What is that cloudy smudge on your glasses? Where did that sticky spot come from? Why do your frames feel tacky, even though your glasses sit on your nose all day?
You’re not imagining it. Glasses get dirty fast, and there’s a simple reason: your hands touch everything. From morning to night, you constantly come into contact with oils, dust, and grime, then transfer them to your frames and lenses without even realizing it.
Everyday Habits That Dirty Your Glasses
Here are just a few common actions that leave smudges and gunk on your glasses:
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Petting your dog or cat: Leaves behind fur and dander
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Rubbing your eyes: Transfers oils, tears, and lashes to your lenses
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Cooking meals: Adds flour, oils, and spice residue
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Putting glasses on your head: Picks up hair product buildup
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Reading newspapers or magazines: Gets ink on your fingers
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Handling the remote after your toddler: Hello, peanut butter fingerprints
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Touching surfaces at work: Think handshakes, phones, elevator buttons, keyboards
It’s no wonder your lenses start looking like they’ve been through a war zone. But here’s the good news: with the right habits, you can keep your glasses clean and your vision crystal clear.
How Not to Clean Your Glasses
Before we jump into the best methods, here are a few things to avoid:
Don’t wipe lenses while they’re dry – Any dust or debris can scratch the surface.
Don’t use window cleaner or Windex – These contain harsh chemicals that can damage lens coatings.
Don’t use your shirt to clean them – Fabric fibers and debris can scratch lenses.
Don’t use tissues, toilet paper, or paper towels – These contain wood fibers that can scratch over time.
Don’t blow on them and wipe with whatever’s handy – That quick fix could cost you in scratches.
The Best Way to Clean Your Glasses
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Use a gentle cleaner formulated specifically as an eyeglass cleaning solution. It will have the right ratio of cleanser to water and not jeopardize any of the special coatings on your lenses.
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Wipe the lenses with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove dust and smudges. Investing in a GOOD microfiber cloth is essential. Get a few. Don’t forget you can throw these in the wash to reuse, just don’t use fabric softener!
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Avoid harsh chemicals, abrasive materials, and heat! Taking great care of your glasses is as much about how you clean them as it is how you care for them when they’re not on your face.
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Rinse and dry the lenses with a clean microfiber cloth. Using your t-shirt may seem like a good idea in a pinch, but really they can do more harm than good.
Tired of Cleaning Glasses?
If you’re constantly wiping your lenses or dealing with smudges and scratches, you might be wondering if there’s a better solution. There is. Take our Vision Correction Quiz to find out if you’re a candidate for LASIK or another vision correction procedure. You could wake up with clear vision—and leave the lens wipes behind.