A Useful Guide For Your Sunglasses Cleaning

With daily wear, sunglasses collect dust and become grimy. In order to keep your sunglasses dirt-free and sparkling, there are some basic cleaning rules to follow. Also, keep in mind that the lenses aren't the only part of the glasses to clean. Though they are the most bothersome part of sunglasses when dirty, the nose pads and the frame shouldn't be ignored in the cleaning routine.

Contrary to popular action, blowing on your sunglasses' lenses with your hot breath, then wiping them with the hem of your shirt is not how to clean your sunglasses properly. Although the tiny water droplets of your breath tend to be a convenient and temporary cleaning agent, the shirt-drying technique that follows can be harmful–smearing spots and scratching lenses. Here a few tips and techniques for your sunglasses cleaning and scratch-free:

1) Never clean lenses without a liquid. Trying to clear built-up dirt without a lubricant is a sure way to get scratches. So, don't do it!

2) Rinsing method: Wet your lenses with warm water warm and then wash with a mild soap to remove any dirt off your lenses. Rinse and dry with a lent-free cloth.

3) Soaking method: Soak sunglasses in a warm water and mild soap mixture for a few minutes. Agitate them in the water occasionally in order to remove dirt buildup. Then rinse them under running water to get rid of soapy residue. Next, rub lenses with a damp cloth on either side. Rinse again and dry with an appropriate cloth. This is time consuming but produces the best end results.

4) If lenses are water-repellant, a cloth drying isn't necessary. Drip drying will do.

5) Soaps to use: Clear dish washing soaps tend to work the best. Some shampoos will work as well. However, soaps with lotion cause a milky foam to form on the lens. Also, optical stores provide great lens cleaning solutions and sprays. Be aware of solutions with ammonia because they can destroy a lens' coating. Even optical sprays for a camera lens will work wonders on your sunglasses. Just stay away from a product containing ammonia!

6) Cloths to use: The only truly safe cloth to use is a micro-fiber cloth. Any paper products should be avoided. The wood they are made of is too dry and will scratch your lenses.

7) Nose pads: Due to the plastic material they are made of, they are usually quite resistant to facial oils, but dirt tends to build between the nose pads and their frame mounts. The best way to remove this is to use the soaking method to loosen the grim. Then grab a soft bristle toothbrush and flake any remaining dirt away.

8) Frames: Make sure your nose pads are adjusted to where your face does not touch your frames. Facial oils can cause an acidic reaction with the plastic turning your frames green in color. This reaction is irreversible, so the only solution is to eliminate contact. Also, facial oils can loosen the screws over time, so routinely check and tighten the screws of your frames.