Cleaning sunglasses and prescription glasses: care tips
Cleaning your sunglasses and prescription glasses regularly means you have sharper vision through your lenses and can also extend their lifespan. The glasses are subjected to many stresses on a daily basis: bad weather, accidental falls, contact with sweat and natural oils in the skin. It is therefore not surprising that, over time, dirt, dust and grease accumulate on both prescription and sunglasses, but how to clean sunglasses and prescription glasses? It is also important to know the correct way to clean your glasses, because some methods can damage the lenses, even if they have an anti-scratch coating.
Cleaning sunglasses and prescription glasses may seem like a fairly simple task that doesn’t require any special instructions, but there are right and wrong ways to clean them. If you do not know the correct procedure for cleaning glasses, you risk ruining them.
Useful tips for cleaning sunglasses and prescription glasses
Cleaning both sunglasses and prescription glasses is important to keep them in good condition and to ensure clear vision. Here are some useful tips you can follow to properly clean your glasses.
Hand washing
Before touching your glasses, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. This prevents the transfer of bacteria or viruses from your hands to your glasses and removes any oil from your fingers that could stain your lenses. Dirt or small dust particles on your fingers can also scratch or damage the lenses. It’s best to start with clean hands.
Washing your glasses with a lotion-free soap
Wash your glasses with a lotion-free soap, applying a small drop of mild hand soap to each lens. Or, even better, spray both sides of the lenses with a specific lens cleaner to minimize the risk of scratches.
Using lens cleaner is the ideal solution because it leaves them streak-free since you don’t need to dry them afterwards. Dish soap usually contains acidic ingredients, so it is absolutely not recommended to use it. Gently rub both sides of the lenses.
Washing the lenses with a light jet of warm tap water
This removes dust and prevents scratches on the lenses during cleaning.
Do not use hot water to clean the glasses, as this may damage the delicate coatings of the lenses.
Drying the lenses
Carefully dry the lenses using a thin, clean, lint-free cloth. The cloth must not be treated with fabric softener.
You can also use special sheets to dry, or even use a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Checking the lenses
After cleaning, check the lenses for light to make sure they are completely clean. If you notice any smudges or fingerprints, repeat the cleaning process.
Storing glasses
Store your glasses in a protective case when you’re not using them so you can prevent accidental damage.
Regular cleaning of your glasses is important to keep them in good condition and to ensure maximum clarity of vision. Avoid cleaning the lenses with sharp or rough objects, as they may scratch them. If you have lenses with special coatings, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper maintenance.
How to clean your glasses frame
In addition to the lenses, it is also important to clean the frame of the glasses to remove dirt and bacteria. Simply use warm water, soap and a soft cloth to gently clean the frame.
You can do the following:
- When cleaning, always keep your glasses on the side of the frame, to avoid deforming or bending them.
- To avoid damaging the frame, it is best to use a neutral and non-aggressive soap. Alternatively, you can use a special solution for cleaning your glasses and follow the same procedure.
- Be sure to wash the nose pads and temple tips well as well, as this is where grease, hair products, and makeup tend to stick.
- Once clean, simply dry the frame with a soft lens cloth or microfiber cloth.
Cleaning sunglasses and prescription glasses: the things not to do!
When cleaning the glasses there are These are things not to do at all:
- Do not use the flap of your shirt or shirt to clean your glasses. The tiny fibers in the fabric can in fact scratch the lenses permanently.
- Do not use saliva to wet the lenses. It is not hygienic and does not clean the glasses very well.
- Never use household glass cleaners to clean your glasses. These products contain substances that can damage the lenses, but also the films that coat them. Also avoid using soaps or detergents that contain ammonia or other strong chemicals. The lenses are made up of special coatings that are sensitive to ammonia and other harsh chemicals found in household cleaners.
- Avoid using paper tissues, cloth tissues, or toilet paper to clean the lenses. The wood pulp that tissues are made of can cause micro-scratches and leave the lenses lint.
- As tempting as it is, don’t blow or breathe on the lenses to clean them. You would only end up creating additional stains and streaks.
