It’s frustrating to deal with dirty glasses. You find yourself trying to see through the smudges on your computer screen or wiping away a stray eyelash only to leave another fingerprint on the lens, not to mention the countless pet hairs and nose prints if you have furry friends at home.
In desperation, you may have reached for your shirt sleeve or a tissue to give them a quick wipe—only to realize that, somehow, you’ve made them worse. The smudge in the middle of the lens has now spread from edge to edge, and if you’re unlucky, you’ve also added a cluster of scratches right in your line of vision.
Don’t worry; follow these simple steps to clean your glasses, and you’ll have them sparkling and smudge-free in no time.
Cleaning Your Glasses with Soap and Water
As it turns out, keeping your lenses smudge-free and scratch-free is both inexpensive and easy. You just need to be gentle. This is something you can do daily without damaging your glasses, whether you wear inexpensive readers from the drugstore or designer frames with custom, multi-coated lenses.
Here’s how to keep your glasses clean:
- Wash your hands to remove any dirt or bacteria.
- Rinse your glasses under warm water (not hot or cold).
- Add a drop of mild dish soap to the lenses.
- Gently rub the soap onto both sides of the lenses and the frames.
- Rinse the soap off thoroughly.
- Dry with a soft, lint-free cloth or a microfiber cloth.
If you really want your glasses to shine, here are a few advanced cleaning tips that you can incorporate into your routine:
- Use a cotton swab to remove dirt from the edges of the lenses where they meet the frames.
- Wash your microfiber cloth regularly. It picks up oil from your hands, so if you don’t clean it, it will just smear your lenses the next time you use it.
What Not to Do When Cleaning Your Glasses
There are a few things to avoid, such as shirt sleeves, paper towels, and anything other than a cloth designed for lenses. These can scratch your lenses, and scratches can’t be cleaned away.
Don’t use glass cleaner just because it has “glass” in the name. It can strip the coating you paid for on your lenses. You may be tempted to use something with acetone in it, like nail polish remover, to get rid of stubborn grime, but it’s too strong for lenses. Ultrasonic cleaners might seem like a good idea, but they can also scratch your lenses. Just stick to soap and water—it’s all you need and it really does work.
Dish soap does the job, and the simpler, the better—no extra detergents or abrasives. Even the most basic dish soap on the shelf will do.