Do you wear glasses and want to make sure the lenses are clean? Clean lenses can enhance your vision clarity and extend the life of your glasses. Discover the best methods on how to clean your lenses.
To clean plastic and glass lenses:
- Rinse with cold water from the tap.
- Wash with lens cleaner or hand soap.
- Rinse again with cold water to remove cleaner or soap.
- Dry and remove streaks using a microfiber cloth.
Plastic lenses require extra care beyond glass lenses. Read on to learn more about cleaning and caring for your glasses.
How to Clean Plastic Lenses
Plastic lenses have a special type of lens that features three different coatings in one.
- Clean Coat
- Anti-reflective coating
- Anti-static coating
- hardening
Because plastic lenses have different layers of coatings, they do require special care and maintenance. These coated lenses tend to cost more than basic lenses, so you want to ensure that you clean them frequently and properly to lengthen their lifespan.
Do not use harsh cleansers, such as glass cleaner, on your glasses in general. Because the surface of the frame could be damaged too. Also, do not use rough cloths like regular washcloths or paper towels to remove streaks. Make sure you know exactly how to clean your glasses to avoid damage.
Materials You Will Need:
- Running water
- Lens cleaner or gentle hand soap
- One microfiber cloths
If you want to know how to clean your glasses, follow the steps below:
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- If you are using lens cleaner, read the instructions on the label. Check to see whether the cleaner recommends the use of water.
- Inspect to make sure no dirt is left on the glasses.
- Rinse lenses under lukewarm tap water. Rinse away the dirt.
- Apply lens cleaner or a small amount of gentle hand soap.
- Use a microfiber cloth or your fingers if you do not have an extra cloth to gently scrub the lenses and frames.
- Rinse away cleaner or soap under cold tap water.
- Lightly shake the glasses to remove excess water.
- Use the other microfiber cloth to dry your lenses.
- Hold glasses up to the light to inspect for streaks. If you find a spot, polish with the microfiber cloth.
- If streaks do not go away, you may need to apply more lens cleaner and polish with the cloth again.
If your lens cleaner does not require or recommend water, eliminate the steps concerning water and follow all other steps as written.
Additional Tips for Cleaning Your Glasses
Beyond the basics, here are some useful techniques to also keep in mind:
- Avoid wiping your lenses while dry, especially if using a washcloth, paper towel, or shirt. These materials can scratch the lenses easily.
- If your lenses have a special coating, check your lens cleaner to make sure it is safe.
- If you cannot use water to rinse your lenses, use extra lens cleaner to remove dirt.
- Keep your glasses in a case when not in use to avoid scratches and dirt.
How to Clean Nose Pads
The lenses are not the only part of your progressive glasses that can get dirty. The nose pads can build up grime as well, especially during the summer months or if you wear makeup. Clear or white nose pads can become dingy over time, tarnishing the look of your glasses.
To Clean Your Nose Pads:
- Start by washing your hands with soap and water.
- Use an alcohol wipe or a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to thoroughly clean the nose pads. Try to avoid touching the lenses.
- If the grime remains, you can fill a small bowl with warm water and add a small amount of dish soap. Use the soap that doesn’t have lotion added. Allow the glasses to soak for about 15 minutes to loosen the grime.
- Clean again with the alcohol wipe or swab.
- If the nose pads are still dirty, remove using the screwdriver found in a glasses repair kit.
- Soak the nose pads in a bowl of warm water with a little added dish soap.
- Rinse and dry the nose pads. Use the screwdriver to reattach to your glasses.
- If the nose pads are still not clean, you may want to purchase new nose pads.
How to Make Lens Cleaner at Home
You do not have to spend extra money on lens cleaner. You can make your own at home with materials you probably already have on hand. Follow these steps to make your own lens cleaner.
- You will need a small spray bottle. You can usually find these in the travel containers section of most stores.
- Do not use alcohol for your cleaner. It can damage your coatings over time.
- Squeeze in a couple of drops of gentle dish soap. Do not use the type with lotion added.
- Mix together gently. Do not shake.
- Follow the instructions above to clean your glasses. Use water to rinse.
Upgrade to an Ultrasonic Bath for Best Cleaning Results
Ultra sonic baths are a proven way to get your glasses clean. All the dirt and grime gets cleaned in a matter of seconds. Eyer professional optician uses one and if you want to clean your glasses in seconds you should get one too.
All you need to do is to fill it up with water and add a little dishwashing liquid or soap to it. After a few days, you need to replace this lotion. Seriously a lot of people love their ultrasonic baths. You just dip your glasses in the bath and as soon as they are underwater you can see the dirt removed from your glasses. Because it is swimming around in the bath.
But I think really the greatest benefit to an ultrasonic bath is you can clean parts of your glasses you could not without using a screwdriver and disassembling the whole frame.
Conclusion
Keeping your progressive lenses clean and sparkling is not a complicated task, but it does need to be done properly and frequently. As long as you know how to clean progressive lenses, you can enjoy your glasses for your prescription length.
