How To Clean Eyeglasses With Vinegar

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If you’ve been use your handkerchief, shirt, or tissue paper to wipe down your eyeglasses, then you’ve been doing it wrong all along. Every time you use the wrong material, you risk scratching the lenses and damaging their protective coating. Vinegar, on the other hand, is an excellent eyeglass cleaner, and here’s how to use it.

Vinegar makes the perfect eyeglass cleaner when used correctly. Add 2/3 cup of vinegar to 1/3 cup of water in a spray bottle. Shake to mix, then spray it on your eyeglass lenses and wipe using a microfiber cloth.

In addition to vinegar, there are several other safe home ingredients that can be used to clean your eyeglasses. Let’s take a closer look at cleaning your glasses with vinegar and some of the best alternatives.

Is Vinegar an Effective Cleaning Solution for Eyeglasses?

Eyeglass cleaner

Vinegar has a powerful cleaning property that can be too harsh on your eyeglasses if used wrongly or in excess. However, when used properly, vinegar makes a great eyeglass cleaner and even doubles as an anti-fogger (perfect for medical masks).

If your glass uses plastic or polycarbonate lenses, you can mix vinegar with dry mustard and use it as a scratch remover.

Here’s how to use vinegar to clean your eyeglasses.

  1. Mix 1/3 cup of water and 2/3 cup white vinegar in a spray bottle.
  2. Shake to mix.
  3. Spray the mixture on your glasses and clean using a microfiber cloth.

It’s that simple! Plus, you probably already have the ingredients right at home. Vinegar and water combine to make a very good cleaner.

What Type of Cloth Won’t Scratch Eyeglasses?

Your eyeglass lenses are very delicate and can scratch easily. For this reason, it’s important to use the right cloth to clean them. Microfiber cloths (on Amazon) are the best for cleaning your glasses, although you can use any soft, lint-free cloth.

Microfiber cloth is soft enough not to harm the lens surface but also porous enough to pick up dirt and other debris on your lenses.

Avoid cleaning your eyeglass using your shirt, paper towels, or tissues. Stick to a soft lens cloth. The one your glasses probably came with is a great example.

The Best Alternatives to Vinegar

If you don’t want to use vinegar or don’t have any on hand, there are numerous alternatives you can use to clean your eyeglasses. Here are some commonly used options:

Dish Soap

The dish soap you have at home can make an effective eyeglass cleaner. Blue Dawn (on Amazon) makes the best cleaner, although you can use any dish soap. Here’s how to use the cleaner:

  1. Add 2 drops of dish soap to 1–2 cups of water.
  2. Stir the solution using your finger.
  3. Hold your glasses by the bows and gently submerge the lens part into the mixture.
  4. Let the glasses stay in the solution for a few minutes, or even longer if the lenses have crusty gunk.
  5. Remove them and rinse them with water.
  6. Lastly, wipe them down using a microfiber cloth.

Rubbing Alcohol

Cleaning eyeglasses with alcohol to protection from corona virus Covid-19

Rubbing alcohol is also another quick and easy way to create glass cleaner. Here’s how to use it:

  1. Add ¾ cup of rubbing alcohol to ¼ cup of water.
  2. Add a drop of dish soap to the mixture.
  3. Spray it on your eyeglass lenses and then wipe using a microfiber cloth.

If you’re worried that this alcohol recipe is too harsh for your glass coating, stick to soap and water.

Witch Hazel

You can also use witch hazel (on Amazon) as an alternative to alcohol. Here’s how to clean eyeglasses using witch hazel:

  1. Add ½ cup of water to ½ cup of witch hazel in a spray bottle.
  2. Add 2 drops of dish soap to the mixture.
  3. Shake the bottle to mix everything up.
  4. Spray the solution on your glasses and then clean them using a microfiber cloth.

Things to Avoid When Cleaning Eyeglasses

Here are some things you should not clean your eyeglass with and mistakes to avoid:

  1. Don’t use a random household cleaning product to clean your eyeglass. These harsh products can strip down and dissolve the protective coating on your frames.
  2. Resist the urge to wipe your eyeglass lenses using a paper towel, tissue, or the edge of your shirt. These items can scratch your lenses.
  3. Don’t use scratch removal products. They are too harsh and will typically damage the protective coating. Also, don’t use paper products.
  4. Don’t use hot running water to clean your glasses since hot water can affect the longevity of the protective coating. Go for lukewarm water instead.
  5. Avoid spraying your eyeglasses with perfumes, hairsprays, and other cosmetic products.
  6. Only use distilled water when making the recipes to avoid adding harmful minerals.

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