How to Safely Clean and Store Your Glasses

Just like dry cleaning your clothes or polishing your jewelry, it’s important to take care of your glasses so that they have a longer lifespan. If you’ve been quickly wiping your lenses against your shirt to remove a smudge, or leaving them outside their case when you’re not wearing them, chances are that you’re causing damage without even realizing it.

How to Clean & Disinfect Your Glasses

Cleaning your glasses doesn’t have to be a time consuming or tedious task. Isopropyl alcohol-based lens wipes disinfect glasses without causing damage. Zenni’s /p/lens-wipe/A1103000?skuId=A110300030″>individually packaged lens wipes are great for on-the-go situations when grime and smudges may inconveniently appear.

Soap and water is also an easy option to remove unwanted germs from lenses. Read below for the correct technique in cleaning your lenses with soap and water.

1. Place your glasses in the sink and run them under a gentle stream of warm water. Avoid very hot water since it can damage the lens coatings.
2. Add one drop of mild soap without moisturizers to the tips of your fingers.
3. Lather the soap on each side of the lenses. Rub all parts of the frame for a few seconds, including the nose pads, ends of the temples, and the edge of the lens where it meets the frame, since skin oils and dust tend to hide in small crevasses.
4. Set your glasses aside and wash your hands to remove excess soap. This will ensure oils from your fingers won’t end up on your lenses during the rinsing process.
5. Rinse your glasses under warm water. Continue rinsing until all visible film is gone. Again, make sure to avoid very hot water so that you don’t damage the lens coatings.
6. Shake your glasses to remove the excess water. There’s no need to over-dry them.
7. Pass a clean cloth over the edges of your frames to remove any remaining moisture. Your new Zennis come with a microfiber cloth designed for this purpose. You should use the cloth to remove any remaining smudges. (You can also use a cloth that has not been laundered with fabric softener or a dryer sheet.)

Common Mistakes When Cleaning Your Glasses

We’re all guilty of quickly rubbing our glasses on our shirts or using paper towels to clean the lenses. While these habits may seem harmless, they don’t actually “clean” your glasses and ultimately can end up damaging your frames.

• Don’t use your shirt (or clothing in general) to clean your glasses. The dust and debris on fabrics can scratch your lenses.
• Don’t use paper towels or tissues to clean your glasses. These materials are too rough for your lenses and can cause small scratches. Dish towels or other fabrics that can trap dust and debris may also scratch the lenses.
• Avoid using household cleaning products to clean your lenses. Cleaning products usually contain harsh ammonia-based chemicals that can destroy the protective coating on your lenses. Opt for isopropyl alcohol- based /b/accessories”>lens wipes and sprays.
• Don’t leave your glasses out on the bathroom counter when getting ready. Hairspray and beauty products can get on your lenses and damage the protective coating.
• Don’t leave your glasses in the car on a hot or cold day. Extreme heat or cold can damage lens coatings and also may change the frame shape.

How to Safely Store Your Eyeglasses

The average American household accumulates 40 pounds of dust per year, and some of that is bound to end up on your glasses. The best way to avoid dust and debris building up on your lenses is to always store your glasses in a case when you aren’t wearing them. This will also protect them from getting scratched or bent. For travel, or to quickly store your glasses in a purse or packet, use a microfiber pouch. All Zenni glasses come with a scratch-resistant coating for free, as well as a hard case for storing them. We always recommend that you /p/eyeglass-case-/A501000?skuId=A50100024″>order an extra eyeglass case to have onhand as well.

If you’re taking your glasses off briefly, it’s important to set them down properly to avoid damage. If they’re folded, place them down with the lenses facing up. If they’re unfolded, you want to place them so they’re resting upside down.

For all of your glasses care needs, check out /glasses-accessories”>Zenni’s selection of eyeglass accessories including cleaning and repair kits, deluxe eyeglass cases, and eyeglass chains.