What is in lens cleaning solution?

Factual Questions
1

For cameras and eyeglasses. I’m not talking about the methanol that is used for cleaning the sensor filter surface in cameras, just the everyday cleaner for lenses.

I have a sneaking suspicion it’s 100% water, but hope that there something else in there that makes it worth paying for. The one I have in my hand says if it contacts skin, rinse with water, but says it contains no alcohol or ammonia.

BTW I usually use a dry microfiber cloth but occasionally like to use the fluid to do a better job getting rid of oily smudges.

2

I don’t think it’s just water – my cleaning solutions don’t “wet” the same way as water. Yours, since it has no alcohol, may contain a surfactant (soap, detergent, or softener) that helps it to wet the surface, lift off dirt, and remove oils. I prefer alcohol, myself, which is pretty good at cutting oil.

3

Here’s a homemade solution that contains alcohol and soap:

http://www.chesterscleanhouse.com/2007/08/homemade-eyeglass-cleaner.html
If you search for “homemade eyeglass cleaner” you’ll find lots of such recipes.

4

I Googled “lens cleaner msds” (the material data safety sheet) and most of the ones I looked at had alcohol and glycol.

5

Interesting. If you recommend it then I know it’s safe :slight_smile: But this particular recipe gives parts of water and alcohol but a few drops of detergent. If you’re making a quart of solution I would think a drop of detergent is probably enough, especially if you’re not going to rinse with clear water afterwards.

6

The stuff that is used to clean anti-reflective lenses has to my understanding at least, soaps that will not remove the coating as well as a small amount of the anti-reflective coating chemicals dissolved in the solution, which makes the cleaning solution less likely to strip the AR coating from the lenses.

I wouldn’t use alcohol or a solution containing alcohol on AR coatings, as it might strip it from the lens.

7

Personally I wouldn’t use any solution on my lenses.

Microfiber only. And maybe a little fogging with my breath.

(And just a note: If you feel you must use a solution, put it on the cloth, not directly on the lens.)