How to clean cloudy glasses. What is the care for your glasses? How to care for anti-glare glasses

If you trust the statistics, then about 25% of the population of our planet have poor eyesight and wear glasses. However, not many of them know that they require serious care, and its absence later results in damage to the glasses themselves and affects their vision. Therefore, it is necessary not only to use them, but also to take care of them, monitor their condition and maintain their original appearance, and for this you need to know how to wipe your glasses and how to clean them.

Secrets on how to properly wipe glasses

If someone thinks that there is no need to frequently wipe glasses, then they are mistaken. The preservation of vision directly depends on the cleanliness of the lenses. So, if you regularly clean them from dust, stains and stains, then visual acuity can even gradually improve. In addition, simple aesthetics also play a role here - dirty glasses look ugly and repulsive.

However, before cleaning your glasses, you need to determine what exactly the lenses are made of: glass or plastic, since care for them often varies. So, glass ones are much stronger and harder; there are special products and solutions for them, as well as cloths for wiping. However, such glasses are already becoming rare guests on optical shelves, as they are quite heavy and break easily.

The mentioned liquids are not suitable for plastic lenses. In addition, this material is very soft and susceptible to external influences, it often leaves scratches, so special microfiber cloths are made for it. They are difficult to remove scratches from, but they are practical to use.

Let's look at how to clean glasses at home. To do this, there is no need to buy specialized solutions; you can use regular dishwashing detergent. A few drops on the lenses, lather and rinse with running water - and you're done. You should wipe your glasses with a clean, dry cloth to avoid leaving streaks.

Important: it is necessary that the water is warm, as cold water can have a detrimental effect on the lenses.

Everyone who wears glasses knows how difficult it is to walk in them in the cold season, or rather, to enter a warm room from the cold. How to wipe your glasses to prevent them from fogging up? The answer is simple:

special means - they are easy to get in any optics;
soap or a solution of shampoo and water - apply a thin layer to the lenses, gently wipe with a soft and clean cloth, then rinse and dry;
wax - you can use it to polish glass.

You can also use a pencil designed for cleaning gas mask glasses, but it is quite difficult to access.

Improper care of glasses

It’s sad, but often glasses owners take care of them carelessly, forgetting how important it is to clean their glasses, and then wonder why they have deteriorated and their vision has decreased. The most common mistakes:

wiping lenses with the edges of clothing;
ignoring the presence of stains and streaks;
use of improvised means: napkins, handkerchiefs, etc.;
careless storage: on a shelf, nightstand.

There are special covers and cases for storage. At the same time, it is advisable to have a cloth in the latter for wiping: the glasses will be in the most “soft” conditions, and the cloth itself will not gather dust and will always be at hand. It is also worth monitoring the condition of the case itself - regularly clean it of debris, crumbs and dust.

People often ask: “Can I clean glasses with alcohol?”, the answer to this question is absolutely not. Most glasses have a special protective coating applied to them, which can deteriorate from contact with alcohol (or similar substances such as ammonia, window fluid), which again will affect eye health.

Important: alcohol is an aggressive liquid, it is better to take care of yourself and wash your glasses with regular soap.

It is also important to protect your glasses from direct sunlight. Of course, this is difficult to avoid in the summer, but it is worth minimizing your exposure as much as possible. At a minimum, do not leave them in the sun. This is especially true for glasses with plastic frames.

How can you clean scratches from glasses?

If the question arises of how to wipe glasses glasses to get rid of scratches, then there are several simple ways.

Important: before cleaning the lenses of your glasses, you should thoroughly wipe the lenses to remove all excess dirt and see every scratch.

Toothpaste. This is one of the simplest methods: you need to take a paste without particles, squeeze a little onto each lens (about the size of a pea) and wipe it with a cotton pad or swab in a circular motion. Then rinse off and repeat if necessary. For small scratches, once is usually enough.

Soda. The method is exactly the same as the previous one, only here you need to dilute baking soda with water to a thick consistency (similar to a paste).

Polish. I usually use it for copper or silver; it can also be used for plastic, but it is not advisable: there is a high probability of removing the protective layer. So, you need to carefully wipe the lenses with this product, then remove the excess with a dry and clean cloth.

