Plastic is the most popular material used to make eyeglasses, which also can be made from glass or polycarbonate. Lightweight and impact-resistant plastic lenses are more susceptible to scratching, which is why care must be taken to clean them. Newer technologies are making plastic eyeglass lenses more durable than ever, while allowing for most prescriptions to easily be manufactured into the lighter weight glasses. Take a few steps to clean plastic eyeglass lenses to make them last longer and provide a clearer view.
Instructions
things you’ll need:
Lint-free cloth
Liquid soap
Eyeglass cleaner
1 Clean dusty glasses with a dry lint-free cloth. Gently wipe each side of the lenses to remove the dust particles.
2 Hold the glasses under warm running water, making sure to thoroughly wet both sides of the lenses. Add a drop of a mild dishwashing detergent on each side of the lenses and gently rub each side to clean areas with your fingertip. Continue running under the stream of water to rinse until all the soap is removed.
3 Leave the glasses to air dry on a counter for the best results and to avoid any chance of scratching the lenses. Use a soft, dry clean cloth to dry them if you need to put them back on.
4 Use eyeglass cleaners or sprays made especially for plastic lenses if you are more comfortable with those. Rinse under warm water and spray the cleaner on the lenses. Let them sit for a few seconds while the cleanser breaks up the dirt on the lenses, and then dry with a cloth or set back on the counter to air-dry.
5 Check the screws and frame after every cleaning to make sure that they didn’t come loose under the water. If the frames get a little bent while you rub them dry, gently move them back into shape or take them to your optometrist to get them refitted properly and to avoid further damage.
6 Buff out any small scratches with a buffing solution made especially for plastic lenses. Check with your eyeglass provider to find out what kind of buffing solutions are best for your glasses if you have special UV, anti-scratch or anti-glare coatings on them.
Tips & Warnings
Purchase scratch protection coating when buying a new pair of plastic lenses to avoid the tiny scratches that come from cleaning them with abrasive materials.
Never use paper towels to clean plastic lenses because the little bumps on the paper can scratch the lenses. Most paper towels are scratchy and coarse and will wreck havoc on your lenses.