The best way to clean glasses

Wearing dirty glasses is frustrating. You find yourself trying to see through smudges on your computer screen, or wiping away a stray eyelash only to leave another fingerprint on your lenses, not to mention the countless pet hairs and snotty noses left behind by dogs and cats if you have pets.

In desperation, you might pick up a shirt or tissue to wipe it off—only to find that you've somehow made it worse. The smudge in the center of the lens now extends from edge to edge of the frame, and if you're unlucky, you'll see a cluster of scratches right in front of your eyeball.

Don't worry too much, follow the instructions for cleaning glasses below, you will regain its original shine and cleanliness.

Clean eyeglasses with soap

It turns out that keeping your glasses smudge- and scratch-free is cheap and easy. Just wash them gently. This is something you can do every day without damaging them, whether you wear cheap drugstore reading glasses or designer frames with progressive lenses.

Here's how to keep your glasses clean :

1. Wash your hands to remove dirt or bacteria.
2. Wash the glasses with warm water (not too hot and not too cold).
3. Add a drop of mild dish soap to the lenses.
4. Rub soap onto both sides of the lenses and frames.
5. Rinse off soap.
6. Dry with a lint-free cloth or microfiber towel.

If you really want your glass sparkling clean, here are a few advanced cleaning tips you can add to your routine:

1. Use a cotton swab to remove dirt from around the edges of the lenses, where they meet the frame.
2. Wash your microfiber cloth regularly. It retains oil from your hands, so if you don't rinse it off, it will smudge the lenses you just cleaned.

Things to avoid when cleaning eyeglasses

There are a few things to avoid, such as shirts, tissues, and anything that is not a lens cloth. These can scratch the lenses, and the lenses cannot be cleaned.

Don't use eyeglass cleaner just because it sounds like it. It can strip the coating you bought on your lenses. You may be tempted to use something with acetone, like nail polish remover, to clean off the smudges, but it's too harsh for your lenses. Ultrasonic cleaners may seem like a good idea, but they can also scratch your lenses. Soap alone is enough and can actually clean your lenses.

Dishwashing liquid does the job well and should be as simple as possible, without any added detergents or abrasives. The most basic dishwashing liquid on the shelf will do.

Jessica Tanner

Update 01 August 2025