To minimize the risk of scratches, it is recommended to follow these tips:

You cannot place them with the lenses facing down - in this case there will be 100% scratches;
store outside the case or case;
wipe with a rough cloth, especially clothing, as there may be small particles of dust on it;
Do not try to remove dirt and stains with your fingers, much less with your nails.

Thus, such an action as cleaning your glasses is simply vital, which can even be equated to hygienic self-care. Therefore, ophthalmologists advise letting other people try them on as little as possible, and wiping and washing them more often. In addition, do not forget to visit your doctor regularly.

Over the course of the day, glasses become covered in dirt and grease, so they need to be cleaned regularly. To maintain good visibility and not damage the glass, it is important to choose a good method for cleaning them. Let's look at the most effective options.

Spray cleaners

There are liquids designed to clean spectacle lenses. They contain special substances that easily cope with greasy stains. Such sprays gently and accurately remove even the largest stains without damaging the glass surface. During the cold season, it is recommended to choose products with anti-fog components. To protect yourself from low-quality products, purchase such cleaners only in official optical stores. Don't forget to pick up special dry wipes for wiping.

Microfiber cloth

Soft microfiber cloths have been in good demand for a long time. They clean glass perfectly and do not leave streaks on them. This item is convenient to carry with you and wipe your glasses throughout the day. A microfiber cloth removes dirt without the use of detergents. But it also requires care - store it in a special case. Otherwise, it will quickly get dirty and lose its value. Don't forget to wash it from time to time. You can also use a piece of ordinary suede. Suede wipes are sold in some optical stores.

Disposable wipes

Many opticians sell packs of disposable cleaning wipes. They are created from special fibers that gently remove dirt from glass, including micropores. The surface of the lenses is not damaged. Each napkin is impregnated with a special solution that leaves no streaks and makes cleansing quick. The advantage of disposable wipes over other cleaners is their antibacterial properties. This allows you to use them in any situation where you need to wipe your hands or any object with a delicate surface.

Warm soapy water

Use a detergent without harsh chemical ingredients. Shampoo or shower gel will also work. Dissolve it in water at room temperature and stir well. Apply the resulting foam to the spectacle lenses. Rub them using a side-to-side motion (instead of a circular motion). Next, remove any dirt that has accumulated between the lenses and frame. We recommend using cotton swabs to clean the various frame mounts. When everything is ready, rinse your glasses well under running water, then blot them with a dry soft cloth to avoid streaks. The disadvantage of this method is that it is inconvenient to use outside the home. Regardless of the chosen cleaning method, soapy water should be used twice a month.

What not to clean glass

Never wipe your glasses with tissues that happen to be at hand, for example, a handkerchief, a rag, the edge of clothing, etc. They may seem soft, but in any case they will leave micro-scratches on the glasses. With repeated use of such fabrics, the visibility of the glass will simply become cloudy. Also, do not clean lenses with ammonia, bleach, vinegar, or glass and mirror cleaner. These products clean glass well, but are only suitable for washing windows. When cleaning glasses lenses, the protective coating that filters out ultraviolet radiation and leaves only safe light can be damaged.

How to protect your glasses from dirt

To keep your glasses safe and protected from dirt, carry them in a case. There are many different cases, of any shape and material. It is recommended to give preference to a rigid and tightly closing option. There are cases with locks. Before purchasing them, check that the lock closes securely. Remember to keep the case clean. Clean it in a timely manner from crumbs and dust, which can render your glasses unusable.

Statisticians say that about a quarter of the world's population wears glasses. This means that almost two billion people face the problem of how to clean and wash their glasses at home every day. However, there are not many ways to clean glass. They will be discussed in our article.

What kind of glass do you have?

Before you clean the lenses of your glasses, it is very useful to understand what exactly they are made of:

made of glass;
made of plastic;
made of plastic with anti-reflective coating.

Glass

Glass glasses have been around for centuries. Their advantages are well known:

strength;
hardness;
Possibility of use in complex pathologies of the visual organs.

Important! Glass lenses last longer than plastic ones - unless, of course, your vision has changed. To scratch such glass, you need to try very hard or take care of it improperly for many weeks (for example, wipe it with a hard cloth every day).

Everyone who has ever worn them knows about the disadvantages of such models:

quite heavy weight;
fragility;
the need for rigid alignment;
not very attractive appearance;
Glasses with large diopters are not always kept in a metal frame.

