now use Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine and Eagle One Wax As U Dry mixed one half ounce each to 48 ounces of water. I’ve used it to wash cars and made a little misting bottle full for my glasses. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/47 "2015-06-12T04:34:08Z")
Who are you weirdos who can wear the same pair of glasses for a decade or more? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/48 "2015-06-12T14:50:15Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Got new glasses in July and for some reason they are really hard to keep clean. Admittedly I have oily skin but it is more than that. Any suggestions on the best way to keep them clean? Thanks. I use the little individual packets of lens cleaners they sell at Wal\*Mart. I think it’s $1.99 for a box of 60. Don’t ever use a paper products like tissues, or paper towels on your glasses. The wood fibers in those will scratch the lens. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649/49 "2015-07-11T14:11:27Z")
Just noticed this old thread was revived, thanks for the further suggestions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-keep-eyeglasses-clean/565649.md?page=2)