Homemade Lens Cleaning Solutions

Creating lens cleaning solutions at home saves money.

Glasses are designed to help you see better, but if smudges and dirt cloud the lenses, then the helpful little panes of glass become more of a hindrance. A wide variety of commercial products claim to clean lenses to a streak-free finish, but for the most part, they are expensive solutions when a cheap fix works just as well. While glasses featuring reflective lenses or other protective coatings should be cleaned with specific, specially designed products, a homemade lens cleaning solution cleans most glass just as effectively and for a lot less money.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid dish washing detergent without abrasives, lanolin or lotion.
• Spray bottle
• Cotton handkerchief or T-shirt
• Rubbing alcohol

Instructions

Soapy Water

1. Fill a spray bottle halfway with lukewarm water. Add two drops of a mild, abrasive-free liquid dish-washing detergent. Swirl -- don't shake -- the bottle gently to mix the soap into the water.

2. Pass the glasses under lukewarm, running water to remove any loose debris.

3. Apply two or three sprays of the soapy water to both surfaces of both lenses. Spray more if needed to ensure the lenses are thoroughly wet.

4. Pat the lenses dry using a clean, 100 percent cotton handkerchief or T-shirt. Rub or wipe the lens only if absolutely necessary.

Rubbing Alcohol

1. Fill a clean spray bottle with 3/4 rubbing alcohol, 1/4 lukewarm water, and two drops of a mild liquid dish-washing detergent. Swirl -- don't shake -- the bottle gently to mix the three ingredients. Slow the swirling down if bubbles begin to form in the solution.

2. Pass the glasses under lukewarm, running water to remove any loose debris.

3. Apply two or three sprays of the rubbing alcohol solution to both faces of both lenses. Saturate the lenses so that the alcohol drips from their surfaces.

4. Pat the lenses dry using a clean, 100 percent cotton handkerchief or T-shirt. Rub or wipe the lens only if absolutely necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid using fibrous drying fabrics, such as rags, paper towels, newspaper, toilet paper or pants.

• Excessive pressure can damage the glasses. Clean lenses using a soft, gentle touch.

References

• The Optical: FAQ
• Glasses Crafter: How to Make Homemade Eyeglasses Cleaner