How to Clean and Care for Your Eyeglasses (Without Scratching Them)

Most lens scratches don't come from drops or accidents — they come from everyday cleaning done the wrong way. Wiping lenses on a shirt, using tissue, or cleaning dry glass with any fabric grinds tiny dust particles into the lens coating like sandpaper. The good news is that proper care takes about the same amount of time as doing it wrong.

The Right Way to Clean Your Lenses

1. Rinse first. Run your glasses under lukewarm water to loosen dust and debris before you touch the lens with anything. This single step prevents most scratches, since you're not grinding dry particles into the coating.
2. Use a drop of dish soap. A small amount of gentle dish soap (not the industrial kind, and avoid soaps with moisturizers or lotions, which leave a residue) cuts through oil from your skin far better than plain water.
3. Rub gently with your fingers. Clean both sides of the lens along with the nose pads and frame, where oil and skin buildup collects.
4. Rinse thoroughly and shake off excess water.
5. Dry with a clean microfiber cloth. This is the only fabric that's safe to use on lenses. Anything else — shirts, tissues, paper towels — contains fibers rough enough to leave micro-scratches over time.

What Not to Do

• Don't use your shirt. Even soft cotton carries dust and has a weave rough enough to scratch anti-reflective coatings over repeated use.
• Don't use household glass cleaner. Products like standard window cleaners often contain ammonia or alcohol that can strip lens coatings.
• Don't wipe a dry lens. This is the single biggest cause of scratches — always rinse or use a proper lens spray before wiping.
• Don't leave glasses lens-down. Setting glasses face-down on any surface, even briefly, is one of the most common ways lenses pick up fine scratches.

Daily Habits That Extend Frame Life

• Always use both hands to take glasses on and off — using one hand slowly warps the frame and loosens the hinges over time.
• Store glasses in a hard case when not worn, especially in a bag or pocket.
• Keep glasses away from high heat — a hot car dashboard or direct sunlight can warp frames and damage lens coatings.

When It's Time for a Replacement

Deep scratches that catch your fingernail, coating that's peeling or bubbling, or a frame that no longer holds its shape after adjustment are all signs it's time for a new pair rather than another repair. If you're due for an upgrade, browse our eyeglasses and sunglasses collections — and this time, a microfiber cloth and the five-step routine above will help the new pair last a lot longer.