Few things are as distracting (and frustrating) as a pesky smudge on your glasses. It might be tempting to quickly wipe the lens with your shirt, but this will likely only worsen the problem. Splatters, fingerprints, and smudges are a common struggle everyone faces with reading glasses, sunglasses, and blue-light glasses. Keep reading to learn how to clean every part of your glasses, plus tips on how to keep them streak-free.
How to Clean Glasses and Sunglasses
Method 1: Lens Spray
One of the easiest ways to clean glasses is to use a lens-cleaning spray. First, use a microfiber cloth to wipe away any dust and debris, then spritz each lens once with the lens spray. Gently wipe the lenses with a microfiber cloth. For less smudging and scratching, do not wipe the lenses in circular motions. Instead, use horizontal and vertical strokes to ensure your glasses are streak-free.
Method 2: Dish Soap
If you don’t have lens spray handy, you can easily clean your glasses and sunglasses with household dish soap. Start by washing your hands and running your glasses under lukewarm water. Use a drop of dish soap on each lens, and gently rub it in using your fingers. Rinse the soap off, and dry the lenses with a microfiber cloth in horizontal and vertical motions.
Method 3: Lens Wipes
Another quick and easy way to clean glasses is to use disposable lens wipes. Lens wipes often come in kits available at your local pharmacy. To clean glasses with lens wipes, wipe the insides of your lenses in horizontal motions. Once finished, wipe the outside of the lenses in vertical motions. Dry the lenses with a microfiber cloth.
By using horizontal strokes on the insides and vertical strokes on the outsides of your lenses, you will easily be able to identify which side of the lens any smudges or streaks are on.
How to Clean the Nose Pads of Glasses
Don’t forget about the nose pads the next time you clean your glasses. In fact, the nose pads on your glasses might be dirtier than the lenses. Due to a mixture of copper salt found in the coating of some glasses, dust, grease, and salt from sweat, a green grime may begin to form on the nose pads. While this is normal, it’s important to clean the nose pads regularly to avoid buildup.
To clean glasses nose pads, dip a toothbrush or cotton swab into a mixture of water and dish soap. You can choose to remove the nose pads from your glasses to clean them or keep them attached to the frames. Gently scrub the nose pads until the grime comes loose. Rinse with water, and dry your glasses with a microfiber cloth. Disposable alcohol pads will also work to clean nose pads, but make sure to not use them on other parts of your glasses.
Tips for Keeping Glasses Clean
Follow these tips to keep your glasses and sunglasses smudge- and streak-free between cleanings:
- Don’t rub your lenses with any clothing item. The fibers in shirts and jackets will further smudge the glass.
- Store glasses and sunglasses in cases or pouches when not wearing them.
- Don’t rub your lenses with tissues, paper towels, or napkins because they can scratch the glass.
- Always set your glasses face up on surfaces to avoid scratching or smudging the lenses.
- Wipe your lenses daily, and do a deeper clean once a week.
