How to Clean Glasses

Overview

Cleaning your glasses regularly does not only help you keep your glasses clean but also protects them from scratches and smudges. But, let’s be honest here! How many of us really clean our glasses every day? Not many! Wearing glasses with dirt or grease not only damages your glasses but the unclear vision may also cause irritation and headaches. Furthermore, if you haven’t cleaned your glasses in a while, there are high chances of bacteria accumulating in sensitive areas, including your eyes and nose. Thus, leaving your glasses uncleaned for several days poses serious health risks. 

 

There are plenty of right and wrong ways of cleaning your glasses. Thus, we have compiled a step-by-step guide on how to clean spectacles. You can use the tips and steps listed below to clean all types of eyewear, including regular glasses, sunglasses, and more.

How to clean glasses lenses?

Cleaning your glasses does not have to be a complicated process. Moreover, you should make it so that it does not take you over 20 seconds to clean your spectacles. We have listed the supplies you will need to clean your glasses. 

Supplies:

A microfibre cloth is the most effective and safest tool for cleaning your glasses. Moreover, microfibre cloth does not cause scratches or smears on your eyeglasses. Next, you can either use a spray or a special cleaning solution specially made for glasses. However, before you choose a cleaning solution for cleaning your glasses, you must check whether it’s safe for use on polycarbonate lenses and glass lenses. Lastly, you can also use lotion-free dish soap to clean your glasses. 

Instructions:

You must follow the steps listed below to clean your glass lenses:

 

• Firstly, you must thoroughly clean your hands. It ensures that you don’t accidentally transfer germs from your hands to your glasses. 

• Secondly, run your glasses under warm water. It helps you get rid of dirt or dust particles that might cause smears or scratches on your glass lenses. There’s one point you should remember: if you have hard water in your area, you must always use distilled water to clean your glasses. You should never use water directly from the tap.

• Thirdly, you can use the microfibre cloth to wipe your glasses. Once you have wiped down your glasses with the microfibre cloth, you can spray the cleaning solution on both sides of the glasses. However, if you are using dish soap to clean your glasses, you can put one drop on each side of the lens, and then gently rub it over the surface of the glass. Lastly, you can rinse the soap with water. Remember, you should rinse only when using soap and not the cleaning solution.

Lastly, you can get rid of the excess water and dry your glasses. With this, you are good to go!

How to clean glasses frames?

Your glasses are comprised of several parts, including springs, screws, hinges, and more. These parts keep getting dirty with sweat, dirt, etc. when you don’t clean them regularly. Health professionals warn against skipping this step. It is as important to clean your glass frames as it is to clean your glasses. Furthermore, since the frame of your glasses is touching your skin, you should take special care with them and clean them regularly. Let’s dive into how to clean spectacles, particularly the frames.

Instructions:

You must follow the instructions given below to clean the frames of your glasses:

 

• Firstly, you must run your glasses under warm water. 

• Next, you can use mild, lotion-free dish soap and apply it to the frames of your glasses by using your fingertips

• Once you have performed the above steps, use warm water to thoroughly rinse your glass frames. 

• Lastly, you must use a light towel that is moist with rubbing alcohol and clean the earpieces and nose pads of your frames.

This will give you fully clean glasses that are safe to wear. 

What can hurt your glasses?

As we mentioned before, there are always right ways and wrong ways to clean your glasses. So you can be careful with cleaning your glasses, we have listed all the wrong ways and tools to clean your glasses. 

Avoid these materials

You must always stick to special soft cloths for lenses to clean your glasses. You should use the type of cloth to clean your glasses like the one you received when you purchased them. Using tissues or paper towels is one of the most common mistakes people make while cleaning their glasses. Though these may seem a better and more easily accessible option, you should completely avoid using tissues, paper towels, etc. When you use materials like these, your glasses will lose clarity over time since these materials are too coarse and lead to the development of minor scratches on the glass surface.

Don't use products with acetone

Another common mistake people make while cleaning their glasses is using nail polish remover. It’s neither a good idea nor a suggested practice to clean the glass surface. It’s because nail polish remover contains acetone which is quite destructive when left on the surface for too long. It can damage lenses and even the plastic frame of your glasses. 

Saliva doesn't clean lenses

It’s absurd, to say the least, how some people can use their own saliva to lubricate the lenses of their frames. Similar to using acetone, using your saliva, even when you are desperate to clean the smudges off your glass, is not a good idea either. Instead of cleaning your glasses, what you are doing is transferring germs from your mouth to your glasses, making them worse than they were before cleaning. Furthermore, when you use your saliva to clean the smudges off the glass, it can make them look worse.

When to have your glasses professionally cleaned?

Are you wondering whether you should get your glasses cleaned professionally or if cleaning them at home works fine? In most cases, you can clean your glasses at home. The methods mentioned above should guide you on how to clean spectacles glass at home. However, in some cases, you might have to get your glasses cleaned professionally.

 

If you find too much oil built around your earpiece and nose pads, you can get your glasses cleaned professionally. You can also get this done if you have used all the tried and tested methods to clean your glasses but the oil just wouldn’t go. More importantly, you should get your glasses cleaned professionally if you are noticing an increasing breakout in areas where the frame touches your skin. You should also ask for a cleaning every time you get your eyeglasses adjusted or go for your annual eye exam. 

 

Eyeglass retailers, ophthalmologists, and optometrists – all offer professional cleaning services for eyeglasses. 

The best way to store glasses

Now that you are familiar with the best ways to clean your glasses, let’s move on to the best ways to store them. Safe storing of your glasses is as important as cleaning them regularly and properly. You can’t just throw your glasses in your backpack or on a rough surface. If you are doing so, you are making your glasses prone to scratches, smudges, and more damage. 

 

You should always store your glasses in a hard case whenever you are travelling or are on the go. You will usually get the hard case for storing your glasses from where you purchase them. You should always place your glasses facing upwards in the hard case. It helps you avoid any smudging and scratching on the glass surface. Furthermore, it is always best to use the hard case that you received with your glass frames as it ensures that your glasses perfectly fit the case to avoid scratching the surface. 

 

If you are not using your glasses, you can place them on a clean table with the lenses always facing up. 

 

To add another layer of safety, you can avail the Spectacle Insurance via Bajaj Markets. This will give you a comprehensive coverage against damage or loss. Get more details on our website!