How to Clean Your Glasses Properly: 6 Steps (Dos & Don’ts) – Expert Advice

Glasses are an important accessory and have become a need for a vast part of the population. With the times changing, merely birth defects and genes are not responsible for bad eyesight but the increased time spent in front of screens as well. If you think about it, more than half of the population in the U.S. needs some sort of vision correction to see their 100%. Now, one of the most overlooked things about glasses is how often they need to be cleaned. Generally, you should clean your lenses at least once a day and the frame at least once a week.

The problem with cleaning your eyewear is that, if not done properly, they can leave scratches on your lenses, especially plastic ones as they are more prone to scratching. And once they are ruined, getting glasses overnight can be quite a headache, not to mention, expensive, especially when it’s prescription glasses. With that being said, here we have a few do’s and don’ts about the cleaning of your glasses to help you avoid such problems.

 Do the Following: 

○ Take off your glasses with both hands

First and foremost is the way you take off your glasses. You must be wondering why that matters. Well, the tiny hinges on this accessory that are holding its shape need care. People have often wondered why their glasses look a tad bit slanted on their face or why they become loose over time. It probably has something to do with you losing weight as well, but more often than not, it has to do with how you handle your glasses. When you pull off the glasses to look cool like they do in the movies, you most definitely succeed in achieving your goal but loosen the hinges on your glasses. The temples (arms) and hinges are very small and delicate so removing your glasses single-handedly can damage your glasses.

○ Wash your glasses

That’s right. We just said you should wash them. Cleaning your glasses with water helps you keep your glasses scratch-free and clean. Make sure to use a light stream of lukewarm water as it can help in cleaning without putting any scratches on your glasses, but never make the mistake of using hot water. That can prove to be damaging to some lens coatings.

○ Make sure your hands are clean

The basic practice for a healthy and hygienic lifestyle. Always ensure the cleanliness of your hands before you take off your glasses. This prevents smudging. Also, use lotion-free soap and for drying, use lint-free towels. The coatings on your glass can be damaged by the roughness of your skin as well.

○ Use neutral hand soap

Use one drop on each lens and gently rub it all over. Make sure you give enough attention to the temples, tips, and nose pads. These areas come in contact with most of the dirty or greasy material like hair products, make-up, oil or lotion, etc.

○ Use a lint-free towel or microfiber cloth for cleaning

Once the washing is done, you have to dry your glasses. You can either let them air dry or use a cloth to clean them. But not just any cloth. When you pick a cloth for drying your glasses, ensure that it has not been treated with a fabric softener. It would be best to go for a microfibre cloth.

○ Store glasses in their case

The cases are given for a reason. Randomly keeping your glasses in different places can cause you to lose them, unintentionally break them or damage them. So keep them in their safe.

 Don’t do the Following: 

○ Don’t use saliva on your lens

Not only is it unhygienic but also gross. Also, it does not clean your glasses well either. So avoid that.

○ Don’t use dishwashing soap

Dishwashing soaps or household glass cleaners have such ingredients as acidic components that can damage some lens coatings or break the lens. So it would be best to avoid making that mistake.

○ Shirts are not for cleaning glasses

It is very common for people to use the tail of their shirt to wipe their glasses clean. That’s a big mistake. The tiny fibers in your shirt can damage the lens by making scratches on it. That’s permanent damage.

○ Don’t use lint-loaded materials

Just the way your shirts are not meant for cleaning your glasses, neither are the tissue papers, paper towels, and toilet papers. They have wood pulp in them which can very easily scratch your lens or leave lots of lint on them. Neither is a preference.

Now you know what are the best ways to keep your glasses looking their best and what kind of common mistakes people make in this simple task.