# How can you keep eyeglasses from fogging up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931 "2001-07-27T04:21:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/1 "2001-07-27T04:21:48Z")
Its been so humid here lately, that everytime I go shooting my safety glasses fog up. It very annoying! So how do you keep eyeglasses,goggles, etc. from fogging. I know there are products sold for this purpose, can you reccomend a brand? ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/2 "2001-07-27T05:21:54Z")
Go to an optometrist or lenscrafters and ask for the stuff. I don’t know what it’s called though. Also soap residue works. Happy AK-47-ing. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/3 "2001-07-27T05:31:08Z")
Dry soap is the go. Rub on to lens and polish off. Works on bathroom mirrors too. ---
**Author:** ![Keko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@Keko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keko)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/4 "2001-07-27T06:00:24Z")
To keep scuba diving glasses from fogging up, you’re supposed to spit on 'em. But I don’t recommend it for eyeglasses. You might get funny looks from people on the bus. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/5 "2001-07-27T13:24:13Z")
Rain-X® ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/6 "2001-07-27T13:48:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > \*\*Rain-X® \*\* Rain-X® **Anti-Fog**. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/7 "2001-07-27T15:24:35Z")
Spitting never worked for my swimming goggles. Then neither does any of the anti-fog junk I use. My regular glasses has a built-in antifog system (hey, for $600 they have to have something good), but even they fog up occasionally when I go from an air conditioned office to the muggy outside. They do clear up quickly though. My advice is to get LASIK and be done with it. ---
**Author:** ![zydecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e480ec/32.png) [@zydecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zydecat)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/8 "2001-07-27T15:49:49Z")
Get a little bottle and mix about 50/50 diswashing soap and water. Put a drop on the lens and swirl the mixture over the surface with your finger. Let it dry a bit and then buff off lightly with a t-shirt or similar. I play ice hockey and my glasses fogged up terribly until I used this method. It works WAY better than the expensive premixed stuff. I guess the dry soap would work well too but this is easier (I think) to get into the nooks and crannies. ---
**Author:** ![Heath\_Doolin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Heath\_Doolin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heath_Doolin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/9 "2001-07-27T22:07:08Z")
Don’t use the missionary position Doggie style, Inverted Swiss Triple Lutz, or the ever popular Doolin’s Lotus Freestanding Position of Bliss (patented pending) should stop any glass fogging mishaps. Throwing your back out is another can o beans entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Mammie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@Mammie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mammie)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/10 "2001-07-28T01:52:16Z")
Put a dab of shaving cream (foam) on each lens. Wipe it off with a soft cloth. Works on bathroom mirrors too. ---
**Author:** ![dopamaniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@dopamaniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dopamaniac)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/11 "2013-03-27T19:16:33Z")
Theres an anti fog tape you can buy off amazon called fogstops that works pretty good at preventing fog. I’ve been using it for several months and it’s been holding up pretty good. It covers your eye areas only though. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/12 "2013-03-27T21:11:13Z")
A surface fogs when it’s colder than the dew point of the surrounding air. This can happen when warm, moist air is coming in contact with a room temperature surface. Or when the surface is cooled down below the air temperature. So the trick is to either warm up the surface (this is how a defogger on a car works), or make sure the air surrounding the surface is cold. I think only the latter solution is practical for safety glasses - e.g. making sure warm air does not get trapped between your face and the glasses, and making sure you’re not breathing on it. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/13 "2013-03-28T19:35:59Z")
> [@zydecat](#): > > Get a little bottle and mix about 50/50 diswashing soap and water. Put a drop on the lens and swirl the mixture over the surface with your finger. Let it dry a bit and then buff off lightly with a t-shirt or similar. I play ice hockey and my glasses fogged up terribly until I used this method. It works WAY better than the expensive premixed stuff. I guess the dry soap would work well too but this is easier (I think) to get into the nooks and crannies. A word of caution – I think some dish soaps contain very mild abrasives. I wouldn’t use this on my glasses unles I was sure there was no abrasive in that particular brand. Especially with polycarbonate lenses (whcih you should be wearing while playing hockey, right?), which are less scratch-resistant than some other plastics, and way less scratch-resistant than glass. ---
**Author:** ![sidhechaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sidhechaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidhechaos)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/14 "2013-03-29T01:29:53Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Spitting never worked for my swimming goggles. Then neither does any of the anti-fog junk I use. My regular glasses has a built-in antifog system (hey, for $600 they have to have something good), but even they fog up occasionally when I go from an air conditioned office to the muggy outside. They do clear up quickly though. My advice is to get LASIK and be done with it. unles you have severe myopia and very thin retinas. You have a vastly increased risk of retinal detachment from that point. (experience, it sucks.) I’ve heard of people taking non abrasive gel type toothpaste and lightly coating the inside of swim goggles and then wiping (not washing) them clean and it working. I find myself wondering if you could do it streakfree if a thin coat of clear nail polish might work as well, or that clingfilm stuff you get to protect the screens on your cell phones and other electronics. Cut to shape of glasses and squeegee into place? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/15 "2013-03-30T05:47:25Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > A word of caution – I think some dish soaps contain very mild abrasives. I wouldn’t use this on my glasses unles I was sure there was no abrasive in that particular brand. Especially with polycarbonate lenses (whcih you should be wearing while playing hockey, right?), which are less scratch-resistant than some other plastics, and way less scratch-resistant than glass. What are some non-abrasive soaps? Should I use a hard soap bar? This is a motorcycling problem, too. In cold weather, my eyeglasses fog up. I often crack the helmet visor a bit and the airflow clears the fog, but this is a problem when it’s cold and raining or snowing, and rain or snow gets onto my eyeglasses and face. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/16 "2013-03-31T23:37:08Z")
> [@dopamaniac](#): > > Theres an anti fog tape you can buy off amazon called fogstops that works pretty good at preventing fog. I’ve been using it for several months and it’s been holding up pretty good. It covers your eye areas only though. It may get rid of the fog very effectively, but how do you see where you’re going if you cover your eye areas with tape? ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-keep-eyeglasses-from-fogging-up/73931/17 "2013-04-01T09:34:45Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > A surface fogs when it’s colder than the dew point of the surrounding air. This can happen when warm, moist air is coming in contact with a room temperature surface. Or when the surface is cooled down below the air temperature. > > So the trick is to either warm up the surface (this is how a defogger on a car works), or make sure the air surrounding the surface is cold. I think only the latter solution is practical for safety glasses - e.g. making sure warm air does not get trapped between your face and the glasses, and making sure you’re not breathing on it. I believe antifog coatings work by dispersing the droplets into a uniform thin film, which does not scatter light as much.