Important! Glass lenses, especially those with large diopters, weigh considerably, much more than the same plastic ones. This is due to the fact that for vision correction glass of a strictly defined thickness is used, while in the manufacture of plastic glasses the required angle of curvature is achieved in completely different ways.

In addition, if the lenses are not centered correctly, a person feels very strong discomfort - unlike, again, plastic glasses, which do not have such a flaw. In fact, “bespectacled people” would have given up glass lenses a long time ago, but for some diseases there is no other method of correction yet.

Important! Despite the fact that optical glass is a fairly durable material and is not equally sensitive to all mechanical influences, it does not tolerate shocks and compression quite well, so such glasses must be handled carefully and correctly.

Plastic

Perhaps these are the most popular glasses, which are worn with pleasure by those who have been wearing glass glasses for many decades. Their advantages are obvious:

plastic lenses are much lighter and thinner than glass ones;
no rigid alignment required;
glasses are much cheaper;
Lenses hold up equally well in both metal and plastic frames.

Important! But these glasses have one very significant drawback - the lenses are very easy to scratch, since they are made of soft plastic.

As for plastic glasses with anti-reflective protective coating, their advantages and disadvantages are the same as those of simple plastic ones, but more careful care is required.

How to clean glasses lenses?

Lens care products depend entirely on the material from which the glasses are made. Can be used:

sprays;
special liquids;
microfiber cloths;
suede napkins;
wet wipes;
soap;
dishwashing detergent;
shampoo.

When should you clean your glasses?

Finger stains, street dust, splashes, skin flakes, clouding, traces of white deposits, cream residues, drops of mascara - this is not a complete list of what can end up on the lenses. You will feel the result and the need to clean your glasses at home quite quickly:

glass loses its transparency;
in especially severe cases, objects seem blurry;
the contours of objects are blurred and have a rainbow rim;
spots with strange outlines appear before the eyes.

In all of the above cases, the dirt must be dealt with immediately. The point is not only that stained glass looks ugly and it’s hard to see through it. If you systematically look through lenses with stains, you run the risk of developing squint, in addition to all the other troubles with your eyes.

In addition, glasses also require daily care, regardless of whether there is visible dirt on them or not. It is better to spend it in the evening, when there is some free time and there is no need to rush anywhere. Do you carry out hygiene procedures before going to bed? So why not add one more action to your daily routine?

Important! Other situations are also possible - for example, when you come from the cold into a warm room. The lenses fog up (this happens more often with glass lenses than with plastic ones) and you can’t see anything through them. After some time, the fog will disappear, the glass will become transparent again, but you don’t always have time to wait; it’s much easier to wipe it.

Professional products

The best option for cleaning glasses lenses at home is products designed specifically for optical instruments. Special sprays and liquids are sold in good optical stores and pharmacies.

Important! They can be for both glass and plastic lenses, which you need to ask the seller about. The fact is that a product intended for plastic will not cause any harm to glass (though it will also do some good), but glass spray can damage plastic, so cleaning and washing it is not recommended.

It is best to buy sprays and liquids for glass in specialized stores. There are a lot of counterfeits on the market that contain substances that cannot be used to wipe lenses (for example, abrasives and alcohols).

How to apply?

As a rule, such products are produced in special packaging, which allows them to be applied to glass in small doses. The tip resembles a pipette with a blunt tip. In addition to the spray itself, you will also need a soft microfiber cloth (for glass lenses, a suede cloth is also suitable, which can be bought at the same pharmacy or optical store).

Directions for use:

Wash and dry your hands.
Apply a drop of spray or liquid to each glass.
Distribute the product evenly over the entire surface.
Dry your glasses with a soft cloth.

Such products do an excellent job of removing all types of dirt that may appear on glasses. In this case, strong pressure and sudden movements should be avoided. Rough handling can damage both plastic and glass lenses.

Important! In winter, a spray or liquid that prevents glass from fogging can be very useful.

Soft napkins

If you're looking for something to clean your glasses, pay special attention to wipes. Microfiber is one of the most popular materials for making cleaning and personal care items. They make many things out of it - rags for floors, napkins for tables or windows.

People with glasses have also already appreciated its unique properties:

soft;
does not scratch the surface;
removes dust wonderfully;
easily copes with fat particles and skin flakes.

