How to Clean Reading Glasses

If your reading glasses are too dirty and cloudy to see out of, they won't do you much good. There are right ways and wrong ways too. Cleaning your glasses the wrong way can actually do more harm than good. By following the steps below, you'll learn the most optimal way to clean your opticals.

How to Properly Clean Your Eyeglasses

1. Inspection. Begin cleaning your reading glasses by taking a good look at them. Make sure there are no scratches or imperfections that would hinder them from being able to be cleaned.
2. Routine. Make a mental note of when you are cleaning your glasses so you can clean them at least once a week and more if needed.
3. Preliminary measures. Before you clean your glasses, make sure to wash your hands with mild soap using tap water. Be sure to dry your hands before handling your glasses.
4. Cleaning process. The actual cleaning process should consist of a microfiber cloth and warm water. Experts agree that the best way to go about it is to rinse your glasses under tap water. You can use a small amount of eyeglass cleaner or mild lotion-free dishwashing liquid if desire. Gently rub the lenses in a circular motion and be careful to include the frames and nose pads.
5. Rinse well. Rinse the solution or dish liquid off of the glasses. Then gently wipe them with a soft, clean microfiber cloth. Dry your glasses afterward. Sit them in an eyeglass case for safekeeping.

How NOT to Clean Your Glasses

Improperly cleaning your glasses can cause the lens areas to scratch. It can also cause other issues. Here are some things to avoid when cleaning your glasses:

1. Don't just grab your shirt and clean your glasses with it. You can scratch the lens of your readers and damage them beyond repair.
2. Don't use paper towels to clean a pair of glasses. The lenses of your eyeglasses will most likely get scratched up if you do.
3. Don't use rubbing alcohol or Windex on your readers. You may damage the anti-reflective surface on your eyeglasses and risk harming the frames and nose piece too. Make sure to only use products designed for cleaning spectacles.
4. Avoid using cold water. Using a gentle stream of warm water to clean your lenses is more effective. Never use hot water, however. Hot water can damage the coating of the lens, the nose pads, and the frames too.
5. Don't fail to dry the lens of your glasses. Lenses are apt to be blotchy if they are not dried correctly using a soft eyeglass cleaning cloth to thoroughly dry them. Don't forget to dry the frames and nose pads too.

Tips to Taking Good Care of Your Glasses

Once you have succeeded in cleaning your eyeglasses, you'll want to be proactive in keeping them clean and safe. Here are some suggestions for doing so:

1. It is best to never set your clean glasses down on the counter or any other unsafe spot after cleaning them or after their use. Always store your glasses in a case so they will not suffer damage such as they most likely will if they are left out. You want to make sure the lenses are placed so they only touch the soft surface.
2. Realize that the lens coatings of most eyeglasses require special care. After a good lens cleaning with soap and warm water, be sure the coating is dry. You may want to wrap them in a soft cloth to keep the glasses clean before you store them in an eyeglass case until their next use. Protect the lenses at all costs because failure to properly care for your lenses will cost you in the long run. Lenses are delicate and must be treated with tender loving care.
3. Be sure to wash your eyeglass case too. You can get a special cleaner or simply use soap that is free of lotion to remove any dirt, debris, or dust from the eyewear case. Never use soap on it that you should not use on your eyeglasses because it could get on the lenses and the lens coatings. Lenses can easily be damaged by using harsh cleaners. Stick to dish soap and only use products that are safe for lenses.
4. Never allow your glasses to get hot from the sun or from a heater or stove. Remove them from anywhere the lenses might overheat. Too much heat may damage eyeglass coatings and can hurt the frame of the glasses too.
5. The best rule of thumb is to store your glasses when you are not using them. That way you avoid bending the frames or making a scratch on the lens. Lenses require great care and leaving them out leaves them at risk.
6. Be sure not to let your glasses come into contact with alcohol of any kind. The frame of your glasses may melt if it gets on them. Alcohol is damaging to reader lenses. Lenses are not made to handle the use of harsh chemicals because of the materials that are in lenses that enable you to see better. Treat your reader lenses as if they were your own eyes because in reality...they are.
7. Read what the manufacturer says on how to care for the lens and the frame. You can go to the .com site and read the details on how to care for them and also read about their rights reserved concerning your readers.
8. When putting on your reading glasses and when you remove them from your eyes, be careful not to stretch out the frame. Looking on the .com site on caring for the frame will help you keep your eyeglasses free from damage to the frame area as well as to the lens.
9. Lenses are made differently by different manufacturers. Be sure to go to the .com site and find out the exact recommendations of how to clean eyeglasses from the particular manufacture. Go over their rights reserved policies too. The more you can learn about the maker, the better.
10. If you notice that your glasses are overly cloudy, pay attention to the buildup of oil and grime on them. You may need to switch brands of dish liquid or cleaner or the type of cloth you are using.

Readers are designed to make your life better. But, if you are not cleaning them correctly, that is impossible. You'll never be able to see out of them properly. Now that you are aware of the best way to clean your reading glasses, you can put the suggestion is action and see the world, and the words, a little more clearly.