Cleaning lenses

[traveller]

This week I attended a meeting with microscope technicians from Zeiss. I asked what's best to clean lenses, if they don't now who else, and he told me of a brochure about cleaning lenses on their homepage. But he also mentioned there is one big mistake in it, that is using washing up liquid.

You can find the brochure at the Zeiss Homepage

I hope this is helpful

 

[oftheherd]

I don't know what "washing up" liquid is. I used Kodak lens cleaning solution for years without any problems, as well as their lens cleaning tissue. Many people these days like the microfiber cloth. I never trusted it like the lens cleaning tissue as it has to be cleaned. The tissue is used once and thrown away.

The real problem with methods of cleaning is that people get used to a particular way they have learned and defend that method with a religious ferver. Almost like the debate over using a UV filter or not.

BTW, thanks for the link.

 

[traveller]

I don't know what "washing up" liquid is.

I just looked into my dictionary, looks like it is dish liquid in the USA

 

[ferider]

I just looked into my dictionary, looks like it is dish liquid in the USA

Windex 🙂

 

[ernstk]

Washing up liquid

Washing up liquid

I just looked into my dictionary, looks like it is dish liquid in the USA

It's Dawn, or similar, in the US.

Ernst

 

[Bill58]

A short while back on the LUG, the same subject came up and the consensus was:

1.) blow off the lens w/ a bulb;
2.) use clear, unscented Acetone (nail polish remover) twice on a Q-tip (cotton-tipped wooden swab);
3.) dry w/ other end of Q-tip each time;
4.) use distilled water w/ a drop or two of liquid dishwashing soap in a 1/2 Gal. container twice on a Q-tip;
5.) dry w/ other end of Q-tip each time.

I've used this procedure countless times and it works!

 

[Wimpler]

Acetone will dissolve the material used to cement lenses. I suppose with a lot of care it would be rather safe to use it on the outer lens surfaces, I wouldn't use it to clean a dissasembled lens.

 

[Bryce]

Having gotten it on good authority from a high end telescope eypiece manufacturer, I use either windex or acetone on soft, clean cotton.
Acetone is for use only when the windex fails- it can damage paint and plastics and maybe canada balsam.
I avoid it by using filters.

 

[mervynyan]

I use dish washer to wash out the finger prints, etc, then low-heat blow dry. works just fine.

 

[iantoz]

cleanng lenses

cleanng lenses

HI, if you Google lens cleaning for telescopes, there is a site in the US that has some good information. It give two recipes one for washing and one for rinsing, both use FILTERED Windex with filtered alcohol. The mixture ratios are different.
These are tried and tested methods.

Dai.

 

[n5jrn]

First I try to blow the lens clean using a Giotto's rocket to see if that does the trick. If so, it beats touching the lens. If not, at least this will tend to dislodge things like tiny sand grains which could end up scratching the lens in the next step(s).

Next, I'll breathe on the lens to fog it (in other words, a trace of distilled water) and try cleaning with a lens tissue.

If both those tries fail, then I'll use a drop or two of Kodak lens-cleaning solution and wipe with a lens tissue.

 

[pagpow]

I use dish washer to wash out the finger prints, etc, then low-heat blow dry. works just fine.

Anyone use ROR to remove fingerprints and oils?

I always thought the idea was to use filters to reduce the need to clean, clean very rarely, blow clear, and use ROR for oils.

 

[Araakii]

I have always been using 97% rubbing alcohol. I found that it works 90% of the time. But occasionally you would come across a coating where the stain just doesn't go away.

 

[Beemermark]

Some people must have really dirty lenses? First, I don't clean a lens unless I have to. I do not obsess about a little dust inside or out. I try very, very hard not to put my fingers on the glass. If I go to the beach I use a filter (though in general I do not like UV filters). If I must clean it I use the Kodak fiber throw away sheets. If I stupidly got a finger print on it and can't get if off then I use a drop of lens cleaner on the fiber sheet to clean it.

While probably not as true as it was 40 years ago, I still believe more lenses are ruined by cleaning then photos ruined by dirty lenses.

And always blow the surface off first with compressed air. Any dust or dirt that may not see is ground into the coating when you start rubbing.

Acetone!!!!!!!!?? In an emergency a clean 100% cotton shirt or handkerchief with a drop of rum works.

 

[mdarnton]

I have an airbrush in my shop, so I blow them off first with a lot of air. I do that whenever I think of it, anyway--cameras, too. Inside the mirrorbox all the time, too. Then windex on q-tips. That's after I take off the UV filter that I've been cleaning with my shirt tail. The thing I like about this routine is that I only wash the lens about once a year. By the same token, windex works better and faster than anything I've tried, and I've tried everything. For me, solvents like alcohol and acetone leave scum that then needs to be cleaned off, itself, which is too much rubbing for me to be comfortable with. When your front two elements separate from the acetone that's been drawn around the edge of the element by capillary action, you'll have another reason not to use solvents.

First rule: If it doesn't get dirty, you don't have to clean it.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Mark's words are wise ones; I might have written them myself. Don't stress about a little dust.

Ben

 

[Gumby]

It's Dawn, or similar, in the US.

Correct... "washing up liquid" is dish washing detergent, not amonia-based window washing liquid.