This napkin is suitable for both plastic and glass glasses. In order to remove stains, you don’t need to press with your fingers or scrape; the miracle napkin will do everything perfectly without it.

Despite the triumphant march of microfiber, suede napkins can still be found on sale. They are practically in no way inferior to microfiber ones - they are a little thicker and take up a little more space in the case. Is it possible to wash glasses cloth? Usually this is not required, but if necessary, nothing will prevent you from doing it.

Wet wipes

Wet disposable wipes are an extremely convenient personal hygiene product. Including the care of glasses. On sale you can find packages of soft wipes impregnated with special solutions for a variety of purposes. It's best to look for ones that are recommended for glass. You may not find these in a hypermarket or hardware store, but an optical store will certainly recommend suitable ones for you. But in general, any wet wipes are suitable for caring for glasses.

Important! In addition to the fact that such wipes perfectly remove any dirt, they also prevent the growth of bacteria, since they are impregnated with an antibacterial composition.

How to clean glasses with plastic lenses without spray and microfiber?

What should you do if you run out of spray and forget that you need to buy wet wipes? Nothing bad happened. You probably have some resources at home:

soap;
shampoo;
dishwashing liquid.

Option 1

Any toilet soap is suitable for this method - liquid is best, of course, but if you don’t have it, you can take any:

Start the procedure by washing your hands with the same soap.
Wet the glass glasses on both sides under the tap - it is better if the water is warm, but not hot.
Wet your thumb and index finger.
Lather them up.
Using light movements of these fingers, lather the glass.
Wash it all off with water.
Place the glasses on a paper towel or napkin so that the glasses stand upright.
Let them dry.

Important! Sometimes you don’t have time to wait for your glasses to dry, but you also can’t wipe them with the first cloth or paper you come across. The only option is to gently blot with a paper napkin, but under no circumstances rub. This procedure cannot be repeated often.

Option 2

Shampoo or dishwashing detergent is suitable for this method. The main thing is that they do not contain aggressive components. You also need a container in which you can completely immerse the glasses:

Fill the vessel with water.
Add a few drops of detergent.
Immerse glasses in the solution.
Get your glasses.
Rinse off the soap solution with running water.
Dry the lenses with a soft cloth.
Place the glasses on a paper towel so that the glasses stand vertically and let dry.

Rinsing under running water

If there are no visible stains on the glass, you can do without shampoos. You need:

warm water tap;
soft napkin.

The procedure itself is extremely simple and accessible to literally everyone.

Open the water - the stream should not be very strong.
Keep the glasses under it for about half a minute.
Wipe the glass with a soft cloth.
Place your glasses on a towel to dry completely.

Important! Whatever you use to wipe your lenses, you should do it from side to side, not in a circular motion.

Removing dirt from cracks

The design of the glasses is such that in different parts of them there are many depressions and crevices, where dirt gets clogged with great pleasure. You need to get rid of it periodically. For this you need cotton swabs or toothpicks.

Remove dirt from crevices.
Rinse your glasses as you normally would.
Dry them.

Important! This procedure should be done a couple of times a month.

What should you not use?

There are always a lot of things in the house that seem suitable for caring for glasses, but you shouldn’t use them. Such items include:

shreds;
handkerchiefs;
cloth;
ammonia:
just alcohol;
vinegar,
liquid for washing glass and mirrors.

Rags and shreds

Why shouldn't you use, for example, leftovers from an old T-shirt? The fabric is so soft! In fact, it only seems soft and causes microcracks, especially in plastic. Glass lenses without any coating can sometimes be wiped with soft cloths, if there is no other option, but this should not be done constantly, because such wiping will harm your glasses.

Important! As for the edges of clothes, this habit is even more dangerous. Not only is it simply ugly when a person suddenly, for no apparent reason, lifts his hem and starts wiping something. The edges of clothing are usually made rougher, so the likelihood of microcracks in the lenses increases.

Chemicals

Alcohol and vinegar are simply useless in this situation when it comes to uncoated glass glasses, but they can be very harmful to plastic. So it’s better to keep them while you are fiddling with your glasses, somewhere on the far shelf.

