How to Clean Sunglasses for an Unobstructed View
By: Andrea Noel
Tags: Skincare

How to Clean Sunglasses for an Unobstructed View

Everyone has that favorite pair of sunglasses they just love to rock when the sun is shining. Sunglasses are vital to eye health and shouldn’t just be worn during the summer, but all year long.

Since they double as both an eye protectant and a cool fashion accessory, its important to know exactly how to clean sunglasses. Chances are you may not be giving your sunglasses the love they deserve, so let’s take a closer look at how to clean sunglasses properly.

The Universal Clean

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of how to clean sunglasses? Probably a quick breath on each side of the lens, followed by a little tug on your shirt to wipe the surface. We’ve all seen people around us do it, and even witnessed actors do it in movies. If this many people clean their sunglasses this way, they must be on to something right?

Seriously, Don’t Do It

No, that is totally wrong and will eventually damage your glasses. Never ever clean them using this method. When you stop and think about the dust particles and dirt that your clothes come in contact with day in and day out, it’s a wonder we were ever even fooled by “the universal clean” method in the first place.

When cleaning your sunglasses, its important to know exactly what can harm them so you can completely avoid any destructive habits. When you actually take a few minutes to research, chances are you will find everything you thought you were doing to help keep them clean was actually hurting them.

For instance, always use a liquid solution when cleaning your glasses. Sit back and imagine the sensitivity of a lens and imagine the results of dry rubbing. Rubbing a dry lens is not something you should do if you want the lens to remain in good condition.

How to Clean Sunglasses

Step 1

First, gather the tools needed for a thorough cleaning and move to an area without electrical appliances. Remove any other items that are not water friendly.

Cleaning Tools:

1. Large Bowl

2. Warm water

3. Dawn dish soap

4. Sunglasses

Step 2

With your cleaning tools gathered, start out by filling a large bowl with warm water. Never clean them with hot water because excessive heat will damage the coating of the lens.

Step 3

Gently submerge your sunglasses into the bowl and remove them once they are nice and wet.

Step 4

Grab your dawn dish soap and add a small amount to your water. Do not directly cover the lens with dish soap to avoid scratching the lenses. Dawn is a perfect additive to the cleaning process because it contains no abrasive chemicals. As a safety precaution, be sure to dilute the soap in water to eliminate the risk of scratching.

Step 5

Naturally it makes sense to begin washing the part of your sunglasses that contains the most dirt. For optimum cleaning, start by gently washing the nose grip of the glasses. This area is constantly touching your face so it’s necessary to wash away all the dirt and oil emitted from your skin. If you make the mistake of not focusing on this area first, you will most likely end up with smudges on the lens.

Step 6

Once the nose grips are thoroughly clean, move on to the rims and arms. This area requires a good cleanse because the arms of the glasses are always in contact with your hair, thereby constantly soaking up the oils they emit.

Step 7

Once every other part is clean, finally move to the lens. Using your forefinger and thumb, massage both sides of each with the soapy water in a circular motion. Continue massaging gently until both sides of each lens are clean.

Step 8

Using clean warm water, rinse the entirety of your sunglasses until they are completely free of dish soap.

Step 9

Using natural light, investigate each lens to make sure they are free of smudges and dirt. Is the view through each lens crystal clear? If any smudges are detected, repeat the process using a second bowl of clean water. All that should be visible besides the world around you are small water droplets covering each lens.

Step 10

The only product that should be used to dry your sunglasses is a microfiber cloth. In many instances, a microfiber cloth will come with your sunglasses when you buy them. You will also want to make sure that it isn’t dirty.

Wiping a clean lens with a dirty cloth kind of defeats the purpose of the effort. It would be wise to completely avoid any kind of towel or napkin when cleaning your sunglasses. These products are basically wood in another form and can damage the coating of the lenses.

Be Consistent

Proper upkeep will make a big difference in how you view the world when wearing your favorite shades. Who wants to look through a dirty lens? Give your sunglasses a proper cleaning before they have the chance to get filthy. Poor upkeep will require a prolonged cleanse which means a higher chance of inflicting scratches.

Handle with Care

When people wear sunglasses there are always reasons to put them on and take them off. This process is continual and there’s no escaping it. Greeting people, going in and out of stores, and many other activities require this constant back and forth motion.

For this reason, it’s good to have a protective case for storage. Sunglasses are delicate and easy to bend. Even the slightest wrong move could result in complete destruction.

Hard Case or Soft Case

It might sound impractical, but the best way to keep your sunglasses safe is to store them in a custom sunglasses container whenever you take them off. This begs the question, what is the best type of case for storing your shades? While a soft case cuts down on dirt and dust particles coating the lenses, not much can be gained in the area of safety and protection.

A sturdy, hard case will mostly eliminate the chance of an unforeseen accident occurring. In a split second anything can happen that could potentially render your favorite pair of sunglasses totally unwearable. It doesn’t matter how clean they are, if the frame is bent you might as well just throw them away.

For Cleaning on the Go

Life is messy and busy, but that doesn’t mean your sunglasses have to be. For a quick cleaning, pick up a pack of moist lens wipes from your local pharmacy or grocery store. As a bonus, feel free to use these wipes to clean your phones as well.

In addition, many stores sell spray disinfectants that are made especially for sunglasses. When cleaning with a solution such as this, put some distance between the bottle and each lens. The coating of the lens is so sensitive that even a powerful mist can do significant damage.

Be sure to start cleaning with the wipes by starting with the nose grips. Otherwise you will just end up transferring dirt and making a mess. After cleaning the lenses, do a lens check to make sure the view is clear and smudge-free.

Keep Your Sunglasses Safe at the Beach

Sunglasses are practically a necessity when taking trips to the beach. Take your sunglasses off when you go for a dip in the ocean because the salt-water is terrible on the coating of the lenses. Sand will also destroy your favorite shades, so definitely be aware of this and store them in a hard, protective case. When traveling in general, make sure to grab your hard case to avoid any chances of harming your sunglasses.

Just Say No

Many people think Windex is an acceptable solution for dirty sunglasses, but they are wrong. Stay away from household products such as this as they are far to abrasive and will only cause harm. Dawn is an approved dish soap to use, but most other brands of dish soap contain the ingredient citric acid which will strip the coating right off the lens.

In addition, never clean your sunglasses with household ingredient such as vinegar, baking soda, or any other household cleaners. Remember that just because it cleans surfaces, doesn’t mean it will effectively clean your sunglasses.

Conclusion

There are plenty of wrong ways to clean your sunglasses, so it pays off to know the right way. If it isn’t a product similar to the ingredients of dawn dish soap or a specialty solution made for lens cleaning, you should avoid it completely.

Knowing how to clean sunglasses, and the best ways to protect them are essential to keeping them in pristine condition. Not only do they add to your fashion sense, but they also protect your eyes from sun damage. A great pair of sunglasses are hard to find, so do your part to keep them in mint condition.