Homemade AR Lens Cleaner
Anti-reflective (AR) coating on your eyeglasses can help you see more clearly at night, make your eyes more visible to other people and cut down on glare from indoor lights, automobile lights and sunlight. Sweating, finger smudges and makeup can soil your lenses, so you likely will need to clean them once or twice a week. Opticians typically recommend commercial lens sprays, but homemade techniques can be just as effective. It is important that you clean the AR coating in the proper manner to avoid scratching the surface of the lens. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Homemade Solution
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1
Run lukewarm or slightly warm water over your lenses if they are dusty, greasy or have smudges.
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Place a drop of liquid dish-washing detergent on your index finger and rub it with your thumb to create a small amount of suds.
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3
Rub your wet lenses gently in a circular motion between your soapy fingers to remove the greasy residue.
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4
Rinse your lenses well (until they no longer feel slippery) with lukewarm water and then dry them with a lint-free soft cloth or microfiber towel.
Outdoor Solution
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5
Breathe in deeply and exhale onto your lenses to cause them to fog up.
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Wipe them quickly and gently with a microfiber or soft cleaning cloth. Small microfiber cloths are portable and take up little room in your purse or pocket.
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Repeat these steps if you can still see dust or other residue.
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Tips & Warnings
Never use hot water on your lenses; this can harm the coating.
Avoid cleaning your lenses when they are dry as this can scratch the anti-reflective coating.
Never use paper towels or facial tissues to clean your eyeglasses because the fibers can scratch the lens.
Never use a commercially prepared lens cleaner or any other cleaner unless it states it is for anti-reflective or anti-glare coatings.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Traffic in the Dark image by Jaymz from Fotolia.com