Important! As for window cleaning liquid, it is absolutely not suitable for plastic, nor for coated glass glasses. In principle, simple glass lenses can be processed, but this is an extreme option when nothing else is at hand.

Also read a separate selection of tools and methods.

How to store glasses?

Glasses are a delicate item and require attention. You should not throw them on the table or put them on a shelf without any bedding. The best option is to buy a case. They are:

Soft. A soft case is most often made of leather, thick fabric or leatherette. It has a soft lining inside. A convenient compact option, but it has one problem - if you press on it, the glasses will crack.
Tough. The hard case is more convenient and reliable in every way. It is usually made of durable plastic that can withstand not particularly severe mechanical loads. Of course, you shouldn’t test a plastic box by throwing it under the car, but if you accidentally sit on it, your glasses won’t do anything. This, of course, does not mean that the optics need to be stored in a chair; it is best to choose a place for it on a shelf that is easy to reach, but which is also located high enough.

Important! There are metal and wooden boxes for glasses on sale - in short, there is plenty to choose from. In the case you can put not only the glasses themselves, but also care products - for example, a microfiber cloth or disposable ones in individual packaging.

In this article, we told you what and how to clean the lenses of your glasses, their temples and other parts. Choose what is most convenient for you, and keep your accessory in a clean and tidy condition so that visibility is always perfect.

The number of people using glasses for vision correction is increasing every year. But not every one of them knows how to wipe lenses to avoid streaks or how to properly care for glasses. The need for daily care is obvious: the lenses are exposed to drops and splashes of various liquids, sweat, fingerprints, street and house dust. As a result, the image quality deteriorates and provokes rapid fatigue and redness of the eyes, discomfort, and decreased visual acuity. To prevent this from happening, you need to set aside at least a few minutes a day every day and put your glasses in order, regardless of what material the lenses are made of - glass or plastic.

The largest range of lens care products can be found at your nearest optician. First of all, these are special liquids and sprays for cleaning from any contaminants. The use of these compounds is safe for glass and polymer lenses - they do not leave streaks or scratches, and easily remove fingerprints and the most difficult stains. In addition, almost all liquid cleaners have an antistatic effect, making glasses less dusty and dirty.

As an example, here are a few names:

The listed preparations remove any contaminants, including grease and dust, prevent glasses from fogging (anti-fog effect), and are suitable for lenses made of any material. Despite the small volume, any cleaning spray will last for a long time.

Napkins

Do not wipe glasses with improvised means: a tie, the edge or sleeve of clothing, terry or linen towels, paper napkins or handkerchiefs. The materials from which the listed items are made are too rough and hard. They can leave small scratches on the soft plastic from which almost all modern lenses are made. And the presence of even microscopic damage worsens the “picture” visible through the glass and provokes the progression of vision pathology.

A soft microfiber cloth will help you care for your glasses. It is convenient to wipe lenses during the day - it effectively removes dirt without leaving streaks. The napkin itself should be stored in a case to protect it from unnecessary contamination, and washed frequently with warm water and regular soap or dishwashing gel. This napkin is inexpensive, so every glasses owner can buy it.

The choice of napkins offered by opticians is not limited to microfiber products. There are also disposable antibacterial wet wipes that not only clean lenses, but also disinfect them.

Glasses with anti-reflective coating or ultraviolet filter are especially sensitive to mechanical stress. To extend their service life, you need to use only special cleaning products.

Available means

If you don't have a cleaning spray on hand, you can wash your glasses with soapy water. As a soap base at home, you need to use mild detergents:

shampoo;
shower gel;
dishwashing gel;
liquid soap.

To clean your glasses, you need to foam a small amount of any detergent from the list in warm water and apply the soap solution to the lenses. After washing, rinse thoroughly with running water and wipe dry with a clean soft cloth. It is useful to periodically wash such glasses even for those glasses that are cared for with the help of special cleaning sprays.

Do not use alcohol-containing products, ammonia, bleaches, window cleaners or abrasive cleaning powders to clean lenses.

Also, do not wash your glasses with too hot or cold water. The optical properties of plastic lenses may deteriorate from exposure to aggressive chemicals and high temperatures.

Conclusion

Glasses are a fragile device and should be properly cared for. It’s not difficult to protect your lenses from scratches and dirt: you need to store your glasses in a case, don’t wear them on your head instead of a hairband, don’t put them glass side down, and don’t wipe them with a rough cloth. You can remove dirt from your lenses using special cleaning agents sold at any optician. Some may find it inappropriate to spend money on expensive sprays, but they can extend the life of your favorite glasses and restore the original transparency of lenses, be it glass or plastic.

Regardless of what lenses are inserted into the frame - with diopters or not - glasses require careful daily care. Visual acuity directly depends on the condition of the glass, because looking through dusty or smudged lenses is quite tiring. As a result, you can encounter not only redness and rapid eye fatigue, but also provoke a further decline in vision.

To care for glasses, you can use both specialized ready-made solutions and disposable napkins soaked in them, as well as improvised means.

Methods for caring for glasses directly depend on the material from which their lenses are made:

Glass lenses are quite massive, especially when it comes to diopters with an indicator of ±3-5 or more. They are cheaper than their plastic counterparts and are highly resistant to chips and scratches.
Polymer lenses are light and thin compared to glass, but due to their soft structure they are more susceptible to mechanical stress. If not properly cared for, plastic lenses quickly develop scratches and clouding, which interfere with the normal functioning of the eyes.

Regardless of the type of lenses, the best choice will be special glasses care products - liquids and sprays. They carefully care for both glass and polymer lenses and do not damage the protective, mirror or anti-reflective coating. In addition, almost all drugs have additional beneficial properties: they prevent glasses from fogging up in frosty weather, when a trip on public transport or a visit to a store makes a person practically blind.

To prevent glasses from sweating when the temperature changes, you can use a little trick: apply a little glycerin or regular liquid soap to a soft cotton cloth, wipe the lenses with it, let the glasses dry a little and wipe dry with another clean cloth with a soft, lint-free surface.

Special preparations have many advantages over any available means:

Easily removes any stains, even difficult ones;
Erases fingerprints without any problems;
do not leave streaks;
do not scratch glass;
have a disinfecting effect;
produce an antistatic effect, thanks to which the glasses collect less dust;
compact and can be used in “camping” conditions (at work, on a trip).

You can purchase special products for lens care at any optician. The range of drugs is large, but it is worth paying attention to some of them:

Glass & Lens Cleaning Kits – spray in a 50 ml polymer bottle;
Spray Clean 25 – 30 ml spray;
Optinett – spray volume 35 ml;
Zeiss – bottles of different volumes (30 and 60 ml) with a spray nozzle;
Shifle Antifog Lense Cleaner – aerosol 30 ml.

Many owners of glasses (for vision correction or eye protection from ultraviolet radiation) are not satisfied with the price of special products, but the listed cleaning liquids and their analogues are used so economically that one small bottle will last for a long time.

Available means

To clean glasses at home, you can use available detergents, available in liquid or gel form: gels, shampoos, liquid soap and dishwashing compounds. Cleaning lenses with improvised preparations is quite simple:

foam a small amount of detergent in warm water;
Apply the soapy solution to the lenses and rub with a soft, clean cloth;
rinse glasses with running water;
wipe dry with a soft cloth.

If you care for your glasses using special cleaning liquids, periodic washing with mild detergents will not harm them.

Do not wipe glass and plastic lenses with ammonia, bleaching compounds, mirror and window cleaners, any alcohol-containing products, vinegar, acetone and other solvents. The listed products contain aggressive chemicals that impair the optical properties of glasses. In addition, do not use hot water or abrasive powders, which are harmful to lenses.

A microfiber cloth effectively cleans and carefully cares for the surface of lenses

Napkins

To avoid streaks, you should wipe your glasses correctly - with special microfiber cloths. They are inexpensive, but they carefully and effectively clean lenses from dirt. It is better to keep the napkin in a special case to prevent unnecessary contamination, and to maintain its hygienic condition, wash it regularly with liquid soap or dishwashing gel.

But improvised objects for wiping glasses are completely unsuitable. Owners of accessories often use the edges or sleeves of clothes, kitchen or bath towels, paper napkins, toilet paper, handkerchiefs and even ties for this purpose. This is not recommended: the materials listed have a hard surface and can leave microscopic scratches and abrasions on the lenses. Over time, the damage will turn into an inconspicuous mesh, which will significantly distort the visible “picture” and provoke a decrease in visual acuity.