Lens Cleaner

[William Whitaker]

In the "old days" lens cleaning fluid usually meant a small bottle of the Kodak branded stuff from the local photo purveyor.

No longer. What are folks using for lens cleaning fluid these days? I avoid cleaning lenses if at all possible. But sometimes it's necessary. I'd appreciate to hear people's recommendations for 2021.

[Deyoung]

I'm using LensClens.#1 (the pink fluid) for all my general purpose cleaning. Using Kim wipes to apply it to the lens.

Air blower to get the big stuff, small, clean brush for the more stubborn stuff, then lensclens. Seems to work very well for me.

[Tin Can]

I ordered some of type 1 & 2

Thank you

I'm using LensClens.#1 (the pink fluid) for all my general purpose cleaning. Using Kim wipes to apply it to the lens.

Air blower to get the big stuff, small, clean brush for the more stubborn stuff, then lensclens. Seems to work very well for me.

[Peter De Smidt]

https://purosol.com/

Their lens cleaner works the best of any I've tried.

[Tin Can]

My bottle is right next to my keyboards.

I want to try the front surface mirror #2 Lens Clens

https://purosol.com/

Their lens cleaner works the best of any I've tried.

[neil poulsen]

I have about a pint container of Kodak lens cleaner of old I purchased decades ago that s still about 3/4 full. In cleaning, I first blow off the surface. Then I moisten a micro-fiber cloth meant for cleaning lenses with the cleaner, and maybe put a couple of drops directly on the lens, and carefully wipe the lens.

But often as not, a thin film (seen via the multi-colored, thin-film effect) can be seen on the surface of the lens. Following the "cleaning" with doing the same with a few drops of distilled water, this thin-film can be removed.

Is this thin-film being left on the sruface typical of other cleaners? I suspect not.

Wrong or right, my perspective of kim-wipes, is that they can be a bit abrasive.

[r_a_feldman]

maybe put a couple of drops directly on the lens

Back in the day, I was told to use the cleaning fluid sparingly and not apply it directly to the glass for fear that some of the fluid might be drawn into the lens body. Instead, I touch the tip of the dropper bottle to the lens paper (I still have a supply of Kodak lens cleaning paper) and let the capillary action draw some of the fluid out into the paper.

[Nodda Duma]

Anything will abrade a glass surface if you apply pressure. The key is not to apply pressure, and it’s a technique to learn. Kimwipes are almost universally used in shops when needed, as they are a lint free tissue. That said, most cleaning in optical shops is with warm water and dish soap, and a dish sponge or your bare hands (different cleaning needs = different cleaning tools). In an assembly environment, it’s kimwipes, cotton swabs, solvents, compressed air, lens brush, etc. etc.

[Oren Grad]

That said, most cleaning in optical shops is with warm water and dish soap...

Any particular dish soap recommended? Are the perfumes and colorings that are often included anything to worry about?

[Nodda Duma]

Any particular dish soap recommended? Are the perfumes and colorings that are often included anything to worry about?

Not IMO, but the old Navy optician I used to work with preferred Dawn. I just cleaned a telescope primary mirror last weekend with 15 years of accumulated pollen, dust, etc from being regularly pointed up at night and including surviving smoke from a fire. I’d have to look to see what dish soap we have. Maybe Palmolive? Looks brand new, which I was pretty happy about as it has to be sent to the original factory if it has to be recoated. Water, soap, gloved hand to wash the surface, then rinse in distilled water.