I got reading glasses a couple of years ago. They’re glass, no fancy materials. But it feels like I cannot keep them acceptably clean for more than a few minutes.
Yes, I do seek a factual answer to this … inspired by Unca Cec’s instructions on how to get a perfect shave, I want to know how I can get and keep my glasses clean?
I polish, wipe, spray (or whatever the current treatment I’ve been given is) for several minutes, but soon after I put them on they’re filthy again. There’s this kind of white blur over them, and I swear I haven’t touched them. I look at the PC screen, look out the window, back at the screen - blur city. I seem to spend half my life polishing the damn things.
I got some lens cleaner from my optometrist. It doesn’t say what’s in it but it does claim to be anti-static and anti-fog. It’s certainly better than using my hankie alone, and it and a tissue are better still. But I’d say it only keeps them clean for, say, five minutes instead of two.
It’s like my eyes or skin exude some sort of greasy fog (no, I don’t smoke). Is there some magic substance I can spray on to clean them and keep them clean?
The best cleaning method I’ve found is to spray on some glass cleaner or a purpose-made cleaner like you mention, then wipe the lenses dry with a micro-fiber cloth. The cloths are about $5 at most optometrists, camera stores, sunglass shops, etc, and last indefinitely. Leave the cloth out somewhere where it can dry. Launder the cloth occasionally. You can use a micro-fiber cloth dry, too, but it’s less effective.
Even so, my glasses get covered with dust, hair, grease and whatnot with distressing speed. A (living) human body is continually shedding a lot of stuff, a lot of which can end up on glasses.
Hmm, well I do wash my face once a day and wipe it with a wet hardtowel maybe two or three times a day … are you saying I need to wash my face every time I want to clean my glasses?
The little spray bottle of stuff I got from the opto was only about $AU3 … and I don’t want to go running off to the loo every 10 minutes. Any suggestions on how to do this portably?
The blur is probably residue from whatever you’re wiping the glasses with.
FWIW, the people told me not to use anything with ammonia when I clean my glasses (presumably it screws with the anti-scratch coating which yours may or may not have).
For my old glasses, however, they’d clean perfectly with just the microfiber wipe and water. The new ones…I’ve managed to wipe them acceptably clean once.
Nice theory, but a/ I only started wiping because of the blur, b/ they are more-or-less OK after a wipe, and c/using the gunk I’ve been provided means the clean lasts longer than a plain dry wipe. But thanks, I do appreciate all ideas here.
Years ago I discovered the magical secret of cleaning glasses properly. It requires a single paper towel, water, and a drop of Dawn dishwashing liquid.
Rip the paper towel in half. (Fold it in a single direction 3 times and tear across the center.) Take one piece, put a tiny drop of Dawn (it must be Dawn, because Dawn takes grease out of your way, hehheh) on it and run some water over it as well. Wet the glasses, then rub the lenses with the soapy towel.
Now rinse off the glasses, and carefully dry them with the unused (dry) half of the paper towel. Paper towels leave no lint, but will leave streaks if you crumple them, so dry off the lenses with flat sections of the towel in singular movements.
Never rub glasses in a circular motion with anything; that merely moves the dirt around. Single movements from one side to the other are all you should ever do.
When you put them back on, it’s amazing how clear they are.
Also, the typical dead skin cells/hairs/whatever dry stuff that falls on the lenses can be taken care of in a pinch by blowing on them. Be careful that you “dry blow”, though. Once you rub them, you pretty much need to do a full cleaning, unless you rubbed them with an exceptionally clean cloth/shirt/whatever.
I typically clean my glasses as part of my morning ritual, and it will usually last all day, with the occasional blow-cleaning tosses in.
I pretty much use Ellis Dee’s method, but with a lot more dishsoap and two paper towels. I’d like to add that I find Bounty paper towels very useful, because they clean off streaks without leaving lint on the glasses. I used to use Glass Plus and two Bounty paper towels, and that works well too, but it removes the greenish no-glare finish more quickly. I don’t know if no-glare is put on reading glasses though.
I wish somebody would invent a little appliance for cleaning glasses; I’d pay at least fifty dollars for one, probably a lot more.
For my lens cleaning, I use these pre-packaged, pre-moistened alcohol wipes that can be purchased at Lenscrafters for $9.99 per 60 count box. They always leave my lenses crystal clear. Since I started using them, I can’t stand cleaning my glasses with anything else.
Don’t use the commercial lens cleaner. It will dissolve any coating you have on your glasses, and right after cleaning, the lenses will look smeared with something (the dissolved lens coating). This happens even though the lens cleaner claims it is safe for all kind of lenses and coatings.
Instead, wash under running water, use a drop of dish detergent and clean with your fingers. Rinse well. Dry with Bounty paper towels (do not use a cheap and scratchy brand of paper towels).
When I was psych nursing I got this from an old soldier. To keep glass surfaces clean and make them low maintenance (like your glasses, binoculars, mirrors) get a cake of plain soap. Rub a bit of a squiggle on the lens with the dry soap bar and then polish it all over with a dry cloth until the glass looks clean again. Not only will the glass resist dirt, it will not fog up even in steamy conditions. I used to do the bathroom mirrors every once in a while and you could get out of a shower and there would be no fog on the mirror. I haven’t ever tried it on plastic lenses.
Wash your face with soap and a wash cloth.
Clean your glasses with cleaner or soap, water, rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean Kleenex.
It that doesn’t work it must be a bad case of OCD.
My optometrist advised me to never use paper towels or facial tissues (with the exception of the “Puffs” brand) on coated or plastic lenses. He said they contain tiny wood fibers that can scratch.
Assuming you’re not being sarcastic, you might look into the ultrasonic cleaners that eyeglass and jewelry stores used for decades. The small ones generally sell for under $25 on eBay (of course, they usually charge you another $15 for S/H)
I don’t know if optometrists still use them, or if they affect modern lens coatings. I spent a lot less time in the shop selecting frames than I used to. A few acceptable, inexpensive frames, chosen en masse after each eye exam, suits my lifestyle better than 1-2 carefully chosen expensive ones.
I’m sure someone will be along shortly to explain how ultrasonic cleaners cause coating loss, dishpan hands, garlic breath and ring around the collar.
Lioness, I spotted a machine in the sharper image catalog. I’ve got no clue about coating safety and the rest. It’s more of an overnight kinda thing though than “instant salvation” . I would just use it going to bed so when I would wake up in the morning the glasses were clean. I would check Ebay first and if no luck sharper image has it’s own auctions. I don’t mind used, but maybe you do. Anyway, hope it helps.
