After a semester of organic chemistry spent squinting helplessly at the blackboard, I finally learned my “resting squint face” could be resolved with a pair of prescription glasses. It did not, however, help me understand stereochem any better, which is why I’m writing this piece and not working as a doctor. But after a decade-plus of wearing specs on the daily, I’m still at a loss for how to clean glasses correctly. Should I use a special lens cleaner? A microfiber cloth? My T-shirt?
To my relief, Brian Ziegler, director of lab operations at Warby Parker, shared with me his number one favorite way to clean glasses. And let’s be honest, if I’m going to take anyone’s advice on the matter, it’s this guy’s. The absolute best way to clean your glasses is to use any optician-approved eyeglasses cleaner and a microfiber cloth, he explained to me.
If you’re in a pinch and a lens cleaner is not available, fear not. Ziegler said you can wash your lenses by running them under warm water and applying a tiny bit of dishwashing soap to create a lather with your fingers on the lens. Then simply rinse and dry (with a clean microfiber cloth only!).
If you, like me, were wondering if you could just use your T-shirt, Ziegler says no, you cannot. Why’s that? Well, the fibers found in other materials (e.g., a T-shirt or a paper towel) can damage and strip away the protective coating on your lenses over time.
