Do you want to maintain that frame you love so much? Regarding eyewear, we all have our favourites, and it's only natural to want to keep your lovely pair longer. Frequent cleaning of your eyewear helps maintain its appearance and prolongs its life. Remember that accumulated dirt and residue can damage your frames, lenses and coatings. In other words, it pays to know how to care for and clean your eyewear frames! We'll show you step-by-step how.
Choosing the right time to care for and clean your eyeglass frames
You may wonder why certain times are better than others for cleaning your glasses. When you're not properly equipped, you risk scratching your frames and, more importantly, your lenses.
After all, who hasn't grabbed their glasses cloth to clean their frames and lenses quickly? The urge to clean your glasses is more pressing before a meeting, after exposure to a dusty environment or because you realize your glasses are dirty.
However, running a cloth over your glasses quickly can cause micro-scratches. When dry, the cloth will rub residue and dust against your lenses and frames. Over time, these small scratches can damage your glasses.
The solution, therefore, is first to rid your glasses of dust and residue. So, the best time to clean your glasses is when you have water or an excellent liquid cleaner for glasses on hand.
Just like your frames, your eyes also need to be pampered. If it's been more than a year since your last eye test, we recommend you make an appointment for an eye exam.
Choosing the right eyewear cleaner: Our options and recommendations
Special solutions for eyewear
There are cleaning solutions specially designed for eyewear. They are gentle, residue-free and designed not to damage lenses or coatings. You can find them in most optical stores. These solutions are generally the best option for daily cleaning of your eyewear.
Warm water and mild soap
For a thorough cleaning, you can use lukewarm water and mild soap. Just ensure the soap contains no products that could damage your glasses.
Wet wipes for glasses
Single-use wet wipes are handy in the office or out and about. Make sure you choose wipes specially designed for eyewear. The wet wipes you use for cleaning or hygiene are not suitable.
Products to avoid when cleaning glasses
Of course, there are many. Let's look at some solutions that may sound good but aren't.
Paper towels or tissues: They can form micro-scratches on lenses. Always use a clean, soft microfiber cloth to wipe your glasses.
Clothes: Even seemingly soft cotton fabrics are not recommended for wiping your glasses.
Cleaning products: Computer screens or TV cleaning products can damage the coatings on your glasses.
A mixture of water and white vinegar to clean eyeglasses: Although this sounds like an effective natural solution for deep cleaning, it's not a good idea.
As you can see, it's best to use cleaners specially designed for eyewear to preserve the clarity of your lenses and the life of your frames. And the second solution, which is just as effective, is lukewarm water and mild soap.
Step-by-step instructions for cleaning eyeglasses
We advise you to regularly follow the process to keep your glasses clean and in good condition.
Step 1: Gather supplies
Make sure you have everything you need close at hand:
- A clean, soft microfiber cloth
- Eyeglass cleaner or lukewarm water and mild soap
Step 2: Rinse glasses
Rinse your glasses briefly under running water to remove dust particles. Be careful not to use hot or cold water, which could damage the lenses.
Step 3: Apply eyeglass cleaner
Apply a small amount of cleaning solution to both sides of the lenses. You can also use water and mild soap instead of eyeglass cleaner.
Use your fingertip or a microfiber cloth to clean the lenses gently. Don't forget to clean the frames, especially the parts that come into contact with your skin.
Step 4: Rinse and dry
Rinse lenses and frames thoroughly with water to remove any product or soap residue. Then, gently dry your glasses with a clean, soft microfiber cloth.
Visit your nearest IRIS boutique for an eyewear adjustment. One of our opticians will take care of adjusting your frames so that you can regain optimal comfort.
