News: Clean glasses

If you wear glasses and chances are you do if you are reading this, you know that spectacles are the most powerful magnet in the world when it comes to attracting dirt and dust.  It does not take long for glasses to become dirty and need cleaning.  No doubt you occasionally wipe them down, but it is time to learn how to really clean your glasses and do it well.

Frequency of Cleaning

The environment you use your glasses in, the frequency of use together with your skin type will dictate how often you need to clean them. However, broadly speaking your glasses should be thoroughly cleaned every one to three weeks.

Wash Your Hands

Always wash your hands properly with soap before you clean your glasses. Why? Hands have natural oils, and oil makes dust and dirt stick more effectively. The last thing you need is more dust and dirt particles near your spectacles! Make sure your hands are completely dry before you begin.

Rinse your Glasses

Using warm water, rinse your glasses thoroughly under the tap.  Do not use soap as it is not necessary.  Be sure to get all of the glasses – including the nosepads and temples. Rotate the glasses under the tap so both sides of the lenses are rinsed and that any dust/dirt particles are removed from the glasses surface.

Give the glasses a quick shake to remove any excess water but do not dry yet.

Cleaning the Nosepad

It is worth investing in some good quality cotton buds which have a sufficient volume of cotton at the ends. Avoid using the cheaper cotton buds which can have too little cotton at the ends and can tend to dismantle really easily, especially when wet.  Carefully clean the nosepads, being sure to get all of the grime from around the small screws that bolt the nosepieces to the frame. This may take a few minutes, but the extra time is worth it.

Repeat this process on the hinges at the temples. Clean these equally thoroughly.  Those who have the knowledge and skill to remove the temples from the frame and can clean inside the hinge may consider doing so at this time.  Those who are not sure about this step or are concerned can skip the removal. Just be certain to clean the hinge area well.

Lens Cleaning

Now it is time to clean the lenses.  Stop.  Right.  There.  Do NOT reach for a paper tissue or shirt collar.  Paper tissues are made of cellulose – wood fibre.  Wood fibre will scratch and mark the surface of your lenses.  If you have a protective coating on the lenses, wood fibre will remove this.

Only use branded microfibre glasses cleaning cloths to clean your lenses. These are specifically designed to clean glass and contain many thousands of microscopic fibres which gently but effectively remove foreign particles from the surfaces of the lens.

Please remember it is critical that the microfibre cloth you use at this point is completely clean. If you dry your lens with a dirty cloth, tiny particles within the cloth could scratch the lens surface. It is   recommended that you use a new or freshly cleaned cloth every time you give your glasses a thorough wash. Please refer to the section below regarding cleaning cloths for further information.

Holding the cloth between your forefinger and thumb, start in concentric circles from the centre of the lens out to the edges.  Pull the cloth away from the lens while continuing to hold to the cloth.  This will insure the dirt and grime comes away smoothly.  Repeat on the second lens.

Once you have cleaned the lenses work the cloth around the frame to dry thoroughly. Ensure you dry those harder to reach areas within the hinges which could potentially degrade if not dried properly. Remember, only clean the frames once you have completely finished the lenses. NEVER clean the frames first.

Cleaning Your Microfibre Glasses Cloths

Clean your spectacles cloths regularly. Microfibre cloths are exceptionally effective at removing tiny dust, dirt and grease particles so don’t leave them on there! Cleaning the cloths is very quick and easy. Just rinse your microfibre cloth with warm water. Work your thumb and forefinger through the surface of the cloth whilst submerged under water to help release any trapped foreign particles and then allow the cloth to air dry. It is not recommended to put your cloths in the washing machine. Do not put fabric conditioner on your microfibre cloths under any circumstance as this will render them completely useless.

There you have it, the quick, chemical free way to keep your glasses looking like new.

 Find the perfect cloths for your spectacles here.