Eyeglass wearers can sing a song about it; the glasses are constantly dirty and cloud the view. Here are a few tips on how to clean them properly:
Cleaning eyeglass lenses
Dish soap
To get your glasses completely clean, do the following: Rinse the lenses with lukewarm water, add a drop of dish soap, rub it in with your fingers, and then rinse again with lukewarm water. Then, wipe them dry with a lint-free cloth. This avoids scratches and you can see clearly again!
Many thanks to Flyingcircus for this tip!
Vinegar
Give every eyeglass lens a drops of vinegar and rub the lenses with it; this makes the lenses nice and transparent again and they won't fog up as quickly!
Vodka
With a drop of Vodka you can wonderfully clean your Eyeglass lenses. Simply put a drop on the lenses, rub it in, and wipe dry with a dry cloth.
No fogging of eyeglass lenses
To prevent this, you can dab a little glycerin and soft soap (mixed) onto the lenses. Then polish the lens clean with a soft cloth. You can also use this trick for windows and windshields.
What other tips are there for the care and handling of glasses?
Nowadays, glasses are a quite expensive purchase – therefore, it should go without saying that you should take proper care of your glasses so that you can enjoy your "nose wheel" for a long time.
Important: if the lenses are anti-reflective, you only need cold or lukewarm water, some standard dish soap, and a good paper towel for cleaning. The high-tech surface should under no circumstances be treated with aggressive cleaning agents as otherwise the protective film on the surface could be destroyed. Also, make sure that the glasses have been cleaned streak-free to have a clear view.
What kind of dirt is found on my glasses?
Did you know? Most of the dirt on our glasses comes from
- dust particles from our environment
- as well as fatty substances from our skin
- and also from cosmetics.
Dust particles
Even if you don't see the dust at all or only slightly, it is actually harder than the glass surface of the glasses themselves. If you want to clean your glasses with just a paper towel without water and dish soap, you are at most smearing the dust from left to right. In the worst case, the dust grains leave fine scratches that permanently damage the glass and thus make it irreparable.
Fatty substances
Fats that get from our skin onto the eyeglass frame and lenses can in most cases only be removed with degreasers – so-called surfactants –. We find surfactants in soaps, shampoos, and glass cleaners. Thus, excellent eyeglass cleaning is best suited with a simple dishwashing detergent. The surfactants dissolve the fats from the eyeglass surface and make them water-soluble. This gives you a clear view again.
Tip: unsuitable are special skin-care dishwashing detergents. These cleaners contain refatting ingredients, which are intended to be gentle on the skin but leave a smear film on the eyeglass lenses that makes a clear view impossible.
Dish towels
Of course, you can use a normal dish towel to clean the eyeglass lenses. However, if these have been treated with a fabric softener, they are less suitable for good eyeglass cleaning. Why? The fabric softener contained in the dish towels leaves a smear film on the eyeglass lenses, so that streak-free cleaning is almost impossible. Therefore, fresh paper towels are more advisable.
Small tip: never use the paper towels you find in restaurants or public restrooms. These green or gray disposable towels are not at all suitable for cleaning, as these towels usually contain fine wood residues that scratch the lenses completely.
Anyone who wants to do it professionally uses only microfiber cloths. These durable cloths are not only perfect for on the go, they are ideal for all occasions. It is best to keep these cloths in a case so that they are protected from dust.
How do I best store my glasses?
When you are not wearing your glasses, you should always store them in the corresponding case. Do not necessarily place the glasses on glass surfaces. This note applies especially to so-called rimless glasses, which have no frame. Additionally, protect your glasses from
- high temperatures
- bright sun as well as
- harmful chemicals.
If you follow these tips, you will enjoy your glasses for a long time.
Read also: Clean windows cheaply
Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
