How To Clean Safety Glasses

How To Clean Your Safety Eyewear

As a company specializing in selling safety glasses and protective eyewear, we're frequently asked:

" What is the best method for cleaning the lenses on my safety glasses to avoid scratching the lens?"

Most safety eyewear manufacturers use polycarbonate lens material, which is excellent for impact protection. However, it's prone to scratching when not cleaned properly. In fact, the number one reason for scratched lenses is improper lens cleaning.

Three Easy Steps To Keep Your Safety Glasses Scratch-Free:

Gently blow any loose dirt or debris from your lenses.
Rinse your lenses under a faucet or use a cleaning spray, such as those found in a lens cleaning station provided by many employers. If neither is available, use a lens cleaning towelette or lens cleaning spray to gently wipe both sides of the lens.
Wipe your lenses dry with a soft microfiber cloth to remove streaks and cleaning solution residue.

Rinse glasses with lukewarm water to clear any dust or debris.

Additional Tips To Keep Your Lenses In Optimum Condition:

Include the frames in the cleaning process since dirt and debris often collect on them too. A soft-bristle toothbrush works well for cleaning frames, but be careful not to graze lenses with the bristles.
Never use a shirt, shop rag, facial tissue, or paper towel to clean lenses. Most of these fabrics, even though they may feel soft to the touch, are infused with abrasive fibers and debris. And, these rough fibers can quickly scratch your lenses. Mirrored lenses are especially prone to scratches when cleaned this way.

Microfiber Pouch Cleaning Safety Glasses

Use the inside of a microfiber pouch to wipe your glasses.

Use the inside portion of a microfiber eyewear pouch to clean your lenses. The exterior of the bag may have picked up dirt, debris, or other abrasives that may cause scratches.
Wash your cleaning cloths and microfiber bags often. Keep multiple cloths or pouches on hand, so a clean one is always available for cleaning your glasses.
Bear in mind that some fluid is essential for the proper cleaning of eyewear. Using a dry cloth alone, even if it's specifically for cleaning glasses, significantly increases the chances of scratching lenses.
N ever clean your safety glasses with any soaps or window cleaners . These type of cleaners contain chemicals that may remove your eyewear's special lens coatings. You wouldn't want to take off your anti-fog coating accidentally!
Store your safety glasses in a protective case or microfiber eyewear pouch when not in use. Improper storage of safety eyewear is the second most common cause of lens scratches.
Create a routine for frequently cleaning safety glasses, say at the beginning of your shift or break. Waiting until your safety glasses are noticeably dirty means, there's more material to remove from the lens, which could increase the chances of a scratch.

Using a case will help protect your glasses from scratches.

Clean Eyewear Saves You Money

Following the above cleaning techniques will keep your safety eyewear clean, and extend the life of eyewear, which saves money. Also, maintaining clean eyewear can improve overall visibility and keep small foreign objects out of your eyes. For these reasons, a good eyewear cleaning routine just makes sense.

Do you have a question or comment about cleaning your safety glasses? Please leave a comment below.

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Michael Eldridge is a US Marine Veteran and the founder of SafetyGlassesUSA.com. He's passionate about protective eyewear and promoting vision safety. In his spare time, he enjoys camping with his family, hiking, target shooting, fishing, mountain biking, and watching Detroit Tigers baseball.

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