How to Clean and Maintain Your Spectacles to Make Them Last Longer

Most damage to spectacles comes from small habits: wiping a dry lens on a shirt, leaving glasses on a hot dashboard, or putting them down on their lenses. A few routines make a real difference to how long a pair stays clear and comfortable. For step-by-step cleaning, see also how to clean glasses without scratching.

Cleaning: a simple routine

1. Wash your hands so you do not rub oil onto the lenses.
2. Rinse the lenses with clean water when appropriate, to float off dust and grit. Dry grit is what scratches.
3. Use a suitable lens-cleaning solution, or a drop of mild soap with water.
4. Wipe gently with a clean microfibre cloth. Wash the cloth regularly, because a dirty cloth drags grit across the lens.
5. Clean the frame and nose pads too, where skin oils build up.

What to avoid

• Wiping dry lenses on clothing or paper tissues
• Abrasive materials, including toothpaste or baking soda
• Household cleaners, alcohol or solvents, which can damage coatings and some frames
• Hot water, hair dryers, or leaving glasses in a hot car, because heat can damage lens coatings
• Pushing or pulling the arms open with one hand

Storage and daily handling

• Use a protective case whenever your glasses are not on your face.
• Never rest them lens-down. Fold them and put them on their side or in the case.
• Remove and put them on with two hands, holding both arms, so the frame is not pulled out of line.
• Do not wear them on your head for long: it stretches the arms.
• Keep them away from heat and strong chemicals such as hairspray.

Signs that it is time for an adjustment or repair

• The glasses sit crooked or slide down your nose
• A screw is loose or missing
• The nose pads are worn, discoloured or uncomfortable
• An arm feels loose, stiff or uneven
• The lenses are loose in the frame

Small problems are easier to fix before they become big ones. Do not keep tightening a failing screw with an improvised tool. See repair versus replacement.

When to replace the lenses

Deep scratches in your line of sight, a coating that has crazed, or a prescription that no longer feels right are all reasons to review them. See can scratched lenses be repaired? and frame replacement versus lens replacement. If you have had your glasses a long time, it may be worth a fresh eye test.

This article is general information, not medical advice. For persistent symptoms or any sudden change in your vision, see an eye-care professional.