Most of you wearing the prescription eyeglasses will know how much are these glasses a daily part of your life. And now the e-commerce eyeglass stores eliminate spatial hurdles to buy eyeglasses online in India and elsewhere. We know it irritates you when you get even a single scratch on your lenses which is difficult to practically ‘un-see’. It may become a hindrance if you are driving your car and worst to see the smudgy lights breaking through scratches lenses. Therefore, it is recommended to clean your glasses regularly and remove scratches, if any.
Let us get started with how you can do that in the best manner right from using simple materials that even other advanced things to clean your eyeglasses from. Here is the step-by-step process for the same.
Step 1: Cleaning your Eyeglass
Start with cleaning the lenses’ surface with soft hands and see inspect scratches and identify where they are. Use a microfiber cloth for cleaning glasses and especially avoid the clothes you wear to clean lenses. Doing so may worsen scratches due to roughness of cloth.
If you do not have a microfiber cloth then you can put soft wool or cotton to use. Also, you can apply a gentle amount of non-abrasive toothpaste that help to buff away the scratches on lenses. Rub the toothpaste gently by manoeuvring in circles and repeat it for 10-15 seconds. Once done, rinse your lenses with cold running water and wipe it dry using micro-fibre cloth.
Step 2: Repair Scratches on Lenses
Some of you might think that since you opted to buy eyeglasses online, you cannot get it cleaned anywhere else. That is not the case. You can always visit your nearest optical shop and get it cleaned with a nominal charge.
But, if you choose to DIY on glasses having deep scratches on lenses then applying a scratch remover on lenses is inevitable. As stated, a non-abrasive toothpaste in circular motion works best most often on normal wear and tear scratches. But if deep scratches on lenses will require you to follow this process for a longer time and even for multiple times.
Another alternative is to use baking soda with water. Mix the baking soda and water in equal parts until you create a base as solid as a toothpaste. And just like you did it with toothpaste, rub the paste of baking soda and water on lenses for a few times. Continue following this process till the scratch completely fades out. Continue until the scratch is completely removed. If you have an anti-scratch coating on your eyeglasses then consider coating it again. Because the coating may tear off when you rub lenses to remove the scratch. Even if you have a scratch on the coating then the same needs to be replaced.
For those who need a better finish should go with the Armor Etch which provides the glass etching compound. It features Hydrofluoric Acid which is an active ingredient that helps to remove any outer coating applied on the plastic lenses.
But, BEWARE:
If you use this Armor Etch to apply it on glasses then it may damage the lenses. Use this only on fibre or plastic lenses and not on the glasses.
Start with applying a thin layer of compound coating both the sides of the lens. Keep the glasses as-is for 3-5 minutes. And then, rinse them dry with soft cloth Allow the glasses to sit for five minutes. Rinse and wipe dry. Do not rub the compound into the lenses. The Armor Etch will remove the outer coating and any scratches along with it.
3. Scratch filling
Some deep scratches just won’t go away easily. They would rather leave the scratches deep enough for you to fill up later one. In such a case, you should try applying the product that helps to fill that scratch. You can rub wax on the lenses and later clean it with micro-fibre cloth followed by wiping through a clean cloth. Follow this habit week after week for a month to fill up the scratch completely.
For plastic and glass lenses, you can use the vehicle cleaning wax which is usually used for polishing cars and bikes. This material is very handy to fill in and remove scratches on glass and plastic eyeglasses. Do apply it using a clean, soft cloth till you see the scratch healing. Kindly ensure that you do not rub dry wax on glasses. To avoid that, use fresh cloth fabric every time you apply wax on lenses.
Things to Avoid
- DO NOT clean your eyeglass lenses using a shirttail or any other cloth that you wear especially on dry lenses. This can further deepen the scratch and it may do irreversible damage.
- NEVER useyour saliva to wet your lenses for cleaning.
III. AVOID using any household glass or other such surface cleaners for cleaning the eyeglass lenses. Such products have ingredients that can harm eyeglass lenses and coatings.
- STOP USINGpaper towels, tissues, toiler papers and napkins to clean your eyeglass lenses. Such actions can put a scratch or even smear the lenses that leave plenty of lint not visible to the naked eye.
- DO NOT”buff away” a scratch in your eyeglass lenses. This makes matter worse as the buff stays for a shorter time than you think. And this may leave you rubbing the lenses dry.
Conclusion
The above methods can clean lenses but it has its perils. And even if you choose to go ahead with the pro tips to clean lenses, read hand gloves while performing the tasks and insist on reading the material handling instructions before applying it. Avoid using any chemical-based solution on the glass to keep your precious prescription glasses away from